Evidence for taphonomic size bias in the Dinosaur Park Formation (Campanian, Alberta), a model Mesozoic terrestrial alluvial‐paralic system

Brown, Caleb M.; Evans, David C.; Campione, Nicolás E.; O'Brien, Lorna J.; Eberth, David A.

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.06.027

Cited by 154 publications

(153 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Illustrating this, since 1971, the DPF assemblage has nearly doubled in diversity (increased 78%), with 92 per cent of these taxa being less than 1000 kg [3], similar to the 98 per cent Codron et al [1] obtained by arbitrarily doubling the sample (a value that decreases with increased sampling). Finally, a mechanism of competition with mammals fails to explain the rarity of both articulated mammals and juveniles of large dinosaur taxa in dinosaur assemblages [3].…”

Section: Taphonomysupporting

confidence: 54%

“…These correlations, and a negatively skewed size distribution, can be explained by strong preservational biases against small-bodied vertebrates within continental deposits [4]. Within assemblages, large taxa are generally found first and small taxa later [3], causing the skewness of the distribution to reduce through time ( figure 1a,b), the condition required by Codron et al [1] (see the electronic supplementary material, figure S6) to make the distribution positively skewed with increased sampling. Illustrating this, since 1971, the DPF assemblage has nearly doubled in diversity (increased 78%), with 92 per cent of these taxa being less than 1000 kg [3], similar to the 98 per cent Codron et al [1] obtained by arbitrarily doubling the sample (a value that decreases with increased sampling).…”

Section: Taphonomymentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Within assemblages, large taxa are generally found first and small taxa later [3], causing the skewness of the distribution to reduce through time ( figure 1a,b), the condition required by Codron et al [1] (see the electronic supplementary material, figure S6) to make the distribution positively skewed with increased sampling. Illustrating this, since 1971, the DPF assemblage has nearly doubled in diversity (increased 78%), with 92 per cent of these taxa being less than 1000 kg [3], similar to the 98 per cent Codron et al [1] obtained by arbitrarily doubling the sample (a value that decreases with increased sampling). Finally, a mechanism of competition with mammals fails to explain the rarity of both articulated mammals and juveniles of large dinosaur taxa in dinosaur assemblages [3].…”

Section: Taphonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, a maximum of 20/123 dinosaur species included may have co-occurred in space and time (Morrison Formation), 65 per cent of formations sampled are represented by a single species, and the median and mode number of species per formation is 1 [2]. When examined at the faunal level, the best-sampled dinosaur assemblage (the Dinosaur Park Formation, DPF) shows higher diversity in the 1-1000 kg range than the more than 1000 kg range (figure 1a) [3].…”

Section: Size Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, taphonomic biases play a major role. Recent work on the DPF [3] determined that body mass is significantly correlated with completeness, taphonomic mode, time to discovery/description and familial diversity. These correlations, and a negatively skewed size distribution, can be explained by strong preservational biases against small-bodied vertebrates within continental deposits [4].…”

Section: Taphonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological modelling, size distributions and taphonomic size bias in dinosaur faunas: a comment on Codron et al. (2012)

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Section: Taphonomysupporting

confidence: 54%

Section: Taphonomymentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Taphonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Size Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Taphonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological modelling, size distributions and taphonomic size bias in dinosaur faunas: a comment on Codron et al. (2012)

et al. 2013

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An Older and Exceptionally Large Adult Specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex

Persons

Currie

Erickson

2019

The Anatomical Record

518

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Here we describe an extremely large and relatively complete (roughly 65%) skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex (RSM P2523.8). Multiple measurements (including those of the skull, hip, and limbs) show that RSM P2523.8 was a robust individual with an estimated body mass exceeding all other known T. rex specimens and representatives of all other gigantic terrestrial theropods. Histological sampling of the fibula confirms that RSM P2523.8 is skeletally mature. The prevalence of incompletely coossified elements contradicts previous assertions that such unfused elements can be taken as indicators of somatic immaturity. As an extreme example of both ontogenetic maturity and osteological robustness, RSM P2523.8 offers support for prior hypotheses that a sampling bias occurs throughout the Dinosauria, making it likely that most taxa grew to significantly greater size than current known specimens indicate. Anat Rec, 303:656–672, 2020. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Cranial Anatomy of New Specimens of Saurornitholestes langstoni (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae) from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Campanian) of Alberta

Currie

Evans

2019

The Anatomical Record

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The holotype of the dromaeosaurid Saurornitholestes langstoni was described in 1978 on the basis of fewer than 30 associated cranial and postcranial bones of a single individual from Dinosaur Provincial Park. Four additional partial skeletons of Saurornitholestes were recovered from Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) beds of Alberta and Montana over the next 25 years, although reasonably complete skeletons remained elusive, and virtually nothing was known about the skull. The lack of truly diagnostic material has been problematic, and the relationships of Saurornitholestes to other dromaeosaurids have been difficult to resolve because of the incomplete knowledge of its anatomy. In 2014, an almost complete skeleton, including the skull, was collected less than a kilometer from where the holotype had been found. Although similar in body size to Velociraptor, the facial region of the skull is relatively shorter, taller, and wider. The nasals are pneumatic. The premaxillary teeth are distinctive, and teeth previously identified in the Dinosaur Park Formation as Zapsalis abradens can now be identified as the second premaxillary tooth of S. langstoni. Morphology and wear patterns suggest that these may have been specialized for preening feathers. Many traits define a Campanian North American clade, Saurornitholestinae, that is distinct from an Asian clade that includes Velociraptor (Velociraptorinae). This new information on the skull allows a more complete evaluation of its systematic position within the Dromaeosauridae and supports the suggestion of at least two major faunal interchanges between Asia and North America during the Cretaceous. Anat Rec, 303:691–715, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy

show abstract

Evidence for taphonomic size bias in the Dinosaur Park Formation (Campanian, Alberta), a model Mesozoic terrestrial alluvial‐paralic system

Cited by 154 publications

References 76 publications

Ecological modelling, size distributions and taphonomic size bias in dinosaur faunas: a comment on Codron et al. (2012)

Ecological modelling, size distributions and taphonomic size bias in dinosaur faunas: a comment on Codron et al. (2012)

An Older and Exceptionally Large Adult Specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex

Cranial Anatomy of New Specimens of Saurornitholestes langstoni (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae) from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Campanian) of Alberta

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