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A Troodontid Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of India
ARTICLE Received 14 Dec 2012 | Accepted 7 Mar 2013 | Published 16 Apr 2013 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2716 A troodontid dinosaur from the latest Cretaceous of India A. Goswami1,2, G.V.R. Prasad3, O. Verma4, J.J. Flynn5 & R.B.J. Benson6 Troodontid dinosaurs share a close ancestry with birds and were distributed widely across Laurasia during the Cretaceous. Hundreds of occurrences of troodontid bones, and their highly distinctive teeth, are known from North America, Europe and Asia. Thus far, however, they remain unknown from Gondwanan landmasses. Here we report the discovery of a troodontid tooth from the uppermost Cretaceous Kallamedu Formation in the Cauvery Basin of South India. This is the first Gondwanan record for troodontids, extending their geographic range by nearly 10,000 km, and representing the first confirmed non-avian tetanuran dinosaur from the Indian subcontinent. This small-bodied maniraptoran dinosaur is an unexpected and distinctly ‘Laurasian’ component of an otherwise typical ‘Gondwanan’ tetrapod assemblage, including notosuchian crocodiles, abelisauroid dinosaurs and gondwanathere mammals. This discovery raises the question of whether troodontids dispersed to India from Laurasia in the Late Cretaceous, or whether a broader Gondwanan distribution of troodontids remains to be discovered. 1 Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK. 2 Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK. 3 Department of Geology, Centre for Advanced Studies, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110 007, India. 4 Geology Discipline Group, School of Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi 110 068, India. 5 Division of Paleontology and Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York 10024, USA. -
Sedimentological Studies of Kallamedu Formation in Ariyalur Area, Tamil Nadu, India S
International Journal of Geology, Earth and Environmental Sciences ISSN: 2277-2081 (Online) An Online International Journal Available at http://www.cibtech.org/jgee.htm 2012 Vol. 2 (2) May-August, pp. 218-234/Ramasamy et al. Research Article SEDIMENTOLOGICAL STUDIES OF KALLAMEDU FORMATION IN ARIYALUR AREA, TAMIL NADU, INDIA S. Ramasamy, *A. Ramachandran, K. Velmurugan, David Lalhmingliana Chawngthu, S.Bhuvaneswari and M.Suresh Gandhi School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai-600 025Tamil Nadu, India *Author for Correspondence ABSTRACT The Kallamedu sedimentary sequence, one of the least investigated sedimentary formations in South India (Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu State), is well known for the occurrence of dinosaur remains. For the present study, detailed field and laboratory investigations have been conducted for understanding the depositional environment of Kallamedu Formation. The field studies comprise of collection of representative samples, measuring litho-sections and recording sedimentary physical structures such as parallel beddings and laminations besides planar and trough cross beddings. It has been observed in the field that dominant lithologies comprise of fine grained siltstones and fine laminated clays with rare occurrence of coarser sandstones and polished pebbles in the fine sandstone units. The dinosaur remains are mostly fragments of bones, and we rarely observed well preserved animal remains in the exposed litho-units. At places calcrete formation and vertically grown calcite crystals over the substratum of siltstones are observed. Thin section petrography revealed the presence of argillaceous siltstones, wackes, calcretes and minor arenites. Most of the petrographic types contain considerable amount of argillaceous material. The framework grains are angular quartz grains of silt and fine sand sizes. -
The Fragile Legacy of Amphicoelias Fragillimus (Dinosauria: Sauropoda; Morrison Formation – Latest Jurassic)
