And APP again: Braincase anatomy of Lirainosaurus astibiae

[Daniel Madzia <daniel.madzia@gmail.com>]

DMLers,
here is another new "in press" paper from APP:

Díez Díaz, V., Pereda Suberbiola, X. & Sanz, J. L. In press. Braincase
anatomy of the sauropod dinosaur Lirainosaurus astibiae (Titanosauria)
from the Late Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula. Acta
Palaeontologica Polonica. doi:10.4202/app.2010.0043

Abstract: Lirainosaurus is the only titanosaur sauropod described to
date from the Late Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula. The type of L.
astibiae Sanz et al., 1999 consists of both cranial and postcranial
remains that were found as disarticulated elements in the Laño quarry
(Treviño, northern Spain). This taxon was diagnosed originally on the
basis of vertebral and appendicular autapomorphic traits. The study of
a paratypic skull fragment and a second referred specimen provides
information about its braincase morphology. Lirainosaurus is regarded
as a derived titanosaur on the basis of the complete fusion between
the prootic and the exoccipital-opisthotic complex, the position of
the cranial foramina, and the shape and orientation of the occipital
condyle. The braincase of L. astibiae appears to be diagnostic in the
presence of a foramen distally on each basal tubera. The absence of
median subcondylar foramina in the basioccipital may be an
autopomorphic trait or be due to ontogenetic growth. A comparison with
other partial skulls known in Europe suggests a high diversity during
the Campanian/Maastrichtian, with at least three different
titanosaurian species living in the Ibero-Armorican Island.

http://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app20100043.html

Best,
--
Daniel Madzia
web: www.wildprehistory.org
mail: daniel.madzia@gmail.com
skype: danielmadzia