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Re: NEW MONGOLIAN DINOSAUR



> Today, Japanese newspaper and TV-program reported Joint Japan-Mongolian
>paleontological expedition found new dinosaur from Gobi Desert.
>
> They found 1m long Theropod dinosaur. The new dinosaur named
>"Tonouchisaurus mongoliensis" from Mr.Shouji Tonouti, ground penetrating
>radar engineer working Kawasaki Chishitsu Co..
>
> This dinosaur found from Huren Dukh, 250km south of Ulaan baatar.
>The age was 130 million years ago. The material was disarticulated
>arm and leg bones. (The illustration of newspaper show humerus,
>radius, ulna, metacarpal, femur, tibia(or fibula?), metatersal,
>phalanges.)

Thanks to Michiaki Endo (who sent me a copy of that newspaper article and a
videotape of the TV special) I can comment on Tonouchisaurus mongoliensis.

It seems to be a small (~1 m long) derived coelurosaur (no surprise there).
As illustrated in the TV special (which unfortunately didn't focus enough
on the fossil for me to comment much on the morphology), the beast has only
two fingers on its hands, which might suggest that it is just a hatchling
tyrannosaurid.  If the metatarsus is exposed on its front face (it is hard
to tell from the photograph in the newspaper article), then it is different
from tyrannosaurids in lacking the pinched metatarsal (arctometatarsalian)
condition.  (If it is the back of the metatarsus, it might indeed be
pinched on the front).

As stated above, only the limbs are known.  I don't know yet where it will
be formally published, so we'll have to wait and see.

                                
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.                                   
tholtz@geochange.er.usgs.gov
Vertebrate Paleontologist in Exile                  Phone:      703-648-5280
U.S. Geological Survey                                FAX:      703-648-5420
Branch of Paleontology & Stratigraphy
MS 970 National Center
Reston, VA  22092
U.S.A.