A new semi‐fossorial thescelosaurine dinosaur from the Cenomanian‐age Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah

The Anatomical Record, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 307(12), P. 3717 - 3781

Published: July 9, 2024

Thescelosaurines are a group of early diverging, ornithischian dinosaurs notable for their conservative bauplans and mosaic primitive features. Although abundant within the latest Cretaceous ecosystems North America, record is poor to absent in earlier assemblages, leaving large gap our understanding evolution, origins, ecological roles. Here we report new small bodied thescelosaurine-Fona herzogae gen. et sp. nov.-from Mussentuchit Member Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA. Fona represented by multiple individuals, representing one most comprehensive skeletal assemblages bodied, diverging described from America date. Phylogenetic analysis recovers as earliest member Thescelosaurinae, minimally containing Oryctodromeus, all three species Thescelosaurus, revealing clade was well-established Cenomanian, distinct from, yet continental cohabitants with, sister clade, Orodrominae. To date, orodromines thescelosaurines have not been found together single American ecosystem, suggesting different habitat preferences or competitive exclusion. Osteological observations reveal extensive intraspecific variation across cranial postcranial elements, number anatomical similarities with shared semi-fossorial lifestyle.

Language: Английский

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A digging theropod? Enigmatic ankylosed phalanges from the Upper Cretaceous of Uzbekistan

PalZ, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 16, 2025

Language: Английский

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