New evidence for the possible occurrence of Tyrannosaurus in West Texas,and discussion of Maastrichtian tyrannosaurid dinosaurs from Big Bend National Park |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco 43127, Sala 114, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil;2. Grupo Ampla, R. Mário de Alencar Araripe, 382, Casa 9, Bairro Sapiranga, CEP 60833-163 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil;3. Departamento de Paleontologia e Estratigrafia, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco 43127, Sala 116, Bairro Agronomia, CEP 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| |
Abstract: | Speculation regarding Tyrannosaurus in West Texas has been largely based upon a sub-adult tyrannosaurid maxilla from the Javelina Formation (Late Cretaceous–Maastrichtian) of Big Bend National Park. However, a very large anterior caudal vertebra, recently collected from the Javelina Formation, exhibits a morphology that can confidently be assigned to Tyrannosauridae and, because of its size, likely pertains to an adult Tyrannosaurus. The stratigraphic position of the specimen is closely bracketed by titanosaurid remains and further supports coexistence of these taxa. The stratigraphic position of the specimen possibly records one of the earliest occurrences of Tyrannosaurus. If so, Tyrannosaurus likely existed during roughly equivalent temporal intervals in disparate paleobiomes in both northern and southern late Maastrichtian faunal realms of North America. |
| |
Keywords: | Cretaceous Maastrichtian Texas Javelina |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|