Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32 (1)
Burch & Carrano, 2012
An articulated pectoral girdle and forelimb of the abelisaurid theropod Majungasaurus crenatissimus from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar.
(s. 1-16)
Abelisaurid theropods are common members of Cretaceous Gondwanan faunas and are characterized by a bizarre, highly reduced forelimb.
Unfortunately, forelimb elements are rarely preserved and thus the basic structure of the abelisaurid forelimb remains poorly understood.
Until recently, the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation of northwestern Madagascar has produced numerous exceptional specimens of
the abelisaurid theropod Majungasaurus crenatissimus but comparatively little forelimb material. A recently discovered articulated skeleton
of Majungasaurus preserves a virtually complete pectoral girdle and forelimb, which, along with additional isolated forelimb elements, affords important new insights into the structure of these elements. New specimens of the scapulocoracoid and humerus allow more detailed description of their morphology, and antebrachial and manual elements
are described for the first time. The radius and ulna are approximately one-quarter the length of the humerus and both have expanded proximal and distal articular surfaces relative to their narrow diaphyses. The manus consists of four digits, each composed of a short metacarpal and one (digits I and IV) or two (digits II and III) phalanges. No ossified carpals are present. The proportions of
the brachium and antebrachium are stout, more similar to the condition in Carnotaurus than in Aucasaurus. We reinterpret manual digit
identities in Aucasaurus and Carnotaurus based on new information provided by the manus of Majungasaurus. Overall, the morphology of the
forelimb in Majungasaurus reveals that abelisaurids share an extremely reduced, unique morphology that is dissimilar to the more typical theropod condition seen in other ceratosaurs.
Haluza, Canale, Otero, Pérez & Scanferla, 2012
Changes in vertebral laminae across the cervicodorsal transition of a well-preserved rebbachisaurid (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Cenomanian of Patagonia, Argentina
(s. 219-224)
Fragment zęba teropoda o rozmiarach zbliżonych do T. rex albo nawet większego: Galton PM, Molnar RE. 2011. An unusually large theropod dinosaur tooth from the Kirkwood Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of South Africa.
Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0077-7749/2011/0204
Palaios 27(1):35-47. 2012
WATER VAPOR CONDUCTANCE OF THE LOWER CRETACEOUS DINOSAURIAN EGGS FROM SANAGASTA, LA RIOJA, ARGENTINA: PALEOBIOLOGICAL AND PALEOECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH AMERICAN FAVEOLOOLITHID AND MEGALOOLITHID EGGS
GERALD GRELLET-TINNER, LUCAS ERNESTO FIORELLI, and RODRIGO BRINCALEPE SALVADOR
The water vapor conductance (GH2O) of the neosauropod eggs from the Lower Cretaceous Sanagasta nesting site in La Rioja Province, Argentina, was examined and compared with other Cretaceous Argentinean oological material. The 2900 mgH2O/day·Torr GH2O of the Sanagasta eggshells confirms an extremely moist nesting environment and supports field observations of dug-out nests in a geothermal setting. The observed thinning of the outer eggshell surface during incubation increases gas conductance and concomitantly decreases eggshell mechanical resistance during the late ontogenetic stages, thus facilitating embryonic development and hatching. The Sanagasta and Entre Ríos Province faveoloolithid eggs display the highest and comparable GH2O values and share several morphological and diagenetic characters, indicating comparable nesting strategy in geothermal settings. However, the faveoloolithid Yaminué and La Pampa Province specimens cluster together with lower GH2O values closer to the megaloolithid eggs. The GH2O of the megaloolithid egg Megaloolithus patagonicus was reconsidered and new results are now congruent with other reported megaloolithid GH2O values. Additionally, we hypothesize that Y-shaped pore canals of M. patagonicus, which upper sections reach only the top third or half eggshell thickness and, a wider section in the middle would not compromise the overall egg mechanical resistance like vertical pores connecting directly the outer to the inner eggshell surfaces. Such pore spatial arrangement and geometry would enhance, as the eggshell thins during incubation, a greater GH2O, GO2 and GCO2 and facilitate embryonic development in high moisture nesting contents. Overall, data suggests that neosauropod nesting and brooding behaviors were dependent on elevated moisture nesting environments.
Paleontologicheskii zhurnal No. 1, 2012
Анатомия мозга
Amurosaurus riabinini и некоторые особенности
нейробиологии утконосых динозавров
С. В. Савельев, В. Р. Алифанов, Ю. Л. Болотский
Brain Anatomy of Amurosaurus riabinini and Some Neurobiological Peculiarities
of Duckbilled Dinosaurs
S. V. Saveliev, V. R. Alifanov, Yu. L. Bolotsky
p. 77-88
MSz
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