Volumina Jurassica, 2014, Xii (2): 211–220 DOI: 10.5604/17313708 .1130144 The fragile legacy of Amphicoelias fragillimus (Dinosauria: Sauropoda; Morrison Formation – latest Jurassic) D. Cary WOODRUFF1,2, John R. FOSTER3 Key words: Amphicoelias fragillimus, E.D. Cope, sauropod, gigantism. Abstract. In the summer of 1878, American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope published the discovery of a sauropod dinosaur that he named Amphicoelias fragillimus. What distinguishes A. fragillimus in the annals of paleontology is the immense magnitude of the skeletal material. The single incomplete dorsal vertebra as reported by Cope was a meter and a half in height, which when fully reconstructed, would make A. fragillimus the largest vertebrate ever. After this initial description Cope never mentioned A. fragillimus in any of his sci- entific works for the remainder of his life. More than four decades after its description, a scientific survey at the American Museum of Natural History dedicated to the sauropods collected by Cope failed to locate the remains or whereabouts of A. fragillimus. For nearly a cen- tury the remains have yet to resurface. The enormous size of the specimen has generally been accepted despite being well beyond the size of even the largest sauropods known from verifiable fossil material (e.g. Argentinosaurus). By deciphering the ontogenetic change of Diplodocoidea vertebrae, the science of gigantism, and Cope’s own mannerisms, we conclude that the reported size of A. fragillimus is most likely an extreme over-estimation. INTRODUCTION saurs pale in comparative size; thus A. fragillimus could be the largest dinosaur, and largest vertebrate in Earth’s history Described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1878, the holo- (the Blue Whale being approximately 29 meters long [Reilly type (and only) specimen of A. -
Annual Report 1992-93
ANNUAL REPORT 1992-93 --- .----... 3»., From COtlerPhoto Thick-walled yellowish-orange fluorescing cutinite in the Palaeocene [ignite from Panandhro Lignitefidd, Kutch, Gujarat (under blue light excitation). Back Cover Photo Grey to reddish-brown cell-filling resinites in a well preserved plant tissue in rhe Palaeocene lignite from Panandhro Lignitefield, Kutch, Gujarat (under normal incidenr light). Published by Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow Produced by J. S. Antal Printed at M. L. Bhargava & Co., Lucknow September 1993 Acknovvledgernent we are gratefid to the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi; to the Research Advisory Council and the Governing Body of the Institute for continued support. Contents I Page Foreword .. ...... .. (;) Over.••.iew. .. (v) Research . .... 1 Projects and Programmes . I Sponsored Projects. ..... 43 Collaborative Projects . .44 Work other than progranunes . .. 45 International Geological Correlation Programmes .,. .. 48 Doctoral Degree Awarded .. 49 Papers Submitted. .................... 50 Papers Puhlishcd .... .. 53 Ab!>1ract.s Submitted . .. 59 Abstracts Published . 61 Field Excursions. ............................... 65 Papers presented at Symposia,.Conferences/M~tings ............. 71 Lectures Ddivo.-red . ............ 74 Technical Assistance rendered to other Agencies. .. .75 Deputatiol\/Training.Study Abroad. ... 76 Deputation to Conferences.Symposia/Scminars.'Workshops . .77 Representation in CommiueeslBoards. ........ 79 Honours and A\\ards. .82 Publications -
Determining the Largest Known Land Animal: a Critical Comparison of Differing Methods for Restoring the Volume and Mass of Extinct Animals
ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 85, NUMBER 4, PP. 335–358 31 DECEMBER 2019 DETERMINING THE LARGEST KNOWN LAND ANIMAL: A CRITICAL COMPARISON OF DIFFERING METHODS FOR RESTORING THE VOLUME AND MASS OF EXTINCT ANIMALS GREGORY PAUL 3100 St. Paul Street 604, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218 [email protected] ABSTRACT Recent claims regarding what is and is not the largest known sauropod dinosaur are tested via dimensional comparisons of the most critical metrics of relative size—especially, when possible, the functional lengths of the dorsal vertebral centra and the articulated length of the combined trunk vertebrae—and analog volumetric models based on technical skeletal restorations. The Cretaceous Argentinosaurus massed 65–75 tonnes, and its dorsal vertebrae and dorsal–sacral series are much larger than those of any other described titanosaur. Specimens of Patagotitan indicate a 50–55 tonne titanosaur, and the less complete Notocolossus, Puertasaurus, and ‘Antarctosaurus’ giganteus appear to have occupied a similar size range. Paralititan weighed between 30 and 55 tonnes. The juvenile Dreadnoughtus, as well as Futalognkosaurus and Alamosaurus, were in the area of 30 tonnes, with the possibility that the last was substantially larger. Entirely analog, skillfully produced, high-anatomical-fidelity skeletal restorations and volumetric models representing a prime-lean condition are approximately as scientifically objective and accurate, as well as more realistic than, analog-digital, crudely-formed convex hull volumetric models, which are based on subjectively and often inconsistently or erroneously mounted skeletons and digitized skeletal reconstructions. The need to ensure that skeletal restorations are as anatomically correct and consistent as the data allow is stressed, which requires that researchers and illustrators be sufficiently skilled in animal and especially dinosaur anatomy, and the proce- dures and standards for achieving the best possible results are detailed. -
