Dinosaur discoveries from India have been known since 1844, while dinosaur discoveries from Pakistan have appeared recently since 2000. 3 large and 2 small theropod dinosaurs are known from Pakistan, while 11 large an...Dinosaur discoveries from India have been known since 1844, while dinosaur discoveries from Pakistan have appeared recently since 2000. 3 large and 2 small theropod dinosaurs are known from Pakistan, while 11 large and 4 small theropods are known from India. Pakistani land uncovered many footprints and trackways of Jurassic small and large theropods, Jurassic ankylosaur and Cretaceous hadrosaur ornithischian dinosaurs, while Indian land uncovered a footprint of small and a footprint of large theropod and 1 footprint of stegosaur. Pakistan uncovered a Jurassic bone taxon of ankylosaur ornithischian based on heavily armored synapomorphies. Recently, Pakistan yielded 1 bone taxon and 1 ichno taxon of pterosaurs, while Indian land yielded 1 bone taxon of pterosaur. Pakistani land uncovered 14 bone taxa (and 2 ichno taxa) of herbivorous sauropod dinosaurs, 5 bone taxa (and 2 ichnotaxa) of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs, 1 bone taxon of ankylosaur and 2 (ichnotaxa) of ornithischian (ankylosaur and hadrosaurs) dinosaurs, 1 bone taxon (and 1 ichno taxon) of pterosaurs, 1 plesiosaur, 7 crocodiles, 1 snake, 1 bird, 11 mammals, 3 fishes, 7 invertebrates and 1 plant. This study fills a significant gap in the literature by bringing together paleontological records from an understudied geographical location, enhancing the global understanding of dinosaur paleobiogeography. Pakistan hosts Precambrian to recent sediments igneous and metamorphic rocks. Pakistan is rich in mineral resources/rocks, but it needs more attention for its development to fulfill local requirements and earn foreign exchange.展开更多
Theropods, mesoeucrocodiles and pterosaurs (along with titanosaurian sauropods) are found in two overbank flood deposited mottled muds/shale units (alternated by meandering river deposited sandstone unit) of the lates...Theropods, mesoeucrocodiles and pterosaurs (along with titanosaurian sauropods) are found in two overbank flood deposited mottled muds/shale units (alternated by meandering river deposited sandstone unit) of the latest Maastrichtian (67 - 66 Ma) Vitakri Formation, Barkhan District, Balochistan, Pakistan. These vertebrates coexisted under the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary line of control and became extinct as mass extinction. Previously these taxa lack the detail description but here theropods, mesoeucrocodiles and pterosaur from Pakistan are being described well with large photographs which provide better understanding of fauna from Pakistan and comparison with coeval taxa from Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. These fauna with associated cranial and postcranial skeletons are significant for Gondwanan paleobiogeography and phylogenetic studies.展开更多
Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the d...Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the diagnosis of Feilongus is amended. The revised diagnosis notes long, curved, needle-shaped teeth that are confined to the jaw far anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra; posterior teeth that are slightly smaller than the anterior teeth; cervical vertebrae elongated with a ratio of length to width greater than 5; tooth number of about 78; and two cranial sagittal crests.展开更多
A new species of Huaxiapterus： H. benxiensis sp. nov. is erected based on the new specimen. The diagnostic characters of Huaxiapterus benxiensis are well-developed premaxillary crest and parietal spine, the crest and...A new species of Huaxiapterus： H. benxiensis sp. nov. is erected based on the new specimen. The diagnostic characters of Huaxiapterus benxiensis are well-developed premaxillary crest and parietal spine, the crest and spine parallel and extending posterodorsally, and a shallow groove present on the dorsal surface of the anterior portion of the mandibular symphysis. The different skull morphologies of Chinese tapejarid pterosaurs indicate that they are much more diverse than the previous thought.展开更多
