Episode 526: Why Brontosaurus is one of the best dinosaur. The “thunder lizard” could be the most well-known sauropod. It has been recurrently featured in films for over a century and would have been an superior sight to behold within the Jurassic.
Two key papers mentioned on this episode:
- The unique 1879 description of Brontosaurus by O.C. Marsh supply
- The 2015 paper by Emanuel Tschopp, Octavio Mateus, and Roger Benson which revived the title Brontosaurus (amongst others) supply
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The dinosaur of the day: Astrophocaudia
- Somphospondylan sauropod that lived within the Early Cretaceous in what’s now Texas, U.S. (Trinity Group)
- Somphospondyli are titanosauriforms that lived from the Late Jurassic to the tip of the Cretaceous
- Some options embrace having a minimum of 15 neck vertebrae
- Seemed considerably like Brachiosaurus (although not intently associated)
- Walked on 4 legs, fairly upright neck, lengthy neck, comparatively lengthy tail, small head
- Estimated to be about 59 ft (18 m) lengthy and weigh as much as 20 tons
- Kind species is Astrophocaudia slaughteri
- Genus title means “non-twisting tail” or “star tail”
- Genus title refers to Astrodon
- Species title slaughteri is in honor of Robert Slaughter, who excavated the specimen in 1969
- Described in 2012 by Michael D’Emic, whereas a doctoral scholar on the Museum of Paleontology of the College of Michigan
- Holotype was present in 1969, and in 1974 referred to Pleurocoelus sp. (now thought of to be a junior synonym of Astrodon)
- D’Emic redescribed Trinity Group sauropods and named the specimen Astrophocaudia
- Sauropods from the Early Cretaceous had been among the first dinosaurs present in North America, but in addition means there’s been some confusion round them
- Sauropods had been widespread, numerous, and massive
- However their massive dimension additionally make them laborious to check, as a result of many fossils discovered are incomplete
- A lot of confusion across the sauropods Astrodon and Pleurocoelus (over 125 years)
- Astrodon named in 1865 (talked about because the dinosaur of the day in ep 284)
- Pleurocoelus named in 1888 (many contemplate it a junior synonym of Astrodon)
- In his 2012 paper, D’Emic mentioned he thought of each Astrodon and Pleurocoelus to be nomina dubia (uncertain names), as a result of they didn’t have distinctive options and within the case of Pleurocoelus nanus, it wasn’t clear the place precisely the bones from which it was named (kind species) had been discovered, and will signify a chimera (a number of people or a number of species)
- Within the paper, additionally discovered that a few of these Astrodon and Pleurocoelus fossils had been truly Paluxysaurus and Sauroposeidon (Paluxysaurus later discovered by D’Emic to be a junior synonym of Sauroposeidon)
- Astrophocaudia holotype is a partial skeleton that features two neck bones, fragments of the again bones, 21 tail bones, about 20 fragmentary ribs, components of the tail and shoulder blade and hip, and lots of fragments
- Two enamel additionally discovered, however seems to be a part of a vertebra
- Three extra tail bones (vertebrae) had been later labeled as Astrophocaudia (initially thought to belong to turtles), in addition to one other tooth
- The three tail bones had been present in a drawer with different bits and fragments of the holotype, together with a notecard that confirmed it was thought to belong to be turtle vertebrae
- All of the tail bones are from the identical location and are the identical form, dimension, and state of preservation, so appears to belong collectively
- So holotype is a partial skeleton that features a tooth, and 24 tail bones
- Tooth is 17 mm (about 0.6 in) lengthy
- D’Emic discovered distinctive options within the vertebrae
- Different dinosaurs that lived across the identical time and place embrace the carnivorous carcharodontosaur Acrocanthosaurus, the sauropod Sauroposeidon, and the iguanodont Tenontosaurus
- Different animals that lived across the identical time and place embrace crocodylomorphs, pterosaurs, fish, and turtles
Enjoyable Truth:
As an alternative of preventing with tails, Brontosaurus might have fought with its neck (the Brontosmash).
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