New theropod remains from ?Middle Jurassic of Niger

[Ben Creisler <bcreisler@gmail.com>]

Ben Creisler
bcreisler@gmail.com

A new online paper:


Alejandro Serrano-Martínez, Francisco Ortega, Lara Sciscio, José
Enrique Tent-Manclús, Ignacio Fierro Bandera & Fabien Knoll (2014)
New theropod remains from the Tiourarén Formation (?Middle Jurassic,
Niger) and their bearing on the dental evolution in basal tetanurans.
Proceedings of the Geologists' Association (advance online publication)
doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2014.10.005
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016787814000820



A fragment of a maxilla and isolated theropod teeth from the (?)
Middle Jurassic Tiourarén Formation are described. The specimens come
from Tadibene, in the rural community of Aderbissinat, Thirozerine
Department, Agadez Region, Niger. They were identified through direct
comparison with teeth previously described in the literature as well
as on the basis of discriminant and morphometric analyses. Our results
suggest they belong to Ceratosauridae, Megalosauridae, and the oldest
representatives of Spinosauridae. The analyzed sample shows some
uncommon characters, such as spinosaurid-like ornamentation in
megalosaurid-like teeth, or spinosaurid-like teeth with a low number
of denticles, which sheds light on tooth morphology and dental
evolution in basal tetanurans and early spinosaurids.