The increasing number of fossil pterosaur eggs sheds light on nesting environments and breeding be- haviors of these extinct flying reptiles. Here we report the first partial three-dimensional egg of the pterosaur, Pt...The increasing number of fossil pterosaur eggs sheds light on nesting environments and breeding be- haviors of these extinct flying reptiles. Here we report the first partial three-dimensional egg of the pterosaur, Pteroduustro guinazui, from central Argentina. The specimen was discovered from the same Albian deposits as the exceptional R guinazui embryo described in 2004. Microscopic characterizations indicate a pristine preservation of the 50 Bm thick calcium carbonate, which differs significantly from the soft shell of Chinese pterosaur eggs. Estimate of the eggshell conductance implies that the nest had a minimum moisture content of 75%. This moisture estimate, combined with geological and taphonomical data, suggests that P. guinazui may have adopted a nesting strategy similar to those of grebes and flamingos rather than being buried on land, as previously hypothesized. Moreover, our results demon- strate that the nesting paleoenvironment of this pterosaur species was closely linked to a mesohaline lacustrine ecosystem in a basin governed by regional tectonic subsidence, a setting characteristic for the feeding and reproduction of modern flamingos.展开更多
Republic of Korea(South Korea)is one of the richest and most exciting regions on earth for the study of vertebrate ichnology.Very unique vertebrate fossils include dinosaurs,bird tracks,pterosaurs were discovered from...Republic of Korea(South Korea)is one of the richest and most exciting regions on earth for the study of vertebrate ichnology.Very unique vertebrate fossils include dinosaurs,bird tracks,pterosaurs were discovered from more important sites.New finds of dinosaur skeletal remains have increased the number and diversity of known Korean dinosaur taxa.Other fossils including dinosaur tooth and skin impressions,pterosaur bonesand tooth,turtle bones and eggs,crocodile skull and tooth,lizard bone,wood fossils,and trace fossils.Many sites reveal the highest density of bird and dinosaur track levels anywhere in the world.In South Korea there is a comprehensive system of national and provincial parks as well as nearly 500 sites identified under national legislation as‘naturalmonuments',in which the Cretaceous sites are the most abundant,and the Mudeungsan National Geopark newly established was certificated as the UNESCO Global Geopark.展开更多
Pterosaurs,a group of extinct reptiles from the Mesozoic Era,were the earliest vertebrates to evolve powered flight capabilities.Among the several questions surrounding these flying reptiles is their dietary habits,wh...Pterosaurs,a group of extinct reptiles from the Mesozoic Era,were the earliest vertebrates to evolve powered flight capabilities.Among the several questions surrounding these flying reptiles is their dietary habits,which remain poorly understood,and research on this subject is ongoing[1].Various dietary hypotheses have been proposed for different pterosaur groups,encompassing insectivory,piscivory,carnivory,durophagy,herbivory/frugivory,filter-feeding,and generalist diets,with different interpretations,mainly based on morphology,which in some cases sparked controversy[1].As widely acknowledged,an incontrovertible piece of evidence is stomach contents,which,unfortunately,are extremely rare.展开更多
The Yangouxia dinosaur tracksites are well known for a diverse assemblage of tetrapod tracks preserved as natural impressions （concave epireliefs） on large bedding planes, representing a locally widespread surface m...The Yangouxia dinosaur tracksites are well known for a diverse assemblage of tetrapod tracks preserved as natural impressions （concave epireliefs） on large bedding planes, representing a locally widespread surface marking the transition from a sand- to a mud-dominated sequence in the Hekou Group. Previous ichnological studies at these large sites have focused on the morphology and ichnotaxonomy of the tracks, including a single trackway representing the first pterosaur tracks reported from China. Here, we report a distinctly different assemblage associated with minor sandstones in the mud-dominated sequence 20 m above the main tracksite level. This assemblage consists of at least 20 pterosaur manus track casts attributed to a single ichnotaxon （Pteraichnus）. No pes tracks have been identified. These tracks mostly occur in random orientations, although one possible trackway segment is inferred, to represent walking progression.Manus-only pterosaur track assemblages are common and likely reflect differential registration depths of manus and pes and/or sub optimal preservation conditions. The tracks are associated with distinctive invertebrate traces including Cochlichnus, Spongeliomorpha and Paleophycus and suggest the pterosaurs were likely feeding on the invertebrate tracemakers.展开更多
