New References (April 1, 2003)

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

I had hoped to send these important references earlier, but this morning the 
MSN connection was as slow as an ankylosaur with a hangover....


Nokitoff, U. (2003)  A new genus of longisquamid from Kazbaristan, and new 
thoughts on defense strategies of the Longisquamidae.  Siberian J.
Paleontol. 88: 4-20.

"The new longisquamid _Ralphisquama vomitiferum_ is based on a single 
specimen from the Krud Formation in southwest Bazookistan, central Asia.  
The specimen was found encased in a fossilized pool of regurgitated organic 
matter presumably released by a distressed dinosaur.  We speculate that 
_Ralphisquama_ was eaten by a dinosaur, but the feathery plume tickled the 
dinosaur's throat when swallowed, compelling the dinosaur to bring forth the 
prey - along with the rest of its stomach contents.  We advance this as a 
novel strategy for digestion evasion in longisquamids.  Alas, this 
_Ralphisquama_ died soon after its gastric liberation: either the stomach 
contents killed it, or the dinosaur trod on the little creature out of 
spite."



Bonkers, R.U. (2003).  A new tyrannosaurid from North America, with comments 
on tyrannosaurid behavior.  J. Egreg. Sci. 1: 62-78.

"The new tyrannosaurid _Scabbisaurus flaccus_ is described.  We posit that 
this heavily-built, short-armed, big-headed carnivore forlornly wandered its 
Late Cretaceous habitat, waiting for large sauropods to drop dead in front 
of it.  When confronted with a sauropod corpse, this tyrannosaurid proceeded 
to bury its head in the vent of the corpse, and gobble the viscera within.  
I advance this behavior as the epitome of tyrannosaurid evolution."



Duck, D. (2003).  Secondarily flightless pterosaur from the Cretaceous of 
Madagascar.  Against Nature 67: 23-27.

"Here we report the discovery of a flightless pterosaur, _Dododactylus 
corpulentum_.  The body is too heavy, the head too large, and the forelimbs 
too short to sustain active flight.  The single specimen of this taxon was 
preserved in two dimensions, inside the footprint of a large sauropod."






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