A reappraisal of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaur faunas from Australia and New Zealand: evidence for their Gondwanan affinities

Phylogenetic relationships of the Cretaceous Gondwanan theropods Megaraptor and Australovenator: the evidence afforded by their manual anatomy

“…This feature was usually considered as a probable autapomorphic trait diagnostic for this taxon (e.g., Molnar, 1980Molnar, , 1990. However, Agnolín et al (2010) recognized that a similar process is also present in Australovenator and Megaraptor, thus suggesting that it may constitute a synapomorphy of Megaraptoridae (see also White et al, 2012). The proximal concavity on metacarpal I and its associated proximomedial process are less well developed in basal coelurosaurs (e.g., Scipionyx; Dal Sasso and Maganuco, 2011), basal tyrannosauroids (e.g., Tanycolagreus; Carpenter, Miles and Cloward, 2005), and paravians (e.g., Deinonychus; Ostrom, 1976), in which the proximal margin of metacarpal I is almost straight and a proximomedial process is lacking.…”

“…Additional evidence of the presence of megaraptorids in regions of South America other than Argentina comes from Brazil, from which isolated caudal vertebrae have been described (Mendez et al, 2013). Cretaceous formations of Australia have yielded several isolated elements referred to Megaraptoridae, including Rapator ornitholestoides (Huene, 1932;Agnolín et al, 2010;White et al, 2012), an isolated ulna closely similar to that of Megaraptor and Australovenator (Smith et al, 2008), more than one hundred isolated teeth (Benson et al, 2012), and probably an isolated astragalus (Molnar et al, 1981;Fitzgerald et al, 2012), and paired pubes originally described as tyrannosauroid (Benson et al, 2010b;Novas et al, 2013).…”

Investigating the stratigraphy and palaeoenvironments for a suite of newly discovered mid-Cretaceous vertebrate fossil-localities in the Winton Formation, Queensland, Australia

“…4 include a diverse range of dinosaurs, including sauropods (Diamantinasaurus matildae and Wintonotitan wattsi), theropods (Australovenator wintonensis), thyreophoran and ornithopod remains, along with crocodilians (Isisfordia duncani), ichthyodectiform teleosts and dipnoan lungfishes, aquatic lizards, turtles, invertebrates and a high diversity of plant macrofossils, including some of the world's earliest flowering plants (Molnar, 1980;Dettmann et al, 1992;Kemp, 1997;Molnar, 2001;Salisbury et al, 2003Salisbury et al, , 2005Molnar and Salisbury, 2005;Salisbury et al, 2006a,b;Hocknull and Cook, 2008;Hocknull et al, 2009;Agnolin et al, 2010;Molnar, 2010;Fletcher and Salisbury, 2010;Poropat et al, 2013;White et al 2012White et al , 2013Leahey and Salisbury, 2013;Berrell 2014;Poropat 2014aPoropat ,b, 2015aWhite et al, 2015;Poropat et al, 2016). Yet, sitespecific palaeoenvironmental, taphonomic, and geochronologic remain elusive (Tucker et al, , 2016.…”

“…However, fossils do not exhibit abrasion or rounding, suggesting that they were entombed near-to the location of death. , 2006b;Hocknull and Cook, 2008;Hocknull et al, 2009;Agnolin et al, 2010;Molnar, 2010;White et al 2012White et al , 2013Leahey and Salisbury, 2013;Poropat 2014a,b;White et al, 2015;Cook et al, 2016;Poropat et al, 2016;White et al 2016). …”

Comment on “A Southern Tyrant Reptile”

“…Recent reassessments of Australia's nonavian Cretaceous dinosaurs indicate affinities with faunas from other Gondwanan landmasses (9,10). Currently recognized Australian Cretaceous theropods include carcharodontosaurians (9, 11) and paravian coelurosaurians (9), with both clades occurring in the Aptian-Albian assemblages of southern Victoria from which NMV P186046 derives.…”