RE: SALTRIOSAURUS

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: Steve Brusatte [mailto:dinoland@lycos.com]
>
> I'm interested in knowing the possible relationships with
> Cryolophosaurus, another Early Jurassic Gondwanna theropod.  In
> his paper, Hammer writes that Cryolophosaurus may be an early
> tetanuran with primitive features, a belief that he recently
> reinforced in an interview with me (see the latest Dinosaur World
> issue).

_Cryolophosaurus_ is almost certainly a tetanurine, but may be younger in
the Early Jurassic than the new form.

> Italy and Antarctica weren't necessarily very close during the
> Early Jurassic, but the two dinosaurs seem somewhat similar.
> Does anybody know about any possible relationships?  Any
> pre-paper speculation??

Pre-paper speculation of this sort isn't worth the paper its printed on...

> And, what about a furcula in Cryolophosaurus??  I don't believe
> there is one, but is there speculation that it likely did have one?

Well, this is one we CAN reasonably speculate: with the recognition of
coelophysoid furculae, the implication is that each and every neotheropod
had a furcula, unless it secondarily reduced it.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796