Tracks previously examined between 2002 and 2015 from an incompletely-studied,and now partially lost tracksite site in the Santai Formation of Shandong Province were restudied based on new ex-cavations of additional s...Tracks previously examined between 2002 and 2015 from an incompletely-studied,and now partially lost tracksite site in the Santai Formation of Shandong Province were restudied based on new ex-cavations of additional surfaces.In contrast to the previous reports of tridactyl tracks,including Grallator,the present study discovered an additional assemblage of unequivocal pterosaur tracks(Pteraichnus)and a possible didactyl deinonychosaurian track.The age of the Santai Formation is controversial but it is probably Late Jurassic,which corresponds to the epoch when pterosaur tracks appear worldwide.Age interpretations,based on palynology and isotopic data,tentatively suggests an earlier Middle-Late Jurassic age and might suggest that the pterosaurian tracks are as old or somewhat older than any previously reported.展开更多
In the tails of dromaeosaurid dinosaurs and rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs, elongate osteological rods extend anteriorly from the chevrons and the prezygapophyses. These caudal rods are positioned in parallel and are stac...In the tails of dromaeosaurid dinosaurs and rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs, elongate osteological rods extend anteriorly from the chevrons and the prezygapophyses. These caudal rods are positioned in parallel and are stacked dorsoventrally. The fully articulated and three-dimensionally preserved caudal series of some dromaeosaurid specimens show that individually these caudal rods were flexible, not rigid as previously thought. However, examination of the arrangement of the caudal rods in cross-section indicates that the combined effect of multiple caudal rods did provide substantial rigidity in the dorsoventral, but not in the lateral, plane. The results of digital muscle reconstructions confirm that dromaeosaurids and rhamphorhynchids also shared greatly reduced caudofemoral muscles in the anterior tail region. The striking similarities between the tails of dromaeosaurids and rhamphorhynchids suggest that both evolved under similar behavioral and biomechanical pressures. Combined with recent discoveries of primitive deinonychosaurs that phylogenetically bracket the evolution of dromaeosaurid caudal rods between two arboreal gliding/flying forms, these results are evidence that the unique caudal morphologies of dromaeosaurids and rhamphorhynchids were both adaptations for an aerial lifestyle.展开更多
The Jurassic-Cretaceous (J/K) and Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/Pg) boundaries/transitions are found in Pakistan especially well exposed on the western continental margin of the Indo-Pakistan plate (part of Gondwana) like K...The Jurassic-Cretaceous (J/K) and Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/Pg) boundaries/transitions are found in Pakistan especially well exposed on the western continental margin of the Indo-Pakistan plate (part of Gondwana) like Kirthar, Sulaiman and Kohat and Potwar basins. Its lithology is variable both lateral and also vertical. The J/K and K/Pg transitions are represented by terrestrial and marine strata like laterite, bauxite, vary colored shale, sandstones and conglomerates and rare limestone beds. Mesozoic vertebrates found so far belong to archosaurs like poripuchian titanosaurs (sauropods), theropods, mesoeucrocodiles, pterosaurs, snake and bird are briefly overviewed here.展开更多
文摘Dinosaur discoveries from India have been known since 1844, while dinosaur discoveries from Pakistan have appeared recently since 2000. 3 large and 2 small theropod dinosaurs are known from Pakistan, while 11 large and 4 small theropods are known from India. Pakistani land uncovered many footprints and trackways of Jurassic small and large theropods, Jurassic ankylosaur and Cretaceous hadrosaur ornithischian dinosaurs, while Indian land uncovered a footprint of small and a footprint of large theropod and 1 footprint of stegosaur. Pakistan uncovered a Jurassic bone taxon of ankylosaur ornithischian based on heavily armored synapomorphies. Recently, Pakistan yielded 1 bone taxon and 1 ichno taxon of pterosaurs, while Indian land yielded 1 bone taxon of pterosaur. Pakistani land uncovered 14 bone taxa (and 2 ichno taxa) of herbivorous sauropod dinosaurs, 5 bone taxa (and 2 ichnotaxa) of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs, 1 bone taxon of ankylosaur and 2 (ichnotaxa) of ornithischian (ankylosaur and hadrosaurs) dinosaurs, 1 bone taxon (and 1 ichno taxon) of pterosaurs, 1 plesiosaur, 7 crocodiles, 1 snake, 1 bird, 11 mammals, 3 fishes, 7 invertebrates and 1 plant. This study fills a significant gap in the literature by bringing together paleontological records from an understudied geographical location, enhancing the global understanding of dinosaur paleobiogeography. Pakistan hosts Precambrian to recent sediments igneous and metamorphic rocks. Pakistan is rich in mineral resources/rocks, but it needs more attention for its development to fulfill local requirements and earn foreign exchange.
