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DINOSAURS of UTAH Frank Decourten Dinosaurs of Utah Second Edition DINOSAURS OF UTAH Frank DeCourten DINOSAURS OF UTAH DINOSAURS OF UTAH Second Edition Frank DeCourten The University of Utah Press | Salt Lake City Copyright © 2013 by The University of Utah Press. All rights reserved. The Defiance House Man colophon is a registered trademark of the University of Utah Press. It is based on a four-foot-tall Ancient Puebloan pictograph (late PIII) near Glen Canyon, Utah. 17 16 15 14 13 1 2 3 4 5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data DeCourten, Frank. Dinosaurs of Utah / Frank DeCourten. — Second Edition. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60781-264-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-60781-265-4 (ebook) 1. Dinosaurs—Utah. I. Title. QE862.D5D42 2013 567.909792—dc23 2013006059 Printed and bound in Korea. CONTENTS Preface vi 01. The Mesozoic World: The Earth in Upheaval 1 02. Dawn of the Utah Mesozoic: The Age of Dinosaurs Begins 23 03. The Early and Middle Jurassic: A Time of Transition 46 04. The Late Jurassic: The Golden Age of the Sauropods 75 05. Blood Brothers: The Predators of the Morrison Formation 120 06. The Early Cretaceous: The (Un)Missing Links 143 07. The Late Cretaceous: The Beasts of the Bayous 172 08. The Curtain Falls: The Dinosaurs of the North Horn Formation 210 09. Doing It: The Allure of Paleontology 234 Appendix: Classification of Dinosaurs 243 References 255 Index 283 Utah’s Dinosaur Record. Graphic developed by the Utah Geological Survey, available online at: http://geology.utah.gov/utahgeo/dinofossil/index.htm. PREFACE For a science that embraces an immense time strengthened their staffing, and emphasized paleon- dimension, twelve years can be a long time in pale- tology in their educational programs and outreach ontology. It was about that long after the publication activities. Examples include the Utah Natural His- of the first edition of Dinosaurs of Utah that Peter tory Museum operated by the University of Utah, DeLafosse initially suggested updating that book the Prehistoric Museum at the Utah State Univer- into the edition you are now reading. Peter’s sug- sity–Eastern campus, and Dixie State College. These gestion was prompted by his perception that a great public investments in preserving and investigat- deal of new information on Utah dinosaurs had sur- ing Utah’s fabulous paleontological resources have faced over the past decade and a half, and a new edi- had a dramatic impact. More paleontologists prob- tion was needed to incorporate the results of recent ably reside and work in Utah now than at any time advances in knowledge. He couldn’t have been more in the past. correct; it is only a slight exaggeration to declare Two important developments at the federal level that we have probably learned as much about Utah have helped to stimulate paleontological investi- dinosaurs over the past twenty years or so as was gations since the original edition of this book was learned during the preceding century. The surge published. In 1996 the Grand Staircase–Escalante of new discoveries about Utah dinosaurs and the National Monument was established in the magnif- world that they inhabited has been nothing short of icent landscapes of southwest Utah. The state lands explosive. Many new species of dinosaurs have been within the monument were consolidated in 1998, identified, their patterns of distribution and evolu- and today more than 1.9 million acres are set aside tion have been established and interpreted, and new for the benefit of future generations. Part of the analytical techniques have been applied to fossils management plan for the new monument entailed to formulate neoteric reconstructions of dinosaur a detailed survey of the paleontological resources anatomy and physiology. of the region, which includes extensive tracts of What stimulated the current renaissance in Utah remote land with difficult access. These surveys dinosaur paleontology? A number of factors have included rock exposures that had not been exam- contributed to the current wave of exciting research ined carefully for fossils. Many significant discover- in paleontology in the state. First, Utah is one of ies of dinosaur fossils were made by the monument only a handful of states that maintain an Office of scientists and their university and museum col- the State Paleontologist (Dr. James Kirkland), which leagues who conducted the surveys in this large is a part of the Utah Geological Survey. This office parcel of magnificent land. In addition, subse- was created in the late 1970s and has since become quent management plans have strongly supported of pivotal importance in encouraging, coordinating, the ongoing scientific studies of the fossils that and facilitating paleontological research in Utah. have been excavated from federal lands within the In addition, over the past two decades a number of monument. Also, the United States Paleontologi- Utah public institutions