Small theropod teeth from the Upper Jurassic coal mine of Guimarota (Portugal)

Isolated teeth of small theropod dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic lignite coal mine of Guimarota (near Leiria, Portugal) are described and illustrated. The well known Upper Jurassic theropods from Europe,Archaeopteryx andCompsognathus, are the most common taxa in the Guimarota assemblage. One morphotype is closely related to an allosaurid theropod. Six further morphotypes of theropod teeth are also described, which are closely related to Cretaceous theropods such as dromaeosaurids, troodontids, tyrannosaurids,Richardoestesia andParonychodon. A Late Jurassic origin of these groups of theropods, which is very often postulated, is discussed.     

Theropods (dinosauria, saurischia) from the middle Jurassic Toutunhe Formation of the Southern Junggar Basin, NW China

From the Middle Jurassic (?Bathonian-Callovian) Toutunhe Formation of Liuhonggou, SW of Urumqi in the southern Junggar Basin (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China) theropod material is described in detail for the first time. A large carnosaur is represented by five tooth crowns from different parts of the dentition. The size of the teeth indicates an animal 6–8 m in total length. Teeth and postcranial material from the Toutunhe Formation of Sangonghe River, E of Urumqi, belong to the same or a closely related taxon. A second, smaller theropod with an estimated entire length of 3 m is represented by another tooth crown, re-markable for its bifurcated mesial carina (genetically induced abnormality ?). It is not identifiable but shows greatest similarities to members of the Coelophysoidea. The distal end of a fibula could belong to the same taxon. Two new components are thus added to the dinosaur fauna of the Toutunhe Formation, hitherto restricted to a nodosaurid and unidentified (“megalosaurid”) theropod material.     

Additional dinosaur teeth from the Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Charentes,southwestern France

Some isolated teeth of theropod and sauropod dinosaurs from the Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Charentes are described. Two new teeth of Troodontidae confirm the presence of this theropod family, previously based on a single specimen. New dental morphotypes are recognized within Dromaeosauridae and Brachiosauridae in comparison with those already known from Charentes. Lastly, a very small tooth is tentatively assigned to an embryonic or neonatal sauropod. The palaeobiogeographical history of European hadrosauroids is briefly discussed. This history was probably more complex than it appears, involving exchanges with both North America and Asia as early as the mid-Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian).     

记河北省后城组新发现之小型兽脚类足迹(英文)

几十年前人们就已经开始研究中国东北侏罗纪—白垩纪界线附近地层中的小型兽脚类恐龙足迹,虽然这些遗迹化石比辽宁省义县组带羽毛的恐龙及其他实体化石逊色了许多。本文记述了河北省承德南双庙后城组(土城子组)最下部河流相沉积中发现的一组兽脚类恐龙足迹。南双庙足迹具有三趾,趾粗大,其形态与美国下侏罗统经典的"brontozoid"足迹(Gral- lator,Anchisauripus和Eubrontes)相符。虽然许多产自辽宁土城子组中基本同时的brontozoid足迹被鉴定为小型的跷脚龙足迹属(Grallator),但南双庙足迹更大一些(全长可达28.8 cm),可能应该归入安琪龙足迹属(Anchisauripus)。南双庙足迹很可能是一群小型兽脚类行走而产生。在辽宁义县组的兽脚类恐龙中,最可能留下这类足迹的是小型的窃蛋龙类——尾羽龙(Caudipteryx)。不过这个解释还很勉强,因为这些足迹缺乏鉴定性特征,而且河北的后城组与辽宁的义县组之间还有一定的时间及地理间隔。     

Additional non-avian theropod and bird remains from the early Late Cretaceous (Santonian) of Hungary and a review of the European abelisauroid record

Hitherto unpublished remains of non-avian and avian theropods from the Late Cretaceous (Formation Csehbánya, Santonian) Iharkút locality (western Hungary) are described. Non-avian theropod remains include an abelisaurid femur, which confirms the presence of this theropod family at Iharkút, and a metacarpal and a tibiotarsus from a paravian which may belong to Pneumatoraptor fodori, previously described from Iharkút. Birds are represented by two femora which clearly belong to enantiornithines, possibly to Bauxitornis, previously described from Iharkút. The abelisauroid record from the Cretaceous of Europe is reviewed.     

