[D] Teratophoneus curriei [Su] [sG] [T]
Describer
Carr, Williamson, Britt & Stadtman 2011
Time
Cretaceous Late Campanian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Tyrannosauria Tyrannosauridae Tyrannosaurinae
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Kaiparowits Formation, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, US
Info
Abstract
The fossil record of late Campanian tyrannosauroids of western North America has a geographic gap between the Northern Rocky Mountain Region (Montana, Alberta) and the Southwest (New Mexico, Utah). Until recently, diagnostic tyrannosauroids from the Southwest were unknown until the discovery of Bistahieversor sealeyi from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Here we describe an incomplete skull and postcranial skeleton of an unusual tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits Formation (Late Cretaceous) of Utah that represents a new genus and species, Teratophoneus curriei.
Teratophoneus differs from other tyrannosauroids in having a short skull, as indicated by a short and steep maxilla, abrupt angle in the postorbital process of the jugal, laterally oriented paroccipital processes, short basicranium, and reduced number of teeth. Teratophoneus is the sister taxon of the Daspletosaurus + Tyrannosaurus clade and it is the most basal North American tyrannosaurine. The presence of Teratophoneus suggests that dinosaur faunas were regionally endemic in the west during the upper Campanian. The divergence in skull form seen in tyrannosaurines indicates that the skull in this clade had a wide range of adaptive morphotypes.
Holotype
The holotype includes a partial skull and skeleton of one individual, but more than one specimen number was assigned to the bones. BYU 8120/9396 includes the left lacrimal, right jugal, right frontal, right squamosal, left otoccipital and proötic, right otoccipital, right basisphenoid, both quadrates, left articular, cervical vertebra, left scapula, and left coracoid; BYU 8120/9397 includes the left humerus and left ulna; BYU 826/9402 includes the left maxilla; BYU 9398 includes the left dentary; and BYU 13719 is assigned to the left femur.
Etymology
Teratos [Greek], a monster; phoneus, [Greek], murderer, in reference to the presumed predatory habits of this theropod; the species is named in honor of Dr. Philip Currie, in recognition of his scientific contributions to the knowledge of theropod osteology and systematics.
Locality and horizon
The fossil specimen described here (BYU, Brigham Young University 8120/9396, 8120/9397, 826/9402, 9398, 13719) was discovered in the upper Campanian Kaiparowits Formation, in what is now the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument of Utah.
Diagnosis
Autapomorphies Maxilla with a steep rostrodorsal margin, maxillary fenestra situated far caudal to the rostral margin of the antorbital fossa; complete overlap on the caudal margin of the frontal by the parietal; knob at the front of the joint surface for the quadratojugal on the jugal; distinct angle in the caudal margin of the postorbital process of the jugal; basioccipital restricted to the midline of the basisphenoid recess as a strut; transversely oriented occiput (where the paroccipital processes extend nearly directly laterally, instead of caudolaterally); accessory pneumatic foramen in the basisphenoid recess; non-invasive basisphenoid foramen; subotic recess on the basisphenoid; ostium of the basisphenoid recess that opens externally; and elevated and pedicle-like joint surface for the squamosal on the proötic
Carr, Williamson, Britt & Stadtman 2011
Time
Cretaceous Late Campanian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Tyrannosauria Tyrannosauridae Tyrannosaurinae
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Kaiparowits Formation, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, US
Info
Abstract
The fossil record of late Campanian tyrannosauroids of western North America has a geographic gap between the Northern Rocky Mountain Region (Montana, Alberta) and the Southwest (New Mexico, Utah). Until recently, diagnostic tyrannosauroids from the Southwest were unknown until the discovery of Bistahieversor sealeyi from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Here we describe an incomplete skull and postcranial skeleton of an unusual tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits Formation (Late Cretaceous) of Utah that represents a new genus and species, Teratophoneus curriei.
Teratophoneus differs from other tyrannosauroids in having a short skull, as indicated by a short and steep maxilla, abrupt angle in the postorbital process of the jugal, laterally oriented paroccipital processes, short basicranium, and reduced number of teeth. Teratophoneus is the sister taxon of the Daspletosaurus + Tyrannosaurus clade and it is the most basal North American tyrannosaurine. The presence of Teratophoneus suggests that dinosaur faunas were regionally endemic in the west during the upper Campanian. The divergence in skull form seen in tyrannosaurines indicates that the skull in this clade had a wide range of adaptive morphotypes.
Holotype
The holotype includes a partial skull and skeleton of one individual, but more than one specimen number was assigned to the bones. BYU 8120/9396 includes the left lacrimal, right jugal, right frontal, right squamosal, left otoccipital and proötic, right otoccipital, right basisphenoid, both quadrates, left articular, cervical vertebra, left scapula, and left coracoid; BYU 8120/9397 includes the left humerus and left ulna; BYU 826/9402 includes the left maxilla; BYU 9398 includes the left dentary; and BYU 13719 is assigned to the left femur.
Etymology
Teratos [Greek], a monster; phoneus, [Greek], murderer, in reference to the presumed predatory habits of this theropod; the species is named in honor of Dr. Philip Currie, in recognition of his scientific contributions to the knowledge of theropod osteology and systematics.
Locality and horizon
The fossil specimen described here (BYU, Brigham Young University 8120/9396, 8120/9397, 826/9402, 9398, 13719) was discovered in the upper Campanian Kaiparowits Formation, in what is now the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument of Utah.
Diagnosis
Autapomorphies Maxilla with a steep rostrodorsal margin, maxillary fenestra situated far caudal to the rostral margin of the antorbital fossa; complete overlap on the caudal margin of the frontal by the parietal; knob at the front of the joint surface for the quadratojugal on the jugal; distinct angle in the caudal margin of the postorbital process of the jugal; basioccipital restricted to the midline of the basisphenoid recess as a strut; transversely oriented occiput (where the paroccipital processes extend nearly directly laterally, instead of caudolaterally); accessory pneumatic foramen in the basisphenoid recess; non-invasive basisphenoid foramen; subotic recess on the basisphenoid; ostium of the basisphenoid recess that opens externally; and elevated and pedicle-like joint surface for the squamosal on the proötic