Hadrosaurid Dinosaur Research Articles

Skeletal morphology of Kritosaurus navajovius (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of the North American south-west, with an evaluation of the phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of Kritosaurini

The osteology of the hadrosaurid dinosaur Kritosaurus navajovius (late Campanian of southern North America) is documented in detail, and the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the genus are revised. Kritosaurus is rediagnosed based on the extensive length of the dorsolateral margin of the maxilla and a unique combination of characters that includes a jugal with orbital constriction deeper than infratemporal one, infratemporal fenestra greater than orbit and with dorsal margin greatly elevated above dorsal orbital margin in adults, frontal participating in orbital margin, and paired caudal parasagittal processes of nasals resting over frontals. The taxonomy of numerous hadrosaurid specimens previously referred to Kritosaurus is reassessed; the vast majority of these cannot be positively referred to Kritosaurus. One exception is a specimen collected from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation that extends the geographical range of K. navajovius further south in Laramidia, to present-day northern Mexico. Anasazisaurus is regarded a junior synonym of Kritosaurus; their holotypes are indistinguishable from each other when considering the overlapping elements. However, many characters support distinction of Naashoibitosaurus ostromi as a valid taxon. Kritosaurus, consisting of the sister species K. navajovius and K. horneri, is deeply nested within Saurolophinae as a member of Kritosaurini. The latter clade includes also Naashoibitosaurus, Gryposaurus, and the South American Secernosaurus. Kritosaurini is characterized by a rostral nasal dorsal process not reaching the rostral margin of the narial foramen, frontal with triangular rostrolateral projection ending in a narrow apex (convergent in Brachylophosaurini), and a subrectangular dorsal region of infratemporal fenestra, among other characters. Kritosaurin hadrosaurids are hypothesized to have originated in southern Laramidia no later than the early Campanian. Subsequently, members of the clade reached northern Laramidia and South America via dispersal no later than the early and late Campanian, respectively.

Latirhinus uitstlani, a ‘broad-nosed’ saurolophine hadrosaurid (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda) from the late Campanian (Cretaceous) of northern Mexico

We describe a new genus and species of hadrosaurid dinosaur, Latirhinus uitstlani, from upper Campanian strata of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation in northern Mexico. The new taxon differs from other hadrosaurids, except Gryposaurus, in possessing a deep and arcuate dorsal process of the nasal; it differs from Gryposaurus, as well as from all other saurolophines, in having a broader narial foramen, and an anterodorsally curved deltoid crest of the scapula (convergent with Lambeosaurinae within the context of Hadrosauridae). L. uitstlani appears to be allied to ‘kritosaurs’, particularly to species of Gryposaurus, and it represents one of the southernmost saurolophines of North America. Likewise, L. uitstlani adds to the diversity of saurolophines in the southern Western Interior Basin and its occurrence in northern Mexico is consistent with the apparent predominance of ‘kritosaurs’ in southern Laramidia during late Campanian times.

New unadorned hadrosaurine hadrosaurid (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda) from the Campanian of North America

ABSTRACT A new hadrosaurid dinosaur, Acristavus gagslarsoni, is here named on the basis of several autapomorphic characteristics of the frontal, postorbital, and dentary. Acristavus is a member of the newly erected clade Brachylophosaurini, which along with its other members, Brachylophosaurus and Maiasaura, constitutes the earliest hadrosaurine hadrosaurid clade. The new taxon occurred approximately 79 million years ago and has been recovered from the Two Medicine Formation of western Montana and nearly simultaneously in the Wahweap Formation of southern Utah. Corresponding with its age and relationship to the other members of the Brachylophosaurini, it is not surprising that Acristavus possesses traits seen in both Brachylophosaurus and Maiasaura, but not necessarily shared between them. One of the most interesting morphological features of Acristavus is the lack of cranial osteological ornamentation, which is in stark contrast to every other hadrosaurid dinosaur except Edmontosaurus. Combining stratigraphic and phylogenetic data from Acristavus yields support for the hypothesis that the hadrosaurid ancestor did not possess cranial ornamentation, and that the subfamilies Hadrosaurinae and Lambeosaurinae each independently developed display structures.