Feeding Behaviour and Bone Utilization by Theropod Dinosaurs
Feeding behaviour and bone utilization by theropod dinosaurs DAVID W. E. HONE AND OLIVER W. M. RAUHUT Hone, D.W.E. & Rauhut, O.W.M. 2009: Feeding behaviour and bone utilization by theropod dinosaurs. Lethaia, 10.1111/j.1502-3931.2009.00187.x Examples of bone exploitation by carnivorous theropod dinosaurs are relatively rare, representing an apparent waste of both mineral and energetic resources. A review of the known incidences and possible ecological implications of theropod bone use concludes that there is currently no definitive evidence supporting the regular deliberate ingestion of bone by these predators. However, further investigation is required as the small bones of juvenile dinosaurs missing from the fossil record may be absent as a result of thero- pods preferentially hunting and consuming juveniles. We discuss implications for both hunting and feeding in theropods based on the existing data. We conclude that, like modern predators, theropods preferentially hunted and ate juvenile animals leading to the absence of small, and especially young, dinosaurs in the fossil record. The traditional view of large theropods hunting the adults of large or giant dinosaur species is therefore considered unlikely and such events rare. h Behaviour, carnivory, palaeoecology, preda- tion, resource utilization. David W. E. Hone [[email protected]], Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology & Paleoanthro- pology, Xhizhimenwai Dajie 142, Beijing 100044, China; Oliver W. M. Rauhut [[email protected]], Bayerische Staatssammlung fu¨r Pala¨ontologie und Geolo- gie and Department fu¨r Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universita¨t Munich, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany; manuscript received on 18 ⁄ 01 ⁄ 2009; manuscript accepted on 20 ⁄ 05 ⁄ 2009. -
THE BIBLIOGRAPHY of HADROSAURIAN DINOSAURS the First 150 Years: 1856 - 2006
THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HADROSAURIAN DINOSAURS The First 150 Years: 1856 - 2006. complied by M.K. Brett-Surman © Smithsonian Institution 1985-2008 The Department of Paleobiology of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, currently houses approximately 44 million fossil plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate fossils in more than 480 separate collections. In addition, Paleobiology also maintains a reference collection of over 120,000 stratigraphic and sediment samples. This listing represents a service provided to the public as part of our Outreach Program and as part of the Smithsonian Institution’s mission "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge...". Papers are listed by author and year. Author's names are capitalized. The viewer should be aware of any searches that are case sensitive. The papers listed here, in a majority of instances, do NOT contain abstracts, papers on ichnites, or popular articles or books, unless they present new information or cover an aspect of the history of dinosaur paleontology. At present, some of the legacy software that was used to maintain this list only allowed basic ASCII characters, therefore foreign accents (such as in French and Spanish) did not translate. This will be fixed at a later date. The Bibliography of Hadrosaurian Dinosaurs was written, compiled, and maintained by M.K. Brett-Surman, (Museum Specialist), P.O. Box 37012, Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, MRC-121, Washington, DC 20013-7012. He can be reached electronically at: [email protected]., and by FAX at 202-786-2832. Please send all corrections and additions to the e-mail address. This file will be no longer be updated, except for entries prior to 2007. -
New Record of Egertonia (Elopiformes, Phyllodontidae) from the Late Cretaceous of South