中国河南晚白垩世地层一枚可能属于重爪龙亚科(兽脚亚目:棘龙科)的牙齿化石(英文)

中国河南晚白垩世中段地层马家村组发现了一枚大型兽脚龙类牙齿。该牙牙体长,呈圆锥状,横断面卵圆形,沿长轴微向后缘弯曲,前后缘均有大量锯齿状突起,这些特征显示其很可能是重爪龙类牙齿。这可能代表了重爪龙类在亚洲地区的首次发现,也是该类恐龙在晚白垩世地层中的首现,由此表明重爪龙类在时间和地域分布上较之前研究观点更为广泛。综合棘龙科的化石形态学以及推知的生态学证据看,较之其他兽脚类,棘龙类化石记录很少,很可能意味该类动物数量确实稀少,造成这种现象的原因可能是其过分特化的身体形态。     

Pterosaur and dinosaur remains from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita in the northern Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia)

Abstract: Isolated pterosaur and dinosaur teeth and a sauropod metatarsal I and manual phalanx V-1 from the Middle Jurassic (Callovian) Balabansai Svita in the northern Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan, are described and attributed to the pterosaur taxon Rhamphorhynchinae indet., a theropod Tetanurae indet., a sauropod Neosauropoda indet., and a new pachycephalosaurid Ferganocephale adenticulatum gen. et sp. nov. The Balabansai theropod is possibly a stem-lineage representative of Dromaeosauridae. The new pachycephalosaurid is the oldest representative of the group and extends its known history by 10–20 myr. The Balabansai vertebrate assemblage is most similar to the Callovian assemblages from the Qigu and Upper Shaximiao formations in China, and intermediate in the evolutionary level of the taxa present between the Bathonian assemblages from Wucaiwan and the Lower Shaximiao formations (China) and the Late Jurassic Shar Teg fauna from Mongolia.     

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

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.     

Oil-soluble dyes for marking Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Although various biological aspects of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) have been examined, adult movement and dispersal of this insect pest is not well understood. Release-recapture techniques by using marked insects is a useful approach for dispersal studies; however, the marking technique should not significantly affect insect biology or behavior. Therefore, the effect of different concentrations of oil-soluble dyes (Solvent Blue 35 [C.I. 61554], Sudan Red 7B [C.I. 26050], Sudan Black B [26150], Sudan Orange G [C.I. 11920], and Sudan I 103624 [C.I. 12055]) on development, mortality, and fecundity of S. frugiperda was evaluated. Dyes were added to artificial diet used to feed larvae. Larval and pupal development and mortality, adult longevity, and female fecundity were evaluated. High concentrations (400 and 600 ppm) of all dyes led to longer larval and pupal stages. Adult life span and number of eggs were not affected by the dyes. Sudan Red 7B marked both adults and eggs very well. Solvent Blue 35 marked both adults and eggs, but the blue-marked eggs could not be distinguished from some bluish eggs laid by nonlabeled females. Adults and eggs were not adequately marked by the Sudan Black B, Sudan Orange G, and Sudan I 103624 (a yellow dye).     

Orientation and Characteristics of Theropod Trackways from the Las Losas Palaeoichnological Site (La Rioja,Spain)

The Las Losas site (approximately 500 m²) was cleared in July 1998 and revealed 375 theropod dinosaur footprints. Statistical surveys of their biomorphical and morphometrical data are congruent with a continuous morphological transition among the theropod footprints—a transition which does not allow us to differentiate ichnogroups. Certain footprints show a longitudinal groove in their toes. The foot movement of their trackmakers can be inferred from these grooves. There are also, in this outcrop, i) trackways whose ichnites are either regular or anomalous according to the position of crossing, ii) semiplantigrade trackways with digitigrade sections and iii) trackways that cross the footprint site without variation in their footprints. These facts allow us to infer that: i) the substrate hardness was different in different zones at particular moments, and ii) the variation in the regularity and shape of the footprints depended upon the mud conditions at the moment they were made. Three preferential directions of march are shown by the trackways, suggesting different phases of activity.     