A reapprisal of Barsboldia sicinskii (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia

The taxonomy and phylogenetic position of the hadrosaurid dinosaur Barsboldia sicinskii is revised. This species is rediagnosed based on the unique combination of iliac central plate with depth/length ratio less than 0.8 and sacral vertebrae with distally ‘clubbed’ neural spines at least four times higher than their centra. A maximum parsimony analysis of 47 hadrosauroid (39 hadrosaurid) species does not support the purported lambeosaurine affinities of B. sicinskii, but recovers this form as a basal saurolophine hadrosaurid based on unambiguous synapomorphies of the ilium. This result increases the diversity of saurolophine taxa in Asia, a continent with a hadrosaurid fossil record so far dominated by lambeosaurines. Finally, several vertebral and iliac characters previously regarded as diagnostic of Lambeosaurinae are discussed and shown to be uninformative from a taxonomic or phylogenetic standpoint.

Saurolophus morrisi, a new species of hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of the Pacific coast of North America

We describe and re-evaluate the systematics of specimens from the Maastrichtian Moreno Formation of California (western USA) as a new species of Saurolophus, the only known genus of hadrosaurid dinosaur widespread in Asia and North America. Recognition of this new species adds substantially to the record of the taxonomic diversity of these animals west of the Rocky Mountains. The new species, Saurolophus morrisi, is diagnosed by the possession of a postorbital having ornamentation in form of wide oblique groove on jugal process. Placement of this new species in Saurolophus considerably expands the distribution of this genus, although this referral is arbitrary since phylogenetic analysis places the new species outside of the clade formed by Saurolophus osborni and Saurolophus angustirostris. However, recognition of a new, endemic Californian hadrosaurid, especially one so closely related to both Asian and North American species, may have implications for future studies of both the internal biogeography of...

An educational cast of hadrosaurid dinosaur skull

An educational cast of hadrosaurid dinosaur skull

The last hadrosaurid dinosaurs of Europe: A new lambeosaurine from the Uppermost Cretaceous of Aren (Huesca, Spain)

A new hadrosaurid dinosaur, Arenysaurus ardevoli gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Maastrichtian of Aren (Huesca, South-central Pyrenees) is described on the basis of a partial, articulated skull, mandibular remains and postcranial elements, including vertebrae, girdle and limb bones. Arenysaurus is characterized by having a very prominent frontal dome; nearly vertical prequadratic (squamosal) and jugal (postorbital) processes, and deltopectoral crest of the humerus oriented anteriorly. Moreover, it possesses a unique combination of characters: short frontal (length/width approximately 0.5); midline ridge of parietal at level of the postorbital-squamosal bar; parietal excluded from the occiput; squamosal low above the cotyloid cavity. A phylogenetical analysis indicates that Arenysaurus is a rather basal member of Lambeosaurinae and the sister-taxon to Amurosaurus and the Corythosaurini-Parasaurolophini clade. The phylogenetic and biogeographical relationships of Arenysaurus and other lambeosaurines suggest a palaeogeographical connection between Asia and Europe during the Late Cretaceous.

Biostratigraphic and biogeographic implications of a hadrosaurid (Ornithopoda: Dinosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Almond Formation of Wyoming, USA

The results of Barnum Brown's 1937 expedition to the Almond Formation of Wyoming consisted of two unidentified ceratopsian skulls and a partial hadrosaurid specimen (AMNH 3651). The hadrosaurid is here attributed to the Maastrichtian genus Saurolophus, verifying previous biostratigraphic correlations of this formation using ammonite zones. Fossiliferous lower Maastrichtian formations occurring latitudinally between those of Alberta, Canada, and southwestern Texas, USA, such as the Almond Formation, are essential for testing the effects and duration of apparent hadrosaurid faunal segregation earlier in the Campanian, and indirectly aiding in the placement of faunal boundaries that are currently unknown for the late Campanian. The discovery of Saurolophus in Wyoming, a close relative of the Campanian genus Prosaurolophus, affirms that the segregation of hadrosaurid faunas established in the late Campanian (∼75 Ma) continued for at least 3 million years. Combining occurrences of Saurolophus from Mongolia and the Moreno Formation of California with those of Alberta, Canada, this genus appears to have had one of the largest geographic ranges of any equivalent clade of hadrosaurid dinosaur, although species level distributions are still uncertain.

Evidence of predation on the vertebra of a hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) of Coahuila, Mexico

In sediments of the Aguja Formation (Late Cretaceous: Campanian) at La Salada in northern part of the state of Coahuila, Mexico, numerous fossils of vertebrates have been discovered including Hadrosauridae. One hadrosaur vertebra provides evidence of predation probably by a giant alligator Deinosuchus riograndensis.