New record of Egertonia (Elopiformes, Phyllodontidae) from the Late Cretaceous of South India by THOMAS J.D. HALLIDAY1*, ANDREW R. CUFF1, GUNTUPALLI V.R. PRASAD2, MECHEK S. THANGLEMMOI2, and ANJALI GOSWAMI1,3 1Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India emails: [email protected], [email protected] 3Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK *Corresponding author Abstract: We report a new occurrence of the phyllodontid teleost fish Egertonia from the Late Cretaceous Kallamedu Formation of the Cauvery Basin, South India. This is the oldest occurrence of Phyllodontidae in India, and only the second Cretaceous Gondwanan occurrence of this genus, following a toothplate previously described from the Late Cretaceous Maevarano Formation, Madagascar. The presence of phyllodontid fish supports a fluvial-deltaic or brackish environment for the lower part of the Kallamedu Formation, a rich deposit including typically Gondwanan taxa, such as simosuchid crocodiles, bothremydid turtles, and abelisaurid dinosaurs, as well as an anomalous troodontid dinosaur. Egertonia adds another taxon of primarily Laurasian distribution to the Kallamedu fauna and further expands the list of taxa known from the Late Cretaceous of both India and Madagascar, strengthening the degree of faunal similarity between the two landmasses in the latest Cretaceous. Key words: Teleostei, Phyllodontidae, Late Cretaceous, Gondwana, India, Palaeobiogeography DURING the Late Cretaceous, India was isolated from all other continental landmasses by several thousand miles, having most recently separated from Madagascar in the early Late Cretaceous (Briggs 2003; Melluso et al. -
Dinosaur Paleontology and Taphonomy of a Mixed Bonebed
1 Sankey, J.T. In Press. In: New Perspectives on Horned Dinosaurs, M. Ryan, B. Chinnery- Allgeier, and D. Eberth (eds). Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Faunal Composition and Significance of High Diversity, Mixed Bonebeds Containing Agujaceratops mariscalensis and other Dinosaurs, Aguja Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Big Bend, Texas Julia T. Sankey Department of Physics and Geology, California State University, Stanislaus, One University Circle, Turlock, California 95382 U.S.A. [email protected] RH: Bonebeds and Agujaceratops in Big Bend 2 Abstract New sedimentologic and paleontologic information are presented from multiple, closely associated mixed bonebeds in the Aguja Formation (Campanian) from the Big Bend area of Texas. These bonebeds appear to have been deposited as component parts of channel lags during major flooding events. One of these bonebeds yields the most complete skull of Agujaceratops mariscalensis. Correlation of paleosols in the bonebed sections with those from the well studied Dawson Creek section (Big Bend), provides a critical stratigraphic context for A. mariscalensis and these bonebeds. Cumulatively, all the sites yield a rich assemblage of plants, invertebrates and other vertebrates. The combined vertebrate assemblage provides a means of assessing local terrestrial- community composition in the Late Cretaceous in Big Bend, and for comparing Late Cretaceous southern faunas with those of comparable age from Montana and Alberta. Introduction Big Bend National Park, Texas, is the southernmost area in the United States that yields Upper Cretaceous macrofossil dinosaur remains, as well as rich and diverse vertebrate microfossil assemblages. Although this area contains unique vertebrate assemblages, much less is known about them than those of similar age from regions farther north in Montana and Alberta. -
A Storm Event During the Maastrichtian in the Cauvery Basin, South India
GEOLO[KI ANALI BALKANSKOGA POLUOSTRVA 67 35–40 BEOGRAD, decembar 2006 ANNALES GÉOLOGIQUES DE LA PÉNINSULE BALKANIQUE BELGRADE, December 2006 A storm event during the Maastrichtian in the Cauvery basin, south India MU. RAMKUMAR Abstract. Sedimentary structures in the Kallankurichchi Formation of the Ariyalur Group, South India have been examined with a view of assessing the depositional setting of these rocks. Of the different sedimentary structures, such as cross bedding, cut and fill, etc., hummocky cross stratification is significant as it resulted from a major storm event. This paper deals with the recognized sedimentary structures, their genesis and envi- ronmental implications. Key words: storm event, Maastrichtian, Kallankurichchi Formation, Ariyalur Group, South India. Apstrakt. Sedimentne strukture formacije Kalankuri~i, Arijalur grupa, ju`na Indija, prou~avane su radi utvr|ivawa