A review of theropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous of Southeast Asia

Several non-avian theropod dinosaurs, as well as some Mesozoic birds, have been reported from Southeast Asia. The fossils are dominantly found in northeastern Thailand, however, one bizarre theropod has been described from Laos, one theropod has been reported from Malaysia, and some avian and non-avian theropods have been recently reported from Myanmar. The temporal distribution of Southeast Asian theropods ranges from the Late Jurassic to the mid-Cretaceous. All non-avian theropod faunas from Southeast Asia consist of non-maniraptoran tetanurans. They show similarity to Chinese plus Japanese theropods during the Early Cretaceous in broad systematic terms. During this time, megaraptorans can be found only in Japan, Australia, Brazil, and possibly Thailand, whereas tyrannosauroids can be found in China, Europe, possibly Brazil and Australia. Spinosaurids, carcharodontosaurians, and some coelurosaurs such as ornithomimosaurs were almost cosmopolitan. Metriacanthosaurids, on the other hand, were endemic to Europe and Asia including China and Thailand during the Middle to Late Jurassic.     

A sauropod rib with an embedded theropod tooth: direct evidence for feeding behaviour in the Jehol group,China

Xing, L, Bell, P.R., Currie, P.J., Shibata, M., Tseng, K. & Dong, Z. 2012: A sauropod rib with an embedded theropod tooth: direct evidence for feeding behaviour in the Jehol group, China. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 500–506. A fragmentary rib from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) Yixian Formation in northeastern China preserves rare, direct evidence of feeding behaviour by an unidentified theropod. The rib, which comes from the holotype of Dongbetitan, preserves an embedded, broken theropod tooth. Comparison of the tooth with all known theropods from the Yixian Formation suggests that it belongs to a new taxon of medium‐sized theropod. Given the large size difference between the sauropod and the theropod and the absence of reactive bone growth around the tooth, the bite likely occurred post‐mortem during scavenging. Recognition of a new, medium‐sized theropod increases the known diversity of taxa from the Yixian Formation and helps fill a gap in the theropod palaeoecology of that formation, which previously consisted of only small (<2 m) forms. □China, Cretaceous, feeding behaviour, theropod, titanosauriformes, sauropod.     

Variation, variability, and the origin of the avian endocranium: insights from the anatomy of Alioramus altai (Theropoda: Tyrannosauroidea)

The internal braincase anatomy of the holotype of Alioramus altai, a relatively small-bodied tyrannosauroid from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia, was studied using high-resolution computed tomography. A number of derived characters strengthen the diagnosis of this taxon as both a tyrannosauroid and a unique, new species (e.g., endocranial position of the gasserian ganglion, internal ramification of the facial nerve). Also present are features intermediate between the basal theropod and avialan conditions that optimize as the ancestral condition for Coelurosauria--a diverse group of derived theropods that includes modern birds. The expression of several primitive theropod features as derived character states within Tyrannosauroidea establishes previously unrecognized evolutionary complexity and morphological plasticity at the base of Coelurosauria. It also demonstrates the critical role heterochrony may have played in driving patterns of endocranial variability within the group and potentially reveals stages in the evolution of neuroanatomical development that could not be inferred based solely on developmental observations of the major archosaurian crown clades. We discuss the integration of paleontology with variability studies, especially as applied to the nature of morphological transformations along the phylogenetically long branches that tend to separate the crown clades of major vertebrate groups.     