have significantly improved cal Resources Protection Act was passed and signed their facilities for paleontological research, into law in 2009. This legislation strengthened the vii viii Preface legal protection of vertebrate fossils on federal land in particular were gracious in sharing new informa- and provided for the care and preservation of fos- tion on Utah dinosaurs and fossil localities. Several sils for the public good. Federal agencies such as the individuals from the U.S. Bureau of Land Manage- Bureau of Land Management have carried out this ment also were very helpful in providing informa- legal mandate and, in the process, made strong con- tion on the status of paleontological work being tributions to the advancement of knowledge in ver- carried out on the lands under their jurisdiction. tebrate paleontology in Utah. The Utah Geological Survey has been a valuable The general public has also played a signifi- source of information for this book and contributed cant role in the recent progress of dinosaur paleon- several of the graphics contained herein. Some of tology in Utah. Utah Friends of Paleontology has the original dinosaur art by Carel Brest van Kempen grown from a small nascent organization in 1998 to is used again in this book. I am grateful for Carel’s a strong statewide network of trained amateur pale- talent and gift for creating such spectacular images ontologists who have made several significant fossil of nature, past and present. Dr. Ronald Blakey, discoveries and helped professional paleontolo- president of Colorado Plateau Geosystems, Inc., gists conduct their excavations and research pro- generously permitted the use of his excellent recon- grams. Along with the many individuals associated structions of ancient landscapes. Peter DeLafosse of with Utah’s public and private institutions, Utah the University of Utah Press, in addition to suggest- Friends of Paleontology has helped ignite the recent ing a second edition, was consistently supportive explosion in dinosaur studies by providing an army and patient during the long and often delayed pro- of dedicated dinosaur enthusiasts. The extraordi- cess of revision. My old partner Tom Hill provided nary level of public support of paleontology in Utah support and sustenance during our fieldwork for the today is unduplicated at any other time since the project, as he has continuously for several decades first dinosaur bones were discovered in the state of romping about together on the back roads of more than one hundred years ago. Utah. All of these developments would render any The overall goal of this book is the same as in 1998 compilation of information on Utah dinosaurs the original edition: to tell the story of Utah’s dino- somewhat dated. This is certainly the case with the saurs against the backdrop of changing Mesozoic first edition of Dinosaurs of Utah. Accordingly, the landscapes and ecosystems. Of course, we will never current edition is an attempt to update the content know all the details of that story: our knowledge of the original by incorporating the many advances of both the dinosaurs and the world they inhab- in our knowledge of Utah dinosaurs made over ited is still fragmentary and incomplete, regard- the past two decades. Such work, like paleontology less of how much we’ve learned in the recent past. itself, is always a collaborative effort. I have bene- It is almost certain that some of the enduring mys- fited enormously from correspondence and discus- teries that this book identifies will be closer to res- sions with many people in the process of compiling olution by the time it makes its way into the hands all the new information included in this book. Many of any reader. No end of the Utah dinosaur renais- of my scientific colleagues contributed to this effort. sance that began in the 1980s is in sight: it appears Dr. Ken Carpenter of the USU–Eastern Prehistoric that we can look forward to an indefinite future of Museum, Dr. Alan Titus of the Grand Staircase– captivating new discoveries. Whatever is learned in Escalante National Monument, Dr. Randy Irmis the future will enrich our understanding of one of of the Natural History Museum of Utah, and Scott the most fascinating periods in Utah’s deep natural Williams of the Burpee Museum of Natural History legacy, the Mesozoic era. However incomplete our Preface ix current knowledge is, the story of Utah’s dinosaurs reconstructing this story will help us understand the is nonetheless an extraordinary tale of life evolv- rapidly changing world that we have inherited from ing to changing conditions for more than 180 mil- the dinosaurs and craft a way to continue evolving lion years. I hope that the lessons we learn from in harmony with the planet we inhabit. 1.1. The Mummy Cliffs near Capitol Reef National Park. Courtesy John Telford. 1.2. This butte near Hanksville is capped by hard Mesozoic sandstone, while the badlands of the lower slopes are eroded from soft shale.
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