The First Hadrosaurid Dinosaur from Southern China

Abstract: A new hadrosaurid dinosaur, Nanningosaurus dashiensis gen. et sp. nov., is described based on an incomplete skeleton from the Late Cretaceous red beds of the Nalong Basin, Guangxi, southern China. Diagnostic features for the new taxon include the presence of a tall and sharply peaked dorsal process of the maxilla with reduced process of the jugal and a distinct lacrimal facet, gracile humerus with low, rounded deltopectoral crest, mandibular condyle of the quadrate transversly broad with reduced paraquadrate notch, dentary tooth with sinuous median carina and subsidiary ridge, relatively few tooth positions, ischial shaft straight along most of its distance, but to curve dorsally and expand at the distal end before the ischial foot begins. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Nanningosaurus dashiensis is a basal member of Lambeosaurinae.

New information on the cranium of Brachylophosaurus canadensis (Dinosauria, Hadrosauridae), with a revision of its phylogenetic position

ABSTRACT The cranium of the hadrosaurid dinosaur Brachylophosaurus canadensis is redescribed on the basis of abundant and complete material from the Lower Campanian Judith River Formation of Malta, northeastern Montana. The diagnosis of this taxon is emended, and the species Brachylophosaurus goodwini is now considered to be a junior synonym of Brachylophosaurus canadensis. Autapomorphies of Brachylophosaurus are: nasal greatly developed into paddle-like solid crest extending caudodorsally, overhanging dorsal region of skull; nasal possessing anteroposteriorly oriented groove terminating in elongated foramen located medial to prefrontal; prefrontal projecting posteriorly and resting dorsomedially over anterior process of postorbital and, more posteriorly, extending ventromedially under nasal; only anterior sharp tip of lacrimal contacting maxilla; jugal with ventrally projecting semicircular flange; extremely elongated, rod-like anterodorsal process of maxilla projecting medial to narial cavity along most of anteroposterior length of external naris; anteroposteriorly short exoccipital-supraoccipital roof posterior and dorsal to foramen magnum. Most autapomorphies of the junior synonym species Brachylophosaurus goodwini originated from misplacement of a nasal fragment and individual variation of the jugal. The new osteological information supports Brachylophosaurus canadensis as the sister taxon to Maiasaura peeblesorum, and suggests that the two taxa form a robust and basal clade within the Hadrosaurinae. Two new characters are discussed as phylogenetically informative for hadrosaurids: the mediolateral and anteroposterior predentary proportions and the length of the prequadratic process of the squamosal.

Microscale δ18O and δ13C isotopic analysis of an ontogenetic series of the hadrosaurid dinosaur Edmontosaurus: implications for physiology and ecology

Stable isotope analysis of vertebrate biominerals, primarily in mammals, has been used to address questions of paleodiet, paleoclimate, trophic level, migration, foraging zone, and thermophysiology with varying degrees of success. Isotopes have been used less commonly to study physiology and ecology through ontogeny in dinosaurs, generally due to (1) the lack of modern analogs as a basis for comparison of observed fossil isotope values, and (2) difficulty in sampling very thin tooth enamel (a non-remodeled biomineral). By utilizing a relatively new technique in microsampling, this study addresses the following questions: Do microscale analyses of oxygen and carbon isotopes from mineralized tissues of hadrosaurid dinosaurs record temporal variation? If so, is the cause of the variation physiological or ecological? Isotope values from the carbonate component of enamel ( δ 18O ec and δ 13C e) were obtained by microsampling multiple teeth in a temporal series from the dental batteries of a juvenile, sub-adult, and adult Edmontosaurus from the Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota. To establish isotope variability in an extant archosaur, consecutive teeth in a temporal series from an extant Alligator mississippiensis specimen were microsampled for isotopic analysis and compared to those of Edmontosaurus. To test for diagenesis, bulk samples from the phosphate component ( δ 18O p) of modern and fossil tooth enamel, bone, and dentine from Edmontosaurus, A. mississippiensis, and extant ratites were analyzed and compared. Edmontosaurus bone and dentine indicate a greater degree of alteration than does enamel, and while absolute δ 18O ec values may be altered, the pattern of seasonal cycles appears to be preserved and can provide detailed information on hadrosaur physiology (tooth mineralization times, rates, and seasons) and ecology (dietary information). δ 18O ec seasonal patterns are preserved in Edmontosaurus specimens, and are interpreted to correlate with annual δ 18O variation of local meteoric waters rather than thermophysiology, changes in drinking water sources, or migration. All teeth were mineralized in <0.65 year with no consistent season of mineralization. Mean tooth mineralization times are shorter in the juvenile and sub-adult than the adult. Enamel mineralization rates are estimated to be ∼38 mm/year in Edmontosaurus and ∼36 mm/year in Alligator (consistent with mineralization rates for modern ungulates), although the length of time for tooth formation is shorter in the archosaurs compared with mammals. Heavier than predicted δ 13C e values are hypothesized to result from (1) enrichment of δ 13C in ingested plant material due to higher atmospheric δ 13C ( δ 13C atm) in the Late Cretaceous; (2) taxon-specific δ 13C effects of ingested plants (primarily gymnosperms); (3) isotopic enrichment of ingested plant material ( δ 13C p) due to osmotic stress from proximity to the Western Cretaceous Interior Seaway, (4) taxon-specific δ 13C diet– δ 13C e fractionation factors for Edmontosaurus that vary from those observed in modern mammals, and/or (5) diagenesis. Microsampling provides a detailed perspective on the physiological (tooth mineralization times, rates, and seasons) and ecological (dietary) mechanisms of oxygen and carbon isotope incorporation in dinosaur biominerals that is not obtainable through bulk sampling alone.

