Sigilmassasaurus (Theropoda) redescribed

[Ben Creisler <bcreisler@gmail.com>]

From: Ben Creisler
bcreisler@gmail.com

A new online paper:

Bradley McFeeters, Michael J. Ryan, Sanja Hinic-Frlog & Claudia
Schröder-Adams (2013)
A reevaluation of Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis (Dinosauria) from the
Cretaceous of Morocco.
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (advance online publication)
doi: 10.1139/cjes-2012-0129
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjes-2012-0129#.UZwdrrW1FcQ

The original hypodigm of the controversial mid-Cretaceous Moroccan
dinosaur Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis is redescribed, and the
diagnosis of the taxon is revised. Unambiguously referred material is
restricted to cervical and anterior dorsal vertebrae sharing
apomorphies with the holotype. A newly recognized diagnostic character
of Sigilmassasaurus is the absence of anterior and posterior
interzygapophyseal laminae of the neural arch, so that the neural
spine directly meets the dorsal margin of the neural canal. A
phylogenetic analysis supports the inclusion of Sigilmassasaurus in
Tetanurae but not in Carcharodontosauridae. Sigilmassasaurus is
distinct from all other theropods known from comparable material and
is thus retained as a valid taxon.