New theropod, etc.

[Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)]

Hi, folks!

In the mad rush to get ready for NAPC (slides are processing now:
PLEASE, turn out!!), I found myself in the U.S. Geological Survey
library.  That led me to the following new papers:

Osmolksa, H.  1996.  An unusual theropod dinosaur from the Late
Cretaceous Nemegt Formation of Mongolia.  Acta Palaeontologica
Polonica 41: 1-38.

Abstract: An incomplete skeleton of a theropod dinosaur, _Bagaraatan
ostromi_ gen. et sp. n., was found in the Nemegt Fm. at Nemegt,
Mongolia.  The mandible in _B. ostromi_ has a shallow but massive
dentary, relatively deep postdentary portion with two surangular
foramina and a somewhat elongate retroarticular process; on the ilium
there are two large depressions for muscle origins separated by a
crestlike projection; the fibula is fused distally with the
tibiotarsus and the coalesced astragalocalcaneum.  _Bagaraatan_
represents the Tetanurae and displays some synapomorphies with the
Avetheropoda, however, incompleteness of the skeleton of _B. ostromi_
does not allow to determine its more precise affiliation.  _Bagaraatan
was about 3.0-3.5 m long, had a relatively small head and slender hind
limbs.  The presence of strongly developed hyposphenes in a long
series of anterior caudals rendered its tail only slightly flexible
proximally.

---end abstract---

Let's see: the generic name comes from the Mongolian words 'baga'
(small) and 'araatan' (predator).  The trivial name is in honor of
Dr. John H.  Ostrom (finally, Ostrom gets a theropod named after
him!!).  The tibiotarsus, fibula, and 25 caudals are fairly complete;
the pelvis, mandible, and femur are fragmentary.  That's all there is,
so far.  Osmolska indicates she has yet another new theropod genus
under study.

I don't know if the following have been posted before:

An abstract  only:

Coria, R.A.  1994.  Sobre la presencia de dinosaurios ornitisquios
acorazados en Sudamerica.  Ameghiniana 31: 398.

Notes the presence of an ankylosaur, possibly a nodosaurid, in the
lower member of the Allen Formation.

Casanovas-Cladellas, M.L., J.-V. Santafe'-Llopis & C. Santisteban-Bove'.
1995.  _Dacentrurus armatus_ (Stegosauria, Dinosauria) del Creta'cio
Inferior de Los Serranos (Vaencia, Espan~a).  Revista Espan~ola de
Paleontologi'a 10:  273-283.

Indicates the presence of a stegosaur assignable to _Dacentrurus
armatus_ in the locality "Cerrito del Olmo", Upper Hauterivian-Lower
Barremian age.

That's all for now,

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist     Webpage: http://www.geol.umd.edu
Dept. of Geology              Email:th81@umail.umd.edu
University of Maryland        Phone:301-405-4084
College Park, MD  20742       Fax:  301-314-9661

"There are some who call me...  Tim."