[D] Eodromaeus murphi [sG] [T]
Describer
Martinez, Sereno, Alcober, Colombi, Renne, Montañez, Currie 2011
Time
Triassic Late Carnian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Ischigualasto Formation, Valle de la Luna Member, Argentina
Info
Abstract
Upper Triassic rocks in northwestern Argentina preserve the most complete record of dinosaurs before their rise to dominance in the Early Jurassic. Here, we describe a previously unidentified basal theropod, reassess its contemporary Eoraptor as a basal sauropodomorph, divide the faunal record of the Ischigualasto Formation with biozones, and bracket the formation with 40Ar/39Ar ages. Some 230 million years ago in the Late Triassic (mid Carnian), the earliest dinosaurs were the dominant terrestrial carnivores and small herbivores in southwestern Pangaea. The extinction of nondinosaurian herbivores is sequential and is not linked to an increase in dinosaurian diversity, which weakens the predominant scenario for dinosaurian ascendancy as opportunistic replacement.
Etymology
Eodromaeus meaning \\\"dawn runner\\\"
Holotype
PVSJ 560, a nearly complete articulated skeleton recovered from the Valle de la Luna Member of the top of the Ischigualasto Formation.
Referred materials
PVSJ 534, PVSJ 561, PVSJ 562 and PVSJ 877 from Valle de la Luna, La Peña and Cancha de Bochas Members of Ischigualasto.
Martinez, Sereno, Alcober, Colombi, Renne, Montañez, Currie 2011
Time
Triassic Late Carnian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Ischigualasto Formation, Valle de la Luna Member, Argentina
Info
Abstract
Upper Triassic rocks in northwestern Argentina preserve the most complete record of dinosaurs before their rise to dominance in the Early Jurassic. Here, we describe a previously unidentified basal theropod, reassess its contemporary Eoraptor as a basal sauropodomorph, divide the faunal record of the Ischigualasto Formation with biozones, and bracket the formation with 40Ar/39Ar ages. Some 230 million years ago in the Late Triassic (mid Carnian), the earliest dinosaurs were the dominant terrestrial carnivores and small herbivores in southwestern Pangaea. The extinction of nondinosaurian herbivores is sequential and is not linked to an increase in dinosaurian diversity, which weakens the predominant scenario for dinosaurian ascendancy as opportunistic replacement.
Etymology
Eodromaeus meaning \\\"dawn runner\\\"
Holotype
PVSJ 560, a nearly complete articulated skeleton recovered from the Valle de la Luna Member of the top of the Ischigualasto Formation.
Referred materials
PVSJ 534, PVSJ 561, PVSJ 562 and PVSJ 877 from Valle de la Luna, La Peña and Cancha de Bochas Members of Ischigualasto.