A titanosaurian sauropod with Gondwanan affinities in the latest Cretaceous of Europe

Vila, Bernat; Sellés, Albert G.; Moreno‐Azanza, Miguel; Razzolini, Novella L.; Gil-Delgado, Alejandro; Galobart, Àngel

doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01651-5

Cited by 24 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 58 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Some recent phylogenetic hypothesis shows uncertain phylogenetic affinities for some of the sauropods studied, particularly for some of the lithostrotian taxa. This is the case for the Ophistocoelicaudiinae affinities that have been suggested for some members of Lirainosauridae and Lohuecotitan , which is also proposed a subclade within Saltasauridae (Vila et al, 2022) as Opisthocoelicaudiinae. Atsinganosaurus an Ibero-Armorican lithostrotian was recently recovered member of Lirainosaurinae (Díez Díaz et al, 2020, 2018) or as a lognkosaurian colossosaurs (Gorscak and O’Connor, 2019; Vila et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…2 and 4). Other more deeply branching lithostrotian that exhibit a hind limb that closely resemble the early-branching Colossosauria or exhibit a plesiomorphic tibia as in Abditosaurus (Vila et al, 2022). In this taxon, the femur is anteroposteriorly-narrow with highly eccentric shaft, like other Ibero-Armorican lithostrotians (e.g., Ampelosaurus ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the recent redescription of Jiangshanosaurus material has shed light on its phylogenetic affinities and it may be an euhelopodid or at least not as a deeply branched titanosaur (Mannion et al, 2019a). Saltasaurid lithostrotians are nevertheless traced back to the late Albian in recent studies (Sallam et al 2018; Vila et al, 2022). The trends observed in our study may be accentuated with still a general body size decreasing among lithostrotian sauropods (Fig 9a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Evolution of hind limb morphology of Titanosauriformes (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) analyzed via 3D Geometric Morphometrics reveals wide-gauge posture as an exaptation for gigantism

Paramo Blazquez,

Mocho,

Escaso

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The sauropod hind limb is the main support that allowed their gigantic body masses and a wide range of dynamic stability adaptations. It is closely related with the position of the centre of masses of their multi-toned barrel-shaped bodies, and experiences one of the most noticeable posture changes along macronarian evolution. Deeply-branched macronaria achieve increasingly arched hind limbs in what it is known as wide-gauge posture. However, it is not clear if this evolutionary trend is related to the evolutionary cascade toward gigantism despite some titanosaurian were the largest terrestrial vertebrates ever-existed. We tested through means of 3D geometric morphometrics for evolutionary changes in hind limb morphology along Macronaria phylogenetic tree. The macronarian hind limb does become progressively more arched toward deeply-branched Saltasauridae. However, there is morphological convergence between different subclades. Wide-gauge posture does not correlate with changes in body size deeper in the macronarian evolutionary tree, acting as exaptation to gigantism. Despite some titanosaurian subclades becoming some of the largest vertebrates, there is a phyletic body size decrease in Macronaria.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Evolution of hind limb morphology of Titanosauriformes (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) analyzed via 3D Geometric Morphometrics reveals wide-gauge posture as an exaptation for gigantism

Paramo Blazquez,

Mocho,

Escaso

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…3E–N, 4B–L), and the broad D-shaped (variably more or less crescentic) proximal articular surface. This combination of attributes is not observed in the metatarsal IV of other dinosaurian clades recorded in Upper Cretaceous strata of Europe, which include titanosaur sauropods (Le Loeuff, 1995; Sanz et al, 1999; García et al, 2010; Csiki et al, 2010a; Díez Díaz et al, 2016; Vila et al, 2022), abelisauroid (Huene, 1932; Le Loeuff & Buffetaut, 1991; Tortosa et al, 2014), alvarezsaurid (Harrison & Walker, 1975) and paravian (Antunes & Broin, 1988; Le Loeuff & Buffetaut, 1998; Allain & Taquet, 2000; Csiki et al, 2010b; Sellés et al, 2021) theropods, nodosaurid ankylosaurs (Huxley, 1867; Seeley, 1881; Pereda Suberbiola & Galton, 2001; García & Pereda Suberbiola, 2003), and early-diverging ceratopsians (Godefroit & Lambert, 2007; Ösi, 2005; Ösi et al, 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Evolutionary convergence in a small cursorial styracosternan ornithopod dinosaur from western Europe

