Parataxonomic classification of ornithoid eggshell fragments from the Oldman Formation (Judith River Group; Upper Cretaceous), southern Alberta

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 1655-1667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darla K. Zelenitsky ◽  
L. V. Hills ◽  
Philip J. Currie
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Shell Thickness ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Theropod Dinosaur ◽  
Surface Sculpture ◽  
External Zone ◽  
Theropod Dinosaurs ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
The Family

Examination of a large number of eggshell fragments collected from the Oldman Formation of southern Alberta reveals a greater ootaxonomic diversity than is known from complete eggs or clutches. Three new oogenera and oospecies of the ornithoid-ratite morphotype and one of the ornithoid-prismatic morphotype are established, based on the eggshell fragments. Porituberoolithus warnerensis oogen. et oosp. nov. and Continuoolithus canadensis oogen. et oosp. nov. have a microstructure similar to that of elongatoolithid eggs of theropod dinosaurs. Tristraguloolithus cracioides oogen. et oosp. nov. and Dispersituberoolithus exilis oogen. et oosp. nov. possess an external zone and thus have a microstructure like modern avian eggshell. Tristraguloolithus has a shell thickness, microstructure, and surface sculpture similar to those of recent bird eggshell of the family Cracidae (order Galliformes). Dispersituberoolithus exhibits the primitive or normal eggshell condition of some recent neognathous avian taxa. The ootaxa described indicate a diversity of both avian and theropod dinosaur egg layers within Devil's Coulee and Knight's Ranch, southern Alberta, during the Late Cretaceous.

The Cretaceous and Paleocene pleurotomariid (Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda) fauna of Seymour Island, Antarctica

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 750-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Harasewych ◽  
Anton Oleinik ◽  
William Zinsmeister
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
South America ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Southern India ◽  
New Combination ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Status ◽  
Seymour Island

Leptomaria antipodensis and Leptomaria hickmanae are described from the Upper Cretaceous [Maastrichtian] Lopez de Bertodano Formation, Seymour Island, and represent the first Mesozoic records of the family Pleurotomariidae from Antarctica. Leptomaria stillwelli, L. seymourensis, Conotomaria sobralensis and C. bayeri, from the Paleocene [Danian], Sobral Formation, Seymour Island, are described as new. Leptomaria larseniana (Wilckens, 1911) new combination, also from the Sobral Formation, is redescribed based on better-preserved material. The limited diversity of the pleurotomariid fauna of Seymour Island is more similar to that of the Late Cretaceous faunas of Australia and New Zealand in terms of the number of genera and species, than to the older, more diverse faunas of South America, southern India, or northwestern Madagascar, supporting the status of the Weddelian Province as a distinct biogeographic unit. The increase in the species richness of this fauna during the Danian may be due to the final fragmentation of Gondwana during this period.

Les Heterohelicidae du Cretace superieur pyreneen

1948 ◽  
Vol S5-XVIII (1-3) ◽  
pp. 15-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Kikoine
Keyword(s):  
Special Reference ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Planktonic Foraminifers ◽  
The Family ◽  
Cretaceous Deposits

Abstract Describes planktonic foraminifers belonging to the Heterohelicidae (including Gublerina cuvillieri n.g. n.sp.) from upper Cretaceous deposits of the French Pyrenees and discusses the evolution and classification of the family, with special reference to its stratigraphic significance.

scholarly journals Crocodyliform affinities for Kemkemia auditorei Cau & Maganuco, 2009 from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco

2012 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Lio ◽  
Federico Agnolin ◽  
Andrea Cau ◽  
Simone Maganuco
Keyword(s):  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Caudal Vertebra ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Theropod Dinosaur ◽  
Incertae Sedis ◽  
Theropod Dinosaurs ◽  
Neural Canal ◽  
Posterolateral Margin

<em>Kemkemia auditorei</em> Cau &amp; Maganuco, 2009 was recently described as a new genus and species of theropod dinosaur on the basis on an isolated distal caudal vertebra. The holotype and only known specimen comes from Kem Kem beds (Upper Cretaceous) of Morocco. In the present paper we review the phylogenetic position of <em>Kemkemia</em> and we conclude that this taxon belongs to Crocodyliformes. It shares with crocodyliforms the presence of a concavity at the posterolateral margin of neural spines, an inflated neural canal, and reduced prezygapophyses, among other traits. This combination of characters clearly distinguishes <em>Kemkemia</em> from theropod dinosaurs. In this way, <em>Kemkemia</em> is here considered as a Crocodyliformes <em>incertae sedis</em>, and based on the absence of unique characters, the genus and species <em>Kemkemia</em> auditorei is proposed as a nomen <em>dubium</em>.