Paradoxical effect of sudan III on the in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity elicited by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene

Effect of the induction of drug metabolizing enzymes by Sudan III on the in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity elicited by 7,12-dimethyl-benz(a)anthracene (DMBA) was investigated. A significant suppression of DMBA-induced micronucleated reticulocytes was observed in C57BL/6 mice treated with Sudan III intraperitoneally for 3 or 5 days before injection of the DMBA. However, the preincubation of DMBA with hepatic microsomes from Sudan III-treated rats caused a marked increase in the in vitro mutagenicity in the Ames assay, paradoxically. Sudan III was found to induce CYP 1A1, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity as well as both UDP-glucuronyl transferase and glutathione S-transferase activities. The increase of mutagenicity of DMBA observed in the Ames assay using hepatic microsomes from Sudan III-treated rats was inhibited by the addition of uridine 5′-diphosphoglucuronic add or reduced glutathione with cytosol. Mutagenic metabolites of DMBA formed by CYP1A1 appeared to be effectively detoxified by these phase II enzymes. The results of this study suggest that Sudan III-induced prevention of in vivo mutagenesis is due to the induction of both CYP 1A1 and detoxifying phase II enzymes. The induced CYP1A1 may accelerate formation of active metabolic intermediates, but phase II enzymes are also induced and detoxify these intermediates to inactive metabolites. This would reduce residence time of the carcinogen in the body and the time of exposure to active metabolites for target organs.     

Los Cayos Dinosaur Tracksite: An Overview on the Lower Cretaceous Ichno-Diversity of the Cameros Basin (Cornago,La Rioja Province,Spain)

The Los Cayos dinosaur tracksite is located at the eastern sector of the Cameros Basin (Cornago Township, La Rioja province), NE Spain. The sediments consist of interbedded terrigenous siliciclastics and carbonates belonging to the Enciso Group (Early Cretaceous, Aptian in age). The sedimentological and faunal evidence suggests that these sediments were deposited in a low gradient lacustrine environment. Los Cayos constitutes a relatively wide area with at least 6 localities that have yielded dinosaur tracks. More than 2,000 dinosaur tracks have been discovered to date. Medium to large theropod dinosaurs constitute about 95% of the ichnofauna. Ornithopod dinosaur tracks have been reported from only one of the outcrops (Los Cayos D). Los Cayos S has yielded theropod and sauropod tracks. One sauropod trackway shows a narrow-gauge locomotion pattern and a manus print morphology suggesting that the trackmaker was a titanosaurid, or at least a titanosauriform sauropod. Some pterosaur manus impressions, avian-like footprints of small size and possible turtle tracks complete the assemblage of one of the most impressive and best-preserved dinosaur tracksites of the European Lower Cretaceous.     

An integrative phylogenetic and extrapolatory approach to the reconstruction of dromaeosaur (Theropoda: Eumaniraptora) shoulder musculature

Dromaeosauridae is the sister taxon of the Avialae; thus, an investigation of dromaeosaur shoulder girdle musculature and forelimb function provides substantial information regarding changes in the size and performance of the theropod shoulder girdle musculature leading to avian powered flight. Twenty-two shoulder girdle muscles were reconstructed for the dromaeosaurid shoulder apparatus, based on phylogenetic inference, which involves the comparison of lepidosaurian, crocodilian and avian musculature, and extrapolatory inference, which involves a secondary comparison with functional analogues of theropods. In addition to these comparative methodologies, osteological correlates of shoulder musculature preserved in eumaniraptorans are identified, and comparisons with those of extant archosaurs allow these muscles to be definitively inferred in dromaeosaurids. This muscle reconstruction provides a foundation for subsequent investigation of differences in muscular attachment and function, based on scapulocoracoid morphology, across the theropod lineage leading to birds.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 146 , 301–344.     

New species of the genus Typhlodromus from Sudan (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The genus Typhlodromus in Sudan includes five species. Of these, three new species are described and illustrated in this work. Individuals of T. sudanicus Elbadry and T. medanicus Elbadry have been found to play an important role in feeding on phytophagous mites and white fly nymphs infesting cotton crop.
Typhlodromus niloticus sp. n. and T. balanites sp. n. from fruit trees feed on tetranychid and eriophyid mites. T. sennarensis sp. n. has been collected from wild plants.
A key is provided for the identification of members of the genus Typhlodromus in Sudan.