Bioerosion on vertebrate remains from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin, Romania and its taphonomic implications

Augustin, Felix J.; Matzke, Andreas T.; Csiki-Sava, Zoltán; Pfretzschner, Hans-Ulrich

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.109318

Cited by 12 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 119 publications

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“…For the other four taxa from this locality, unfortunately, incisors are unknown, but their estimated size lies well within the range expected from the traces. Moreover, the traces here described show all the characteristics of feeding traces ascribed to mammals from the Late Cretaceous (Longrich and Ryan 2010;de Valais et al 2012;Gianechini and de Valais 2015;Augustin et al 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…2a). In these traces, the deepest part of the scratches is near the blunt end and not near the mid-length as it is the case in termite traces (Augustin et al 2019: Fig. 7A-B).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Small and elongated traces on bones have been linked to the following causes: trampling by large vertebrates (e.g. Behrensmeyer et al 1986;Olsen and Shipman 1988;Fiorillo 1991;Augustin et al 2019), feeding by insects (e.g. Fejfar and Kaiser 2005;Britt et al 2008 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trampling by large vertebrates has often been inferred by the presence of small micro-striations on bone surfaces in fossil and sub-fossil settings. These micro-striations are much smaller, parallel and more uniform to one another (Behrensmeyer et al 1986 Insect traces are widespread in the fossil record and range in morphology from cavities and tunnels to star-shaped pits (Augustin et al 2019). Elongated grooves have also been ascribed to insects, particularly dermestid beetles (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The reconstruction of the diet and feeding behaviour of Mesozoic mammals is, however, largely based on circumstantial evidence such as tooth morphology. Direct evidence for feeding behaviour is scarce and so far limited to a stomach content from the Early Cretaceous (Hu et al 2005 ), and four instances of feeding traces on bones from the Late Cretaceous (Longrich and Ryan 2010 ; de Valais et al 2012 ; Gianechini and de Valais 2015 ; Augustin et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The smallest eating the largest: the oldest mammalian feeding traces on dinosaur bone from the Late Jurassic of the Junggar Basin (northwestern China)

Augustin

Matzke

Maisch³

et al. 2020

Sci Nat

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Reconstructing trophic interactions in ancient ecosystems is an important and fascinating branch of palaeontological research. Here we describe small bioerosional traces that are preserved on sauropod bone from the early Late Jurassic Qigu Formation (Oxfordian) of Liuhuanggou gorge in the southern Junggar Basin (Xinjiang Province, northwestern China). The most likely producers of these traces are tiny Mesozoic mammals as evinced by the small size of the traces as well as by their paired and opposed arrangement. The feeding traces are only superficially preserved on the bone surface and most likely were inflicted unintentionally during feeding. The occurrence of the bite marks along small ridges and the "gnawed" appearance of the bone surface points to selective feeding on the remaining soft tissues of the dinosaur carcass. The traces represent the oldest direct evidence for mammalian feeding behaviour in the fossil record. Additionally, these traces expand the known range of the early mammalian feeding repertoire significantly and shed light on the palaeobiology and palaeoecology of early mammals, a field that has remained evasive for a long time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…2a). In these traces, the deepest part of the scratches is near the blunt end and not near the mid-length as it is the case in termite traces (Augustin et al 2019: Fig. 7A-B).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The smallest eating the largest: the oldest mammalian feeding traces on dinosaur bone from the Late Jurassic of the Junggar Basin (northwestern China)

Augustin

Matzke

Maisch³

et al. 2020

Sci Nat

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Reappraisal of the braincase anatomy of the ornithopod dinosaurs Telmatosaurus and Zalmoxes from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin (Romania) and the taxonomic reassessment of some previously referred specimens

Augustin

Dumbravă²,

Bastiaans

et al. 2022

PalZ

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The hadrosauroid Telmatosaurus and the rhabdodontid Zalmoxes were the first and second dinosaur taxa that were described in detail from the famous Upper Cretaceous continental deposits of the Haţeg Basin by Franz Baron Nopcsa at the beginning of the twentieth century. Although they are among the most common and best-known dinosaurs discovered from these deposits, there are still many open questions as to their taxonomy and anatomy. Here, we re-describe two partial braincases from the uppermost Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin that have been recently referred to the rhabdodontid Zalmoxes and re-assign them to hadrosauroids, possibly to Telmatosaurus. These specimens both exhibit basicranial features that are characteristic of derived hadrosauroids but are absent in more basal iguanodontians. These include an antero-posteriorly short basioccipital lacking a distinct neck, the presence of two well-developed sphenoccipital tubercles on the ventral aspect of the braincase and that are directly positioned anterior to the basioccipital, as well as a deep depression on the ventral aspect of the braincase between the sphenoccipital tubercles. The comparison provided herein demonstrates several important differences between the basicranium of hadrosauroids and that of rhabdodontids, which allows for the confident identification of even isolated and incomplete specimens. Moreover, the removal of the only basicranium that has been referred to Zalmoxes shqiperorum prompts a revised diagnosis of that species.

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Mark of ectoparasitic activity on a bothremydid (Pleurodira) turtle shell from the Lo Hueco site (Upper Cretaceous, Central Spain)

Guerrero

Ortega²,

Pérez‐García³

2022

Cretaceous Research

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Bioerosion on vertebrate remains from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin, Romania and its taphonomic implications

Cited by 12 publications

References 119 publications

The smallest eating the largest: the oldest mammalian feeding traces on dinosaur bone from the Late Jurassic of the Junggar Basin (northwestern China)

The smallest eating the largest: the oldest mammalian feeding traces on dinosaur bone from the Late Jurassic of the Junggar Basin (northwestern China)

Reappraisal of the braincase anatomy of the ornithopod dinosaurs Telmatosaurus and Zalmoxes from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin (Romania) and the taxonomic reassessment of some previously referred specimens

Mark of ectoparasitic activity on a bothremydid (Pleurodira) turtle shell from the Lo Hueco site (Upper Cretaceous, Central Spain)

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