A theropod dinosaur feeding site from the Upper Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, NW China

Augustin, Felix J.; Matzke, Andreas T.; Maisch, Michael W.; Pfretzschner, Hans-Ulrich

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109999

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…The analysed bones usually preserve several bite traces, in contrast to typical non‐avialan theropod‐traced bone assemblages (Fiorillo 1991; Jacobsen 1998; Pobiner 2008; Hone & Rauhut 2010; Augustin et al . 2020; Drumheller et al . 2020).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Feeding habits of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from Germany and palaeoecological implications for archosaurs

et al. 2022

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Bite traces on fossil bones are key to deciphering feeding ecology and trophic interactions of vertebrate past ecosystems. However, similarities between traces produced by different carnivorous taxa with similar dentitions, and misidentifications due to equifinality, hinder confident identifications of the bite makers. Here, we correlate bite traces with macroscopic wear and microanatomy of the teeth of the pseudosuchian archosaur Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from the Triassic Lower Keuper fossil lagerstätten (southern Germany), untangling its feeding habits and shedding light on the bite traces generated by ziphodont teeth (teeth with serrated carinae). Individually, bite traces reflect tooth morphology, whereas composite bite traces and their frequency are related to feeding behaviour and explain tooth macroscopic wear and microanatomy. Therefore the identification of the bite maker is possible by analysing composite bite traces, their location on bones, and their relative abundance. In addition, tooth macroscopic wear and microanatomy are proven as independent lines of evidence of feeding ecology. Comparing bite traces on fossil and present‐day bone assemblages, we observe that bone modifications by the crocodylomorph lineage (from Triassic pseudosuchian archosaurs to extinct and extant crocodylians) are strikingly similar, including taxa with and without ziphodont teeth. Such a set of features differs from bone modification assemblages produced by taxa with similar ziphodont teeth outside the pseudosuchian lineage, such as theropod dinosaurs and the Komodo monitor, suggesting phylogeny is a better predictor of feeding ecology among saurian reptiles than tooth morphology.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the high abundance of shed teeth within mudstones also indicates a low energy environment inhabited by several individuals (Hungerbühler 1998; Augustin et al . 2020). Further evidence of scavenging is provided by the presence of bite traces produced by much smaller organisms than Batrachotomus .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding habits of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from Germany and palaeoecological implications for archosaurs

et al. 2022

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“…Carnivorous dinosaurs clearly dined on large and very large herbivorous dinosaurs (Varricchio, 2001; Pobiner, 2008; Paik et al, 2011; Rivera‐Silva et al, 2012; Augustin et al, 2020; Drumheller et al, 2020; and older studies cited therein), whether as prey (especially as juveniles and immatures), or scavenged carcasses, or most likely both (Farlow, 1994; Hone & Rauhut, 2010; Hummel & Clauss, 2008; Pahl & Ruedas, 2021). Large theropods undoubtedly also preyed on smaller herbivorous dinosaurs, and also each other (Dalman & Lucas, 2021; Drumheller et al, 2020).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Dragons” on the landscape: Modeling the abundance of large carnivorous dinosaurs of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation (USA) and the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation (Canada)

Farlow

Coroian

Currie

et al. 2022

The Anatomical Record

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Counts of the number of skeletal specimens of "adult" megaherbivores and large theropods from the Morrison and Dinosaur Park formations-if not biased by taphonomic artifacts-suggest that the big meat-eaters were more abundant, relative to the number of big plant-eaters, than one would expect on the basis of the relative abundance of large carnivores and herbivores in modern mammalian faunas. Models of megaherbivore population density (number of individuals per square kilometer) that attempt to take into account ecosystem productivity, the size structure of megaherbivore populations, and individual megaherbivore energy requirements, when combined with values of the large theropod/megaherbivore abundance ratio, suggest that large theropods may have been more abundant on the landscape than estimates extrapolated from the population density versus body mass relationship of mammalian carnivores. Models of the meat production of megaherbivore populations and the meat requirements of "adult" large theropods suggest that herbivore productivity would have been insufficient to support the associated number of individuals of "adult" large theropods, unless the herbivore production/biomass ratio was substantially higher, and/or the large theropod meat requirement markedly lower, than expectations based on modern mammals. Alternatively, or in addition to one or both of these other factors, large theropods likely included dinosaurs other than megaherbivores as significant components of their diet.

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“…Según Behrensmeyer (1982Behrensmeyer ( , 1991 Al analizar los patrones de frecuencia de rotura en una acumulación de huesos, generalmente estos se pueden correlacionar con su tamaño y forma. Cuando la rotura se debe a una carga dinámica como la generada por el pisoteo de grandes dinosaurios, afecta preferentemente a los elementos grandes y menos compactos (Coombs y Coombs, 1997;Ryan et al, 2001;Augustin et al, 2020). Por el contrario, la rotura selectiva debido a la depredación o al carroñeo, guarda poca o ninguna correlación con el tamaño y la forma de los elementos originales, reflejando en su lugar preferencias del depredador/carroñero sobre piezas anatómicas concretas como las extremidades (Voorhies, 1969;Buffetaut y Suteethorn, 1989;Arribas y Palmqvst, 1998;Moore y Norman, 2009;Cameron y Oxenham, 2012), como se discutirá posteriormente.…”

Section: Bioestratinomiaunclassified

Procesos Bioestratinómicos Actuantes en Katepensaurus Goicoecheai: Análisis De Factores Intrínsecos Y Extrínsecos. Formación Bajo Barreal (Cretácico Superior), Patagonia, Argentina

Casal,

Ibiricu,

Álvarez

et al. 2023

PEAPA

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Los restos se preservaron en un depósito de desbordamiento no canalizado, de geometría lobulada, de 30 cm de potencia y vinculado a canales fluviales arenosos. Litológicamente está integrado por areniscas gruesas con abundante matriz pelítica y tobácea, que permiten caracterizarlo como un flujo hiperconcentrado. Los elementos recuperados, que corresponden principalmente al esqueleto axial, yacían sobre depósitos pelíticos de una planicie de inundación distal mal drenada y fueron parcialmente cubiertos por el lóbulo de desbordamiento, quedando estructuras expuestas que fueron intensamente erosionadas. Los restos se encontraron incompletos, desarticulados y exhibiendo evidencias de una exposición subaérea prolongada. Fueron poco movilizados por procesos hidráulicos y reorientados de forma normal a la dirección del desbordamiento. La dispersión lateral muestra grupos de huesos producto de entrampamientos hidráulicos causados por los restos de mayor tamaño en la parte central del lóbulo y los más pequeños hacia los laterales acorde a la distribución de energía del depósito. La escasa potencia del desbordamiento no sepultó completamente los restos. Finalmente, un nuevo desbordamiento cubrió completamente los materiales. La acumulación de huesos de Katepensaurus sería una concentración ósea residual y representa una acumulación parautóctona de origen sedimentológico.

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A theropod dinosaur feeding site from the Upper Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, NW China

Cited by 10 publications

References 92 publications

Feeding habits of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from Germany and palaeoecological implications for archosaurs

Feeding habits of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from Germany and palaeoecological implications for archosaurs

“Dragons” on the landscape: Modeling the abundance of large carnivorous dinosaurs of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation (USA) and the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation (Canada)

Procesos Bioestratinómicos Actuantes en Katepensaurus Goicoecheai: Análisis De Factores Intrínsecos Y Extrínsecos. Formación Bajo Barreal (Cretácico Superior), Patagonia, Argentina

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