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From the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of Utah

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From the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of Utah Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(4):897–904, December 2005 © 2005 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology A NEW OVIRAPTOROSAUR (THEROPODA, MANIRAPTORA) FROM THE LATE CRETACEOUS (CAMPANIAN) OF UTAH LINDSAY E. ZANNO and SCOTT D. SAMPSON Utah Museum of Natural History and Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 1390 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, U.S.A., [email protected]; [email protected] ABSTRACT—Recent field expeditions to Upper Cretaceous deposits within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monu- ment, southern Utah, have revealed a diverse dinosaurian fauna that includes a previously unknown oviraptorosaur theropod. Represented by a single partial specimen consisting of manal and pedal elements, this new taxon, Hagryphus giganteus, gen. et. sp. nov., is estimated to be 30–40% larger than the coeval oviraptorosaur Chirostenotes. The holotype consists of a nearly complete, articulated left manus, a partial, articulated pedal digit II, and a series of fragmentary pedal phalanges and distal metatarsals. Several autapomorphies are present in the manus, related primarily to proportional differences in metacarpals and phalanges. Previous finds of North American oviraptorosaurs have been restricted to Alberta, Montana, and South Dakota. The discovery of this new specimen from southern Utah greatly expands the known geographic distribution of these theropods, nearly doubling the previously documented range of North American ovi- raptorosaurs. INTRODUCTION subjective synonym of Chirostenotes, but, in contrast to Currie and Russell (1988), argued that the diagnosis for the genus El- Oviraptorosaurs are a derived clade of edentulous manirap- misaurus (Currie, 1989, 1990) is insufficient. Thus Sues referred toran theropods known from the Late Cretaceous of Asia and all specimens of North American oviraptorosaurs to the genus North America. In contrast to the Asian record, which preserves Chirostenotes. Both Sues (1997) and Currie and Russell (1988) multiple complete or nearly complete skeletons representative of propose that Elmisauridae should be regarded as a junior syn- several taxa (e.g., Norell and Clark, 1995; Clark et al., 2001), the onym of Caenagnathidae. Conversely, Currie (1988, 1990, 1997) North American record remains sparse, composed of a handful and Varricchio (2001) retained the Elmisauridae, stressing dif- of fragmentary specimens. Consequently, the taxonomic diver- ferences in the metatarsus of Elmisaurus that merit higher taxo- sity of North American oviraptorosaurs has remained in ques- nomic distinction. tion despite several attempts at reassessment. Here we describe a new oviraptorosaur specimen from the Recently, there has been some consensus with regard to the Late Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation, Grand Staircase- status of several taxa synonymized to varying degrees into the Escalante National Monument, southern Utah. Though the dis- North American oviraptorosaur subclades Caenagnathidae and covery of this specimen increases the taxonomic diversity of Elmisauridae (Currie and Russell, 1988; Currie 1989, 1990, 1997; North American oviraptorosaurs, due to fragmentary preserva- Sues, 1997). These include Macrophalangia canadensis (Stern- tion it sheds no light on the previously discussed taxonomic con- berg, 1932) and Ornithomimus elegans (Parks, 1933), both origi- troversy surrounding Caenagnathus, Chirostenotes, Elmisaurus, nally considered ornithomimids, as well as Caenagnathus collinsi and the clades Caenagnathidae and Elmisauridae. Formerly the (Sternberg, 1940) and Caenagnathus sternbergi (Cracraft, 1971), argument to classify Chirostenotes and Elmisaurus as elmisaurids both initially described as avians. However, despite these was based on comparative material between these genera and advances, the taxonomic validity of three North American ovi- the lack of corresponding elements between Chirostenotes and raptorosaur genera—Caenagnathus, Chirostenotes, and Elmisau- Caenagnathus. If one were to accept the synonymy of Chiro- rus—remains contentious. Though the recent discovery of two stenotes, Caenagnathus, and E. elegans proposed by Sues (1997), additional specimens of Chirostenotes (RTMP 79.20.1 and ROM the clade Caenagnathidae would have taxonomic priority for 43250) has provided a more substantive basis for evaluating its these taxa. Given that the most recent publication by Currie relationship with Caenagnathus and Elmisaurus (Currie and (Osmólska et al., 2004)—the greatest proponent of the taxo- Russell, 1988; Sues 1997), a complete lack of comparative mate- nomic separation of Chirostenotes and Caenagnathus and the rial shared between Caenagnathus and either Chirostenotes