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Re: Alioramus


"dbensen" wrote:

I know that it was a derived, primitive tyrannosaur

Well, it's either one or the other. The teeth (unserrated at the front of the upper jaw) and snout (long by tyrannosaurid standards) are "primitive" features. The braincase, though, is highly derived. _Alioramus_ also has a number of odd unique features - like the lack (?closure) of the jugal foramen, a bizarrely-decorated snout (an array of deep grooves and thorn-like protuberances - maybe indications of a beak?), and two large protuberances ("hornlets"), one near each eye.

_Alioramus_ could represent a Late Cretaceous member of some basal ("primitive") tyrannosaur lineage, or a highly derived tyrannosaur which independently evolved some primitive (_Alectrosaurus_-like) features. The polarity and even the validity of a number of these "primitive" tyrannosaur characters (like unserrated premaxillary teeth) is a little uncertain.


Genus: Alioramus Kurzanov, 1976
Species: A. remotus Kurzanov, 1976 (type)

Material.
PIN 3141/1 (holotype): Skull (mostly complete), postcranial elements.
Locality: Ingenia Khoboor Valley, southern Mongolia.
Horizon: Beds of Nogon Tsav (Nemegt Formation equivalent); Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian).

I hope that gives you a push in the right direction. Now, go forth and search for some references!


Tim


of  late Creatacious
Asia (so it shared it's habitat with therizinosaurs, velociraptors,
oviraptors, and advanced tyrannosaurs, right?).  It was small and
slender with then enlarged scales on its snout and a large number of
teeth for a tyrannosaur.

That isn't much of any essay.
Is there anything more anybody can tell me?

-thanks



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