Enigmatic teeth of small theropod dinosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian) of Uzbekistan

2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Dieter Sues ◽  
Alexander Averianov
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Theropod Dinosaurs ◽  
Kyzylkum Desert

Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian) formations in the Kyzylkum Desert of Uzbekistan, especially the Bissekty Formation at Dzharakuduk, have yielded a great diversity of continental vertebrates, including dinosaurs. Underwater screening of the sandy matrix has recovered many dinosaurian teeth. Here we describe and illustrate two types of enigmatic theropod teeth that are referable to Paronychodon and Richardoestesia, respectively. Both of these tooth taxa are well known from the Late Cretaceous of North America and possibly represent stages in the development of the teeth of various paravian theropods. Confirmation of this hypothesis awaits discovery of more complete jaws.

Late Cretaceous gastropods from the Izumi Group of southwest Japan

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 563-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Kase
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
North American ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Basal Part ◽  
Northwestern Pacific ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Southwest Japan ◽  
The North ◽  
The Family

The basal part of the Upper Cretaceous, mid-Campanian to Maastrichtian Izumi Group of the Izumi Mountains and Awaji Island, Southwest Japan, contains the most diverse gastropod fauna of this age in Japan. This paper discriminates 19 species and describes two new genera: Atira tricarinata n. sp., Ataphrus (s.s.) sp. A, Ataphrus (s.s.) sp. B, Globularia (s.s.) izumiensis n. sp., Lysis izumiensis n. sp., Trichotropis? sp., Deussenia takinoikensis n. sp., Volutilithes antiqua n. sp., Pseudoperissitys bicarinata Nagao and Otatume, Nekewis sp., Nipponitys inouei n. gen. and sp., Nipponitys acutangularis n. gen. and sp., Nipponitys sp. cf. N. magna (Kalishevitsch), Calorebama cretacea n. sp., Taniella japonica n. gen. and sp., Amuletum (s.s.) sp., Biplica osakensis n. sp., Biplica sphaerica n. sp., and Cylichna sp. The family Ampullospiridae is assigned to the suborder Architaenioglossa from the superfamily Naticacea. The enigmatic genus Lysis is tentatively assigned to the Calyptraeidae. Taniella japonica n. sp. is the oldest member of the family Olividae, and Calorebama cretacea n. sp. is the oldest member of the subfamily Pseudolivinae. Occurrence of Atira, Ataphrus, Biplica, and five perissityids further supports close communication of the northwestern Pacific Late Cretaceous gastropod faunas with those of the North American Pacific coastal areas.

scholarly journals The fossil record of the family Benthopectinidae (Echinodermata, Asteroidea), a reappraisal

2021 ◽  
Vol 755 ◽  
pp. 149-190
Author(s):  
Andy S. Gale ◽  
John W.M. Jagt
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Comparative Morphology ◽  
Upper Triassic ◽  
Incertae Sedis ◽  
Lower Oligocene ◽  
The Family

Fossils assigned to the predominantly deep-sea asteroid family Benthopectinidae Verrill, 1894 are described and their affinities reappraised. Detailed comparative morphology of ambulacrals, adambulacrals and marginal ossicles has revealed that only some extinct taxa fall within the morphological range of the modern representatives of the family. These include Jurapecten hessi Gale, 2011, J. infrajurensis sp. nov. (both Jurassic), J. dhondtae sp. nov. (Upper Cretaceous) and Nearchaster spinosus (Blake, 1973) comb. nov. (Lower Oligocene). A new Late Cretaceous genus, Punkaster gen. nov. (P. spinifera gen. et sp. nov. and P. ruegenensis gen. et sp. nov.), appears to be a highly derived benthopectinid. A possible benthopectinid is described from the Upper Triassic (Carnian) of China. Other described records are distantly related to, but convergent in gross morphology with, benthopectinids. Thus, Plesiastropecten hallovensis Peyer, 1944 is here referred to the Jurassic spinulosidan family Plumasteridae Gale, 2011 and Xandarosaster hessi Blake, 1984 is interpreted as Spinulosida Perrier, 1884 incertae sedis. The mid-Cretaceous Alkaidia sumralli Blake & Reid, 1998 is reassigned to the Forcipulatida (Zorocallina). The “fossil benthopectinid” of Spencer & Wright in Moore (1966) is shown to belong to the goniopectinid genus Chrispaulia Gale, 2005, of which two new Cretaceous species are described, C. wrightorum sp. nov. and C. spinosa sp. nov. Finally, we consider Henricia? venturana Durham & Roberts, 1948 to be an indeterminate asteroid.