文摘Theropods, mesoeucrocodiles and pterosaurs (along with titanosaurian sauropods) are found in two overbank flood deposited mottled muds/shale units (alternated by meandering river deposited sandstone unit) of the latest Maastrichtian (67 - 66 Ma) Vitakri Formation, Barkhan District, Balochistan, Pakistan. These vertebrates coexisted under the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary line of control and became extinct as mass extinction. Previously these taxa lack the detail description but here theropods, mesoeucrocodiles and pterosaur from Pakistan are being described well with large photographs which provide better understanding of fauna from Pakistan and comparison with coeval taxa from Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. These fauna with associated cranial and postcranial skeletons are significant for Gondwanan paleobiogeography and phylogenetic studies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant No. 41272022the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Grant No. J1206, J1308
文摘Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the diagnosis of Feilongus is amended. The revised diagnosis notes long, curved, needle-shaped teeth that are confined to the jaw far anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra; posterior teeth that are slightly smaller than the anterior teeth; cervical vertebrae elongated with a ratio of length to width greater than 5; tooth number of about 78; and two cranial sagittal crests.
文摘A new species of Huaxiapterus： H. benxiensis sp. nov. is erected based on the new specimen. The diagnostic characters of Huaxiapterus benxiensis are well-developed premaxillary crest and parietal spine, the crest and spine parallel and extending posterodorsally, and a shallow groove present on the dorsal surface of the anterior portion of the mandibular symphysis. The different skull morphologies of Chinese tapejarid pterosaurs indicate that they are much more diverse than the previous thought.
文摘The increasing number of fossil pterosaur eggs sheds light on nesting environments and breeding be- haviors of these extinct flying reptiles. Here we report the first partial three-dimensional egg of the pterosaur, Pteroduustro guinazui, from central Argentina. The specimen was discovered from the same Albian deposits as the exceptional R guinazui embryo described in 2004. Microscopic characterizations indicate a pristine preservation of the 50 Bm thick calcium carbonate, which differs significantly from the soft shell of Chinese pterosaur eggs. Estimate of the eggshell conductance implies that the nest had a minimum moisture content of 75%. This moisture estimate, combined with geological and taphonomical data, suggests that P. guinazui may have adopted a nesting strategy similar to those of grebes and flamingos rather than being buried on land, as previously hypothesized. Moreover, our results demon- strate that the nesting paleoenvironment of this pterosaur species was closely linked to a mesohaline lacustrine ecosystem in a basin governed by regional tectonic subsidence, a setting characteristic for the feeding and reproduction of modern flamingos.
文摘Republic of Korea(South Korea)is one of the richest and most exciting regions on earth for the study of vertebrate ichnology.Very unique vertebrate fossils include dinosaurs,bird tracks,pterosaurs were discovered from more important sites.New finds of dinosaur skeletal remains have increased the number and diversity of known Korean dinosaur taxa.Other fossils including dinosaur tooth and skin impressions,pterosaur bonesand tooth,turtle bones and eggs,crocodile skull and tooth,lizard bone,wood fossils,and trace fossils.Many sites reveal the highest density of bird and dinosaur track levels anywhere in the world.In South Korea there is a comprehensive system of national and provincial parks as well as nearly 500 sites identified under national legislation as‘naturalmonuments',in which the Cretaceous sites are the most abundant,and the Mudeungsan National Geopark newly established was certificated as the UNESCO Global Geopark.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFF1301403)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41877427,42302020,42288201,42072028,and 42202025)+3 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Liaoning Universities(LJ202410166028)the Education Department of Liaoning Province(JYTQN2023424)Alexander W.A.Kellner acknowledges support from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPq-#308707/2023-0,406779/2021-0,and INCT PALEOVERT#406902/2022-4)the Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro(FAPERJ)(#E-26/201.095/2022).
