RE: Eocursor, new basal ornithischian

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

> From: owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu [mailto:owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> heby@libero.it
>
> Butler Richard J.,Smith Roger M. H., and Norman David B., in press. A 
> primitive ornithischian dinosaur from the Late
> Triassic of South Africa, and the early evolution and diversification of 
> Ornithischia, Proc. R. Soc. B, 1-6
>
> Nice specimen, look somewhat like a "fabrosaurid" with large hands, there is 
> a cladogram of Ornithischian with basalmost
> Heterodontosaurids (except Pisanosaurus), but no mention of putative basal 
> ornithischian like Sacisaurus, Silesaurus and
> possible related form (Technosaurus, Pseudolagosuchus, Eucoelophysis, 
> ?Bromsgroveia, Spondylosoma, ?Caseosaurus).
> Some feature, like a large grasping hand with well developed extensor pit on 
> metacarpals are probably plesiomorphic for
> Dinosauria, being present in Eocursor and Heterodontosaurids.

Very cool. It will be interesting to see the supplementary info, since that's 
where some of the more important bones are
illustrated.

I'd also like to find out how the trichotomy between Lesothosaurus, 
Thyreophora, and Neornithischia works out: is it all 3
possibilities, or just (L+T)+N vs T+(L+N), or what.

Eocursor definitely now replaces Lesothosaurus in my lectures on ornithischian 
origins: seems to have the same basic equipment, plus
retains the ancestral big hand, plus is Triassic.

So TWO big dinosaur announcements today, huh?  (Did I say two? Oh well, I guess 
we'll have to wait until... oh... around 3 pm EDT or
so. :-).

                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