A Megaraptor-like theropod (Dinosauria: Tetanurae) in Australia: support for faunal exchange across eastern and western Gondwana in the Mid-Cretaceous

Smith, Nathan D., Makovicky, Peter J., Agnolin, Federico L., Ezcurra, Martin D., Pais, Diego F. and Salisbury, Steven W. (2008) A Megaraptor-like theropod (Dinosauria: Tetanurae) in Australia: support for faunal exchange across eastern and western Gondwana in the Mid-Cretaceous. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B - Containing Papers of a Biological Character, 275 1647: 2085-2093.


Author Smith, Nathan D.
Makovicky, Peter J.
Agnolin, Federico L.
Ezcurra, Martin D.
Pais, Diego F.
Salisbury, Steven W.
Title A Megaraptor-like theropod (Dinosauria: Tetanurae) in Australia: support for faunal exchange across eastern and western Gondwana in the Mid-Cretaceous
Journal name Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B - Containing Papers of a Biological Character  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A*)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2008-09
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1098/rspb.2008.0504
Volume number 275
Issue number 1647
ISSN 0962-8452
Start page 2085
End page 2093
Total pages 9
Place of publication United Kingdom
Publisher The Royal Society
Collection year 2009
Language eng
Subject C1
040308 Palaeontology (incl.Palynology)
050202 Conservation and Biodiversity
Formatted abstract The fossil record of Australian dinosaurs in general, and theropods in particular, is extremely sparse. Here we describe an ulna from the Early Cretaceous Eumeralla Formation of Australia that shares unique autapomorphies with the South American theropod Megaraptor. We also present evidence for the spinosauroid affinities of Megaraptor. This ulna represents the first Australian non-avian theropod with unquestionable affinities to taxa from other Gondwanan landmasses, suggesting faunal interchange between eastern and western Gondwana during the Mid-Cretaceous. This evidence counters claims of Laurasian affinities for Early Cretaceous Australian dinosaur faunas, and for the existence of a geographical or climatic barrier isolating Australia from the other Gondwanan continents during this time. The temporal and geographical distribution of Megaraptor and the Eumeralla ulna is also inconsistent with traditional palaeogeographic models for the fragmentation of Gondwana, but compatible with several alternative models positing connections between South America and Antarctica in the Mid-Cretaceous.
Keyword Dinosauria
Megaraptor
Cretaceous
Australia
Palaeobiogeography
Gondwana
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: 2009 Higher Education Research Data Collection
School of Biological Sciences Publications
 
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Created: Thu, 27 Nov 2008, 18:03:53 EST by Gail Walter on behalf of School of Biological Sciences