Prieto-Márquez

Sellés

2022

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A metatarsal IV from a hitherto unknown endemic small-bodied styracosternan is described from uppermost Maastrichtian strata of NE Spain, part of the Ibero-Armorican island of the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago. This element is unique among the fourth metatarsals of all other ornithopods in combining the greatly elongated proportions of basally branching members of the clade with the prominent medial flange seen in other styracosternans. This specimen becomes the holotype of a new genus and species. Histological data indicate that this individual was a late subadult at the time of death, but not far from reaching somatic maturity. By analogy with the elongate metatarsals of lightly built, smallbodied cursorial ornithopods, it is likely that this animal was also capable of rapid locomotion. This is consistent with the differential distribution of intense bone remodeling in metatarsal IV, likely resulting from biomechanical stress produced during rapid hindlimb propelling. Notably, this styracosternan represents an exception to the mediportality and large body size that characterize all other members of the clade. The elongation of metatarsal IV, inferred cursoriality, and small body size constitute a case of evolutionary convergence with the distantly related non-iguanodontian ornithopods and dryosaurid and elasmarian iguanodontians. Unlike other regions of the world where, during the latest stages of the Cretaceous, the small-bodied cursorial herbivore ecological niche was represented by non-iguanodontians and nonhadrosauriforms, in the Ibero-Armorican island this niche was likely occupied by a styracosternan. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CA7D1819-D242-41EC-89E5-7C24562BAAD1

show abstract

“…6; the “Atlantogean” route ( 57 )]. This is a longer route that also implies crossing two marine barriers (rather than one), although possible exchanges through this route have been argued to be better supported than those between the Americas, based on numerous shared biotic components between Europe and South America during the latest Cretaceous ( 57 , 58 ). Whichever the case, duck-billed dinosaurs had the highest vagility (dispersal capacity) documented for any dinosaurs, with the greatest number of dispersal events that likely crossed marine barriers, namely, between Asia and Laramidia, Appalachia and Laramidia (twice), Europe and Appalachia, Asia and Europe (twice), Europe and North Africa, Laramidia and South America, and South America and Antarctica ( 5 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relict duck-billed dinosaurs survived into the last age of the dinosaurs in subantarctic Chile

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the dusk of the Mesozoic, advanced duck-billed dinosaurs (Hadrosauridae) were so successful that they likely outcompeted other herbivores, contributing to declines in dinosaur diversity. From Laurasia, hadrosaurids dispersed widely, colonizing Africa, South America, and, allegedly, Antarctica. Here, we present the first species of a duck-billed dinosaur from a subantarctic region, Gonkoken nanoi , of early Maastrichtian age in Magallanes, Chile. Unlike duckbills further north in Patagonia, Gonkoken descends from North American forms diverging shortly before the origin of Hadrosauridae. However, at the time, non-hadrosaurids in North America had become replaced by hadrosaurids. We propose that the ancestors of Gonkoken arrived earlier in South America and reached further south, into regions where hadrosaurids never arrived: All alleged subantarctic and Antarctic remains of hadrosaurids could belong to non-hadrosaurid duckbills like Gonkoken . Dinosaur faunas of the world underwent qualitatively different changes before the Cretaceous-Paleogene asteroid impact, which should be considered when discussing their possible vulnerability.

show abstract

A titanosaurian sauropod with Gondwanan affinities in the latest Cretaceous of Europe

Cited by 24 publications

References 58 publications

Evolution of hind limb morphology of Titanosauriformes (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) analyzed via 3D Geometric Morphometrics reveals wide-gauge posture as an exaptation for gigantism

Evolution of hind limb morphology of Titanosauriformes (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) analyzed via 3D Geometric Morphometrics reveals wide-gauge posture as an exaptation for gigantism

Evolutionary convergence in a small cursorial styracosternan ornithopod dinosaur from western Europe

Relict duck-billed dinosaurs survived into the last age of the dinosaurs in subantarctic Chile

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About