New carcharodontosaurid fossils from the Huincul formation.
Sept 28, 2015 13:25:50 GMT 5
theropod and blaze like this
Post by Cross on Sept 28, 2015 13:25:50 GMT 5
In Ameghiniana : Revista de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina 2012 , a compilation of unpublished, undescribed papers and material, an abstract authored by Juan Ignacio Canale et al. reports the discovery of new carcharodontosaurid theropod material from 2012 in South America. Peter Mackovicky is one of the co-authors. Here's a pasted text of what appeared in the abstract :
New carcharodontosaurid theropod remains from El Chocón (Neuquén
Group, Huincul Formation), Neuquén, Argentina
J. I. CANALE1
, S. APESTEGUÍA2
, P. MAKOVICKY3, P. A. GALLINA2
, F. GIANECHINI2
, N. SMITH3
, I. MANIEL2 and A. HALUZA1
1
ONICET-Área Laboratorio e Investigación, Museo Municipal Ernesto Bachmann, Villa El Chocón, Neuquén, ARGENTINA.
2
CONICET-Área de Paleontología, Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara, CEBBAD, Universidad Maimónides, Hidalgo 775, 1405 Ciudad Autó-
noma de Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA.
3
The Field Museum, IL60605, Chicago, USA
"The recorded carcharodontosaurid theropods for the Neuquén Group are Giganotosaurus carolinii Coria and Salgado 1995 and Mapusaurus roseae Coria and Currie 2006; from mid-levels of the Candeleros and Huincul formations respectively. Here we present a new theropod from the lower levels of the Huincul Formation, at Las Campanas Creek, near Villa El Chocón, Neuquén. The remains, belonging to a carcharodontosaurid, include several well-preserved cranial and postcranial elements like a near complete left arm (the first for a southern derived carcharodontosaurid). Carcharodonto- saurid features of this specimen are a strongly ornamented lateral face of the maxilla, a jugal process of the ectopterygoid at an angle greater than 15o with respect to main body in lateral view, a rectangular distal end of the jugal process of ectopterygoid, and a dorsomedially oriented femoral head. The arm elements are short and robust, with expanded articular ends, as in Acrocanthosaurus. The humerus shows a conspicuous oval depression below the humeral head in the posterodorsal aspect, a trait not recorded yet in any other Allosauroidea. The pubis bears a straight shaft, a synapomorphy shared with all known South American carcharodontosaurids, like Tyrannotitan, Mapusaurus, and Giganotosaurus. The strong and sharp anterolateral flange of the ischium, coupled with pleurocoels in proximal caudal vertebrae, differentiate this form from both Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus. The new specimen not only increases the general diversity of this peculiar group but also adds information on anatomical aspects that remain obscure. Funds by The National Geographic Society (to S.A.)"
Source : www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/article/view/868/1618 (page 25).
One of my contacts has said that some of the paleontologists he has communicated with regard the material as Giganotosaurus sp. , although Canale et al. seem to suggest it to be a new taxon distinct from any South American carcharodontosaurid described so far. There doesn't seem to be any indication of whether or not this new animal (or specimen) has a body size similar to the other South American carcharodontosaurids. We'll just have to wait for the paper (hopefully, it will be open access).
New carcharodontosaurid theropod remains from El Chocón (Neuquén
Group, Huincul Formation), Neuquén, Argentina
J. I. CANALE1
, S. APESTEGUÍA2
, P. MAKOVICKY3, P. A. GALLINA2
, F. GIANECHINI2
, N. SMITH3
, I. MANIEL2 and A. HALUZA1
1
ONICET-Área Laboratorio e Investigación, Museo Municipal Ernesto Bachmann, Villa El Chocón, Neuquén, ARGENTINA.
2
CONICET-Área de Paleontología, Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara, CEBBAD, Universidad Maimónides, Hidalgo 775, 1405 Ciudad Autó-
noma de Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA.
3
The Field Museum, IL60605, Chicago, USA
"The recorded carcharodontosaurid theropods for the Neuquén Group are Giganotosaurus carolinii Coria and Salgado 1995 and Mapusaurus roseae Coria and Currie 2006; from mid-levels of the Candeleros and Huincul formations respectively. Here we present a new theropod from the lower levels of the Huincul Formation, at Las Campanas Creek, near Villa El Chocón, Neuquén. The remains, belonging to a carcharodontosaurid, include several well-preserved cranial and postcranial elements like a near complete left arm (the first for a southern derived carcharodontosaurid). Carcharodonto- saurid features of this specimen are a strongly ornamented lateral face of the maxilla, a jugal process of the ectopterygoid at an angle greater than 15o with respect to main body in lateral view, a rectangular distal end of the jugal process of ectopterygoid, and a dorsomedially oriented femoral head. The arm elements are short and robust, with expanded articular ends, as in Acrocanthosaurus. The humerus shows a conspicuous oval depression below the humeral head in the posterodorsal aspect, a trait not recorded yet in any other Allosauroidea. The pubis bears a straight shaft, a synapomorphy shared with all known South American carcharodontosaurids, like Tyrannotitan, Mapusaurus, and Giganotosaurus. The strong and sharp anterolateral flange of the ischium, coupled with pleurocoels in proximal caudal vertebrae, differentiate this form from both Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus. The new specimen not only increases the general diversity of this peculiar group but also adds information on anatomical aspects that remain obscure. Funds by The National Geographic Society (to S.A.)"
Source : www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/article/view/868/1618 (page 25).
One of my contacts has said that some of the paleontologists he has communicated with regard the material as Giganotosaurus sp. , although Canale et al. seem to suggest it to be a new taxon distinct from any South American carcharodontosaurid described so far. There doesn't seem to be any indication of whether or not this new animal (or specimen) has a body size similar to the other South American carcharodontosaurids. We'll just have to wait for the paper (hopefully, it will be open access).