depozicionog prostora tih stena. Me|u razli~itim sedimentnim strukturama, kao {to su ukr{tena slojevitost, struktura spirawa itd., bre`uqkasta kosa slojevitost je zna~ajna kao posledica delovawa sna`ne oluje. U ovom radu se govori o utvr|enim sedimentnim strukturama, wihovom poreklu i uticajima na depozicionu sredinu. Kqu~ne re~i: uticaj oluja, mastriht, Kalankuri~i formacija, Arijalar grupa, ju`na Indija. Introduction a width varying from 500–3500 m. Based on the faunal composition, Maastrichtian age has been assigned by Sedimentary structures play a vital role in the inter- SASTRY et al. (1972) and later refined to Lower Maas- pretation of depositional conditions and hence an attempt trichtian by RAMAMOORTHY (1991) & RADULOVI] and was made to understand the depositional environment of RAMAMOORTHY (1992). HART et al. (2000) speculated the the Kallankurichchi Formation of the Ariyalur Group, commencement of the deposition of this formation dur- Tamil Nadu based on its sedimentary structures. -
An Upper Cretaceous Dinoflagellate Assemblage from Vriddhachalam Area, Cauvery Basin, South India
AN UPPER CRETACEOUS DINOFLAGELLATE ASSEMBLAGE FROM VRIDDHACHALAM AREA, CAUVERY BASIN, SOUTH INDIA 1(. P. JAIN Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-226007, India ABSTRACT Present article reports a dinoflagellate assemblage from Vriddhachalam area, Cau very basin, South India. It includes 13 gcnera with 14 recognizable species and a single acritarch genus Pterospermopsis. The dominant constituents of the as• semblage are: Cordosphaeridiwn, Cyetonephelittm, A reoligera, 5piniferites and DinogymniwYlt with less common occurrence of Apteodinitt1n, LanternosphaeridittYn, Diphyes and Cera• tiopsis. The age of the assemblage has been concluded to be uppermost Maestrichtian, may be representing Maestrichtian-Danian transition. INTRODUCTION its stratigraphy and palaeontology by Blan• ford (1865); Banerji (1965, 1967, 1968, 1968a, 1969, 1973); Banerji and Mohan UPPERPondicherryCretaceousand palynologyVriddhachalamfrom (1970); Rasheed and Govindan (1963, 1966, areas has been recently worked out 1968), Govindan (1969) and Sastry et at. by Venkatachala and Sharma (1974a, (1972). 1974b). They considered miospores alone The stratigraphic sequence of Vriddha• to correlate the various bore-holes drilled chalam area has recently been published in these areas. The study of dinoflagel• by Banerji (1973). The Upper Cretaceous lates from Vriddhachalam Upper Creta• rock stratigraphic units proposed by ceous is attempted here for the first time, Banerji (1973, Table 4) are reproduced as though much has been contributed towards follows: GEOLOGICAL AGE -
Vertebrate Evolution on the Indian Raft - Biogeographic Conundrums
Article 461 by Varun Parmar1, and G.V.R. Prasad2* Vertebrate evolution on the Indian raft - Biogeographic conundrums 1Department of Geology, University of Jammu, Jammu – 180006, India; E-mail: [email protected] 2Department of Geology, Centre for Advanced Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi – 110007, India; *Corresponding author, E-mail: [email protected] (Received : 9/09/2019; Revised accepted : 28/10/2019) https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2020/020029 The Indian plate has a long history of rifting, drifting the palaeogeographic reconstructions, the supercontinent Pangea and collision. It travelled for about 9000 km from its remained intact until the Late Jurassic, whereafter it started to break apart into the northern landmass of Laurasia and the southern landmass position within Gondwana to reach its present position of Gondwana. This separation was slow, such that only a narrow within Asia. During its northward journey, the Indian seaway opened up between Laurasia and Gondwana. Towards the landmass remained physically isolated for about 35 Ma end of the Jurassic (~167 Ma) fragmentation of Gondwana into East from all other landmasses after its final break-up from and West Gondwana occurred (Lawver et al., 1991). East Gondwana Madagascar. A critical examination of the vertebrate comprised landmasses such as India, Madagascar, Antarctica, and Australia whereas West Gondwana consisted of Africa and South fossil record of the Indian plate for the period of early America (Lawver et al., 1991). Later in the Early Cretaceous (~130 and late drift phases offers very limited information for Ma), the Indo-Madagascar-Seychelles block was separated from the the early drift phase, but reveals a complex Antarctica-Australia block.