scholarly journals The phylogenetic affinities and morphological peculiarities of the bird-like dinosaur Borogovia gracilicrus from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12640
Author(s):  
Andrea Cau ◽  
Daniel Madzia
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Distal Part ◽  
The Other ◽  
Theropod Dinosaur ◽  
Distinctive Morphology ◽  
Valid Taxon ◽  
Phylogenetic Affinities ◽  
Second Toe

Borogovia gracilicrus is a small-bodied theropod dinosaur from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) Nemegt Formation of southern Mongolia. The taxon is based on a single fragmentary specimen preserving only the distal part of the hindlimbs. The morphology of Borogovia shows a peculiar combination of features, some of which are traditionally considered troodontid synapomorphies and others which are unusual for Troodontidae but are shared with other maniraptoran clades. In particular, the second toe of B. gracilicrus differs from other troodontids in lacking some of the features which contribute to the specialized ‘sickle-clawed’ second toe, here termed the ‘falciphoran condition’, shared with dromaeosaurids and some other paravians, such as the strongly compressed and falciform ungual. Phylogeny reconstructions intended to explore the affinities of Borogovia consistently support its referral within a subclade of troodontids including all Late Cretaceous taxa. The placement of Borogovia is not significantly affected by its unusual combinations of hindlimb features or by the homoplasy of the elements forming the falciphoran condition. Borogovia is supported as a valid taxon and is distinct from the other Nemegt troodontids, Tochisaurus and Zanabazar. The lack of a falciform ungual, and the distinctive morphology of the second toe in B. gracilicrus are interpreted as a derived specialization among Troodontidae and not as retention of the plesiomorphic condition of non-paravian theropods.

Additions and refinements to Sycodes glabra (Shumard, 1858), a poorly known Late Cretaceous (Campanian) marine gastropod from the northeast Pacific: taxonomic and biostratigraphic implications

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 775-782
Author(s):  
Richard L. Squires ◽  
Raymond Graham
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Submarine Fan ◽  
Marine Gastropod ◽  
Northeast Pacific ◽  
The Family ◽  
Early Late ◽  
Lower Campanian

The Late Cretaceous marine gastropod Sycodes glabra (Shumard, 1858) from the northeast Pacific has been poorly known because the type, which was never figured, was lost in a fire in 1892, and the type locality was very poorly located. A neotype is selected from specimens collected by the early Canadians, geologist J. Richardson and eminent British Columbian naturalist Dr. C.F. Newcombe. Newly discovered material, as well as museum specimens, provide fundamental geologic and paleontologic information. The number of available specimens is 19, and nearly all are from submarine-fan deposits in the Upper Cretaceous Nanaimo Group exposed along the southeastern-coastal region of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and on Big Sucia Island, northwestern Washington State, with nearly half of the specimens from the latter locale. A single specimen is from northern California. This present study better establishes the type locality for S. glabra and documents this name as the senior subjective synonym of ?Ficus cypraeoides Gabb, 1864. The geologic range of S. glabra is early Campanian (Submortoniceras chicoense ammonite Zone) to early late Campanian (Metaplacenticeras cf. pacificum ammonite Zone). Sycodes seems to be a monotypic genus, but Pyrula (Protopirula) capensis Rennie, 1930, from mid-Santonian to lower Campanian strata in South Africa, might be congeneric. Sycodes is questionably assigned herein to the family Ficidae Meek, 1864, and could be the earliest known ficid.

The significance of the theropod collections of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology to our understanding of Late Cretaceous theropod diversity

2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 620-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Currie ◽  
Eva B. Koppelhus
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Theropod Dinosaurs ◽  
Cretaceous Deposits

Significant specimens of theropod dinosaurs were part of the collections that were transferred to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology when it split off from the Provincial Museum of Alberta in 1981. Collecting activity of the institution increased dramatically in the period leading up to the opening of the building and displays in 1985, and resulted in the recovery and preparation of many fine theropod skeletons. New specimens have been added to the collection every year since the museum opened. Several (mostly small) taxa are only represented by isolated bones, partial skeletons, and (or) teeth. Theropod specimens also include footprints, coprolites, eggs, and feathers in amber. Although theropods are relatively rare in comparison with herbivorous dinosaurs, the Tyrrell has managed to build one of the finest research collections of Late Cretaceous forms. Thirty-seven species of theropods in the Tyrrell are currently accepted as being valid, of which 30 are from the Upper Cretaceous deposits of Alberta.

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