or presence of Elmisaurus in North America (Currie, 1989, 1990, Elmisaurus continues to be the major impediment to resolving 1997)—accepts the synonomy of all three of these genera (Chiro- the taxonomy and systematics of these genera, as well as that of stenotes pergracilis and Chirostenotes elegans, sensu Sues, 1997) the subclades Caenagnathidae and Elmisauridae. we are tempted to respond in kind and regard our new taxon as The paucity of materials notwithstanding, several proposals a member of Caenagnathidae. However, although we regard it have been put forth regarding the taxonomy of North American likely that Chirostenotes and Caenagnathus are synonyms, and oviraptorosaur taxa. Currie and Russell (1988) speculated that that these genera belong to Caenagnathidae, we are reluctant to an isolated dentary of Caenagnathus (CMN 8776) is likely con- make this taxonomic leap until direct comparative elements are specific with a maxilla of Chirostenotes (ROM 43250), but sug- recovered for these taxa. Further, while we recognize that Os- gested that this association should remain informal until direct mólska et al. (2004) question the presence of Elmisaurus in comparative material is recovered. They also supported the dis- North America (referring the North American species of Elmi- tinction of Elmisaurus, proposing that all three described genera saurus [E. elegans, sensu Currie, 1989] into Chirostenotes)we of North American oviraptorosaurs be upheld and describing a believe there is enough contention over the relationship between North American species of the formerly Asian genus, E. elegans Elmisaurus (even if defined only by E. rarus Osmólska, 1981) (Currie, 1989). Sues (1997) formally considered Caenagnathus a and Chirostenotes (Maryan´ ska et al., 2002; Osmólska et al., 2004 897 898 JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY, VOL. 25, NO. 4, 2005 suggest, minimally, a higher than “familial” level for this asso- ciation) to warrant comparison with both these genera in this manuscript. Since the taxon Oviraptorosauria is the lowest taxo- nomic grouping presently available and potentially acceptable to encompass these taxa (for review see Osmólska et al. 2004) we have chosen to refer to materials associated with these genera as North American oviraptorosaurs; however, we recognize that comparative manus material from the genus Elmisaurus is pres- ently only known from the Asian species E. rarus and the pres- ence of Elmisaurus in North America is contended by some authors. Beyond these distinctions, we cite specific specimen numbers in instances of possible confusion. Institutional Abbreviations—AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, New York; MOR, Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman; CMN, Canadian Museum of Nature (National Mu- seum of Canada), Ottawa; ROM, Royal Ontario Museum, To- ronto; RTMP, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drum- heller; UMNH, Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City. SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY DINOSAURIA Owen, 1842 THEROPODA Marsh, 1881 MANIRAPTORA Gauthier, 1986 OVIRAPTOROSAURIA Barsbold, 1976 HAGRYPHUS, gen. nov. Etymology—From Ha, the ancient Egyptian God of the west- ern desert, and gryphus, Latin for a fabulous four-footed bird, gender masculine. FIGURE 1. Locality of Hagryphus giganteus, gen. et sp. nov., and es- Diagnosis—as for the type and only species. timated geographic distribution of known North American oviraptoro- saurs. Both previously known and newly documented ranges are shown. HAGRYPHUS GIGANTEUS, sp. nov. Etymology—giganteus (Latin), huge. Holotype—UMNH VP 12765, fragmentary distal left radius, recovered in articulation (Fig. 2). Hagryphus preserves the first complete left carpus including the semilunate and radiale, and record of carpal elements of North American oviraptorosaurs, left manus with complete digit I and III, complete digit II (ex- and provides the only complete manus (excluding phalanx II-III) cluding the ungual), fragmentary distal metatarsals and pedal known for the group. Based on comparison with the skeletal phalanges, and articulated distal portion of pedal digit II. reconstruction of the genus Oviraptor (Paul, 2002:9), Hagryphus Type Horizon and Locality—Kaiparowits Formation (late is estimated to be approximately three meters in length, making Campanian), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, it the largest described North American maniraptoran and one southern Utah (Fig. 1). The specimen was recovered just south of of the largest members of the Oviraptorosauria. Powell Point, in an area of the monument known as “The Blues”, from the isolated remnant of a fine-grained sandstone channel Carpus deposit. Radiometric analysis of the Kaiparowits Formation by Roberts et al. (2005) dates the type locality of Hagryphus gigan- There are four carpals preserved in articulation with the left teus between 76 and 75 million
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