Introducing Europasaurus holgeri

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

Latest Nature includes:

P. Martin Sander1, Octávio Mateus2, Thomas Laven3 and Nils Knötschke3. 2006. 
Bone histology indicates insular dwarfism in a new Late
Jurassic sauropod dinosaur. Nature 441, 739-741.

More than 11 individuals ranging from 1.7 to 6.2 m length. Based on cortical 
bone microstructure, the 6.2 m individuals are fully
grown. Island dwarf macronarians of the Kimmeridgian of Germany. Phylogenetic 
analysis (in supplementary data) recover it as a
macronarian closer to Titanosauriformes than to Camarasaurus. Resembles the 
love child of Camarasaurus and Brachiosaurus (which
makes sense given its phylogenetic position).

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
        Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
        Mailing Address:
                Building 237, Room 1117
                College Park, MD  20742

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796