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Re: Veterupristisaurus, theropod from Tanzania



2011 is correct: hardcopies of the volume were received by subscribers
over a month ago.

On Thu, December 29, 2011 9:58 pm, Ben Creisler wrote:
> From: Ben Creisler
> bscreisler@yahoo.com
>  
>  The ref for Veterupristisaurus [without the name mentioned] has first
> posted in November:
> http://dml.cmnh.org/2011Nov/msg00495.html
> ã??
> This new theropod has not been posted yet by name with an abstract. It's
> my understanding that the volume will be officially published in March
> 2012.
> Amazon says the official publication date is March 6, 2012:
> http://www.amazon.com/Special-Papers-Palaeontology-Studies-Tetrapods/dp/1444361899
>  
> However, some places are citing Veterupristisaurus as published in
> November 2011:
> http://www.bookdepository.com/Special-Papers-Palaeontology-Studies-on-Fossil-Tetrapods-No-86-Barrett/9781444361896
>  
> ã??
> I'm not sure which year is correct.
> Rauhut, Oliver (2011 [2012])
> Theropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic of Tendaguru (Tanzania).
> Special Papers in Palaeontology: Studies on Fossil Tetrapods 86: 195-239
> doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2011. 01084.x.
>  
> Abstract:
>  
> The Tendaguru Formation of south-eastern Tanzania has yielded the only
> diverse theropod fauna known from the Late Jurassic of Gondwana. Theropod
> remains have been recovered mainly from two members of the formation, the
> Middle and Upper Dinosaur members, which span from the Kimmeridgian to the
> latest Tithonian or earliest Cretaceous. Here, four of the described taxa
> and additional isolated remains from this formation are reviewed and
> evaluated. Labrosaurus(?) stechowi Janensch, and Megalosaurus(?) ingens
> Janensch, are based on isolated teeth that do not show any unique derived
> characters, so these taxa are regarded as nomina dubia. Nevertheless, the
> teeth show character combinations indicative of ceratosaurid and
> carcharodontosaurid relationships, respectively. Ceratosaurus? roechlingi
> Janensch was based on associated fragmentary remains, which probably
> represent more than a single taxon. None of the type material shows
> diagnostic characters, so the
>  species is a nomen dubium, and a middle caudal vertebra with possibly
> ceratosaurid affinities is designated as the lectotype. Allosaurus(?)
> tendgurensis Janensch is based on an isolated, poorly preserved basal
> tetanuran tibia, which cannot be diagnosed, so the species is also a
> nomen dubium. A new taxon, Veterupristisaurus milneri gen. et sp. nov.,
> is based on diagnostic caudal vertebrae from the Middle Dinosaur Member.
> These elements show carcharodontosaurid synapomorphies and, within this
> Bade, share a unique derived character with the genus Acrocanthosaurus.
> In total, theropod material from the Tendaguru Formation indicates the
> presence of at least seven different species of theropods, including the
> ceratosaurian Elaphrosaurus bambergi Janensch, a probable ceratosaurid, a
> small abelisauroid, a probable abelisaurid, a small, noncoelurosaurian
> tetanuran, a possible megalosauroid and a carcharodontosaurid. Theropod
> faunas from the Middle and Upper
>  Dinosaur members might differ slightly, but are similar in general
> taxonomic composition. In broad systematic terms, the theropod fauna from
> Tendaguru shows greater similarities to Cretaceous Gondwanan theropod
> faunas than with contemporaneous fauna from the North American Morrison
> Formation, indicating that the complex evolutionary and biogeographical
> history of Cretaceous Gondwanan theropod faunas can only be understood in
> the light of their Jurassic origins.
> Allosaurus? tendagurensis  Janensch 1925 Nomen dubium P. 209
> Ceratosaurus? roechlingi  Janensch 1925 Nomen dubium P. 199
> Ceratosaurus? stechowi  (Janensch 1920) Nomen dubium P. 202
> Megalosaurus? ingens  Janensch 1920 Nomen dubium P. 220
> =====
> Another paper in the same volume that was mentioned earlier without an
> abstract:
> ã??
> Rayfield, Emily J. (2011 [2012])
> Structural performance of tetanuran theropod skulls, with emphasis on the
> Megalosauridae, Spinosauridae and Carcharodontosauridae.
> Special Papers in Palaeontology: Studies on Fossil Tetrapods 86: 241-253
> 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2011.01081.x
>  
> ã??
> Abstract:
>  
> How theropod dinosaur skulls experience stress and strain during the
> application of adductor muscle loads provides a unique insight into their
> feeding behaviour and principles of skeletal construction and scaling. Of
> particular interest are unusual cranial morphologies, such as those seen
> in the spinosaurid theropods, Baryonyx walkeri, Suchomimus tenerensis,
> Irritator challengeri and Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. This study uses the
> engineering technique finite element analysis to reconstruct
> feeding-related stress and strain in the skulls of seven theropod
> dinosaurs: five non-neotetanurans (Afrovenator, Dubreuillosaurus,
> Monolophosaurus, Spinosaurus and Suchomimus) and two basal neotetanurans
> (Acrocanthosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus). Two-dimensional finite element
> models are created, and simulated adductor muscle loads are applied in
> proportion to the lateral surface area of the skull, thereby removing the
> influence of size and testing the effic
>  shape at resisting relative loads. Results show a significant
> size-related trend, with large taxa experiencing greater stresses than
> smaller taxa. Whilst Suchomimus scales with other theropods, Spinosaurus
> is a notable outlier and experiences much higher magnitudes of cranial
> stress than would be predicted. It may be that when realistic loading
> parameters are considered, larger theropods mitigate potential cranial
> weakness through concomitant scaling of adductor muscle and bite force or
> through modifications to feeding ecology, especially in taxa such as
> Spinosaurus. Given the 2D nature of these models, results and
> interpretations should be treated with caution, and are at best
> considered predictors of biomechanical performance and feeding ecology,
> to be tested in the future with more appropriate 3D finite element
> models.
>


Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661

Faculty Director, Science & Global Change Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/sgc
Fax: 301-314-9843

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA