Re: Shuvosaurus

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Mickey Mortimer wrote:

> > Does anyone know what the current phylogenetic status of _Shuvosaurus_
> is.
> I
> > know its listed as a toothless coelophysoid on T. Michael Keesey's
> website,
> > but if this is the case, what characters support this?  [snip]
> This is based on Oliver Rauhut's work.  His phylogenetic analysis (Rauhut,
> 2000) groups it with coelophysoids.


_Shuvosaurus_ may even be the same genus as _Gojirasaurus_.

I know, I know... _Gojirasaurus_ has teeth and _Shuvosaurus_ does not.
However, the skull of _Gojirasaurus_ is unknown, so maybe any teeth
associated with the postcranial remains belong to another animal - like a
scavenger that happened by the carcass.  Remember all those teratosaurids
named from prosauropod bones found alongside teeth from unrelated predators?

True, _Gojirasaurus_ is also much bigger than _Shuvosaurus_.  But, the type
material for _Shuvosaurus_ may be juvenile, and a premaxilla from a much
larger _Shuvosaurus_ has been reported from the same quarry that yielded
_Gojirasaurus_.  (However, I don't know if that particular element has been
described yet.)


Tim



------------------------------------------------------------

Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163




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