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Lei R, Tschopp E, Hendrickx C, Wedel MJ, Norell M, Hone DW. Bite and tooth marks on sauropod dinosaurs from the Morrison Formation. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16327. [PMID: 38025762 PMCID: PMC10655710 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tooth-marked bones provide important evidence for feeding choices made by extinct carnivorous animals. In the case of the dinosaurs, most bite traces are attributed to the large and robust osteophagous tyrannosaurs, but those of other large carnivores remain underreported. Here we report on an extensive survey of the literature and some fossil collections cataloging a large number of sauropod bones (68) from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of the USA that bear bite traces that can be attributed to theropods. We find that such bites on large sauropods, although less common than in tyrannosaur-dominated faunas, are known in large numbers from the Morrison Formation, and that none of the observed traces showed evidence of healing. The presence of tooth wear in non-tyrannosaur theropods further shows that they were biting into bone, but it remains difficult to assign individual bite traces to theropod taxa in the presence of multiple credible candidate biters. The widespread occurrence of bite traces without evidence of perimortem bites or healed bite traces, and of theropod tooth wear in Morrison Formation taxa suggests preferential feeding by theropods on juvenile sauropods, and likely scavenging of large-sized sauropod carcasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Lei
- Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Moderna, Italy
| | - Emanuel Tschopp
- American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- GeoBioTec, Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | | | | | - Mark Norell
- American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - David W.E. Hone
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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Barker CT, Lockwood JA, Naish D, Brown S, Hart A, Tulloch E, Gostling NJ. A European giant: a large spinosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Vectis Formation (Wealden Group, Early Cretaceous), UK. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13543. [PMID: 35702254 PMCID: PMC9188774 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Postcranial elements (cervical, sacral and caudal vertebrae, as well as ilium, rib and limb bone fragments) belonging to a gigantic tetanuran theropod were recovered from the basal unit (the White Rock Sandstone equivalent) of the Vectis Formation near Compton Chine, on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight. These remains appear to pertain to the same individual, with enormous dimensions similar to those of the Spinosaurus holotype and exceeding those of the largest European theropods previously reported. A combination of features-including the presence of spinodiapophyseal webbing on an anterior caudal vertebra-suggest that this is a member of Spinosauridae, though a lack of convincing autapomorphies precludes the identification of a new taxon. Phylogenetic analysis supports spinosaurid affinities but we were unable to determine a more precise position within the clade weak support for a position within Spinosaurinae or an early-diverging position within Spinosauridae were found in some data runs. Bioerosion in the form of curved tubes is evident on several pieces, potentially related to harvesting behaviour by coleopteran bioeroders. This is the first spinosaurid reported from the Vectis Formation and the youngest British material referred to the clade. This Vectis Formation spinosaurid is unusual in that the majority of dinosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous units of the Wealden Supergroup are from the fluviolacustrine deposits of the underlying Barremian Wessex Formation. In contrast, the lagoonal facies of the upper Barremian-lower Aptian Vectis Formation only rarely yield dinosaur material. Our conclusions are in keeping with previous studies that emphasise western Europe as a pivotal region within spinosaurid origination and diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris T. Barker
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom,Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy A.F. Lockwood
- School of Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom,Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Darren Naish
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Hart
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ethan Tulloch
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J. Gostling
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom,School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Carnosaurs as Apex Scavengers: Agent-based simulations reveal possible vulture analogues in late Jurassic Dinosaurs. Ecol Modell 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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