文摘Pterosaurs,a group of extinct reptiles from the Mesozoic Era,were the earliest vertebrates to evolve powered flight capabilities.Among the several questions surrounding these flying reptiles is their dietary habits,which remain poorly understood,and research on this subject is ongoing[1].Various dietary hypotheses have been proposed for different pterosaur groups,encompassing insectivory,piscivory,carnivory,durophagy,herbivory/frugivory,filter-feeding,and generalist diets,with different interpretations,mainly based on morphology,which in some cases sparked controversy[1].As widely acknowledged,an incontrovertible piece of evidence is stomach contents,which,unfortunately,are extremely rare.
基金supported by the Liujiaxia Dinosaurs National Geoparkthe 2013 Supporting Fund for Graduate Student’s Science and Technology Innovation from China University of Geosciences(Beijing),China
文摘The Yangouxia dinosaur tracksites are well known for a diverse assemblage of tetrapod tracks preserved as natural impressions （concave epireliefs） on large bedding planes, representing a locally widespread surface marking the transition from a sand- to a mud-dominated sequence in the Hekou Group. Previous ichnological studies at these large sites have focused on the morphology and ichnotaxonomy of the tracks, including a single trackway representing the first pterosaur tracks reported from China. Here, we report a distinctly different assemblage associated with minor sandstones in the mud-dominated sequence 20 m above the main tracksite level. This assemblage consists of at least 20 pterosaur manus track casts attributed to a single ichnotaxon （Pteraichnus）. No pes tracks have been identified. These tracks mostly occur in random orientations, although one possible trackway segment is inferred, to represent walking progression.Manus-only pterosaur track assemblages are common and likely reflect differential registration depths of manus and pes and/or sub optimal preservation conditions. The tracks are associated with distinctive invertebrate traces including Cochlichnus, Spongeliomorpha and Paleophycus and suggest the pterosaurs were likely feeding on the invertebrate tracemakers.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41888101)the 111 project(B20011)the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities(265QZ201903).
文摘Tracks previously examined between 2002 and 2015 from an incompletely-studied,and now partially lost tracksite site in the Santai Formation of Shandong Province were restudied based on new ex-cavations of additional surfaces.In contrast to the previous reports of tridactyl tracks,including Grallator,the present study discovered an additional assemblage of unequivocal pterosaur tracks(Pteraichnus)and a possible didactyl deinonychosaurian track.The age of the Santai Formation is controversial but it is probably Late Jurassic,which corresponds to the epoch when pterosaur tracks appear worldwide.Age interpretations,based on palynology and isotopic data,tentatively suggests an earlier Middle-Late Jurassic age and might suggest that the pterosaurian tracks are as old or somewhat older than any previously reported.
基金the financial support of the Dinosaur Research Institute and the University of Alberta China Institute
文摘In the tails of dromaeosaurid dinosaurs and rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs, elongate osteological rods extend anteriorly from the chevrons and the prezygapophyses. These caudal rods are positioned in parallel and are stacked dorsoventrally. The fully articulated and three-dimensionally preserved caudal series of some dromaeosaurid specimens show that individually these caudal rods were flexible, not rigid as previously thought. However, examination of the arrangement of the caudal rods in cross-section indicates that the combined effect of multiple caudal rods did provide substantial rigidity in the dorsoventral, but not in the lateral, plane. The results of digital muscle reconstructions confirm that dromaeosaurids and rhamphorhynchids also shared greatly reduced caudofemoral muscles in the anterior tail region. The striking similarities between the tails of dromaeosaurids and rhamphorhynchids suggest that both evolved under similar behavioral and biomechanical pressures. Combined with recent discoveries of primitive deinonychosaurs that phylogenetically bracket the evolution of dromaeosaurid caudal rods between two arboreal gliding/flying forms, these results are evidence that the unique caudal morphologies of dromaeosaurids and rhamphorhynchids were both adaptations for an aerial lifestyle.
文摘The Jurassic-Cretaceous (J/K) and Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/Pg) boundaries/transitions are found in Pakistan especially well exposed on the western continental margin of the Indo-Pakistan plate (part of Gondwana) like Kirthar, Sulaiman and Kohat and Potwar basins. Its lithology is variable both lateral and also vertical. The J/K and K/Pg transitions are represented by terrestrial and marine strata like laterite, bauxite, vary colored shale, sandstones and conglomerates and rare limestone beds. Mesozoic vertebrates found so far belong to archosaurs like poripuchian titanosaurs (sauropods), theropods, mesoeucrocodiles, pterosaurs, snake and bird are briefly overviewed here.