Long bone histology of the hadrosaurid dinosaur Maiasaura peeblesorum: growth dynamics and physiology based on an ontogenetic series of skeletal elements

ABSTRACT Ontogenetic changes in the bone histology of Maiasaura peeblesorum are revealed by six relatively distinct but gradational growth stages: early and late nestling, early and late juvenile, sub-adult, and adult. These stages are distinguished not only by relative size but by changes in the histological patterns of bones at each stage. In general, the earliest stages are marked by spongy bone matrix with large vascular canals. Through growth, the cortical bone differentiates into fibro-lamellar tissue that tends to become more regularly layered in the outer cortex. By the sub-adult stage, lines of arrested growth (LAGs) begin to appear regularly. Resorption lines and substantial Haversian substitution in many long bones also begin to appear at this stage, and the external cortex has a lamellar-zonal structure in some bones that indicates imminent cessation of growth. Judging by the rates of apposition of similar bone tissues in living amniotes, and by the number and placement of LAGs, these patterns suggest that young Maiasaura nestlings grew at very high rates, and at high and moderately high rates during later nestling, juvenile, and sub-adult stages, slowing to low and very low growth rates in adults (7–9 m total length). The nesting period would have lasted one to two months, late juvenile size (3.5 meters) would have been reached in one or two years, and adult size in six to eight years, depending on the basis for extrapolating bone growth rates. The histological tissues, patterns, and inferred growth rates of the bones of Maiasaura are completely different from those of living non-avian reptiles, generally similar to those of most other dinosaurs and pterosaurs for which data are available, and much like those of extant birds and mammals. No living reptiles (except birds) grow to adult size at these rates, nor do they show these histological patterns. We conclude that Maiasaura did not grow at all like living non-avian reptiles, which cannot be considered informative models for most aspects of dinosaurian growth (or physiology, to the extent that growth rates reflect metabolism). The use of lines of arrested growth (LAGs) to infer dinosaurian physiology has never been tested and is not supported by independent lines of evidence; their use in calculating age is also more complex than previously suggested and should not be based on single bones.

A new late Maastrichtian hadrosaurid dinosaur record from northeast Belgium

A new late Maastrichtian hadrosaurid dinosaur record from northeast Belgium

On Asian ornithopods (Dinosauria: Ornithischia). 2. Arstanosaurus akkurganensis Shilin and Suslov, 1982

The hadrosaurid dinosaur Arstanosaurus akkurganensis was described on the basis of the posterior end of a left maxilla, an associated distal end of a femur and an unreported isolated tooth, all of which were collected from the Akkurgan locality. East of the Aral Sea in central Kazakhstan. Redescription of the type material reveals that the material was inaccurately described, appears to lack specifically diagnostic characters and, although it can be assigned tentatively to the hadrosaurid subfamily Lambeosaurinae on the basis of the form of the caudodorsal margin of the maxilla, should for taxonomic purposes be regarded as a nomen dubium . Arstanosaurus cannot be assigned to any known hadrosaurid taxon from Kazakhstan with any confidence at present partly because of a lack of comparative material, and difficulties of comparative dating across what appear to be very similar localities (e.g. Shakh-Shakh). Broad anatomical similarities can be drawn with the Chinese genus Bactrosaurus . Additional hadrosaurid material collected from Baynshin Tsav, Mongolia, previously attributed to the genus Arstanosaurus , represents two new ornithopod taxa assignable to the subfamilies Hadrosaurinae and Lambeosaurinae. General comparison between the forms collected from Akkurgan, Iren Nor (China) and Baynshin Tsav supports the contention that all three localities may be dated as Early Senonian (Coniacian-Santonian) in age.