Theropod dinosaur diversity and palaeobiology in the Wealden Group (Early Cretaceous) of England: evidence from a previously undescribed tibia
A robust, partial right tibia of a theropod dinosaur (Natural History Museum London collections, BMNH R9385) is described for the first time. The specimen was collected at Hastings, Sussex (England) in the last century, and is among the oldest known of English Wealden Group theropods. It represents a tetanuran theropod that may have been about 3 m in total length, and is distinct from all currently known Wealden theropods for which tibiae have been described. The present specimen is significant palaeobiologically in exhibiting a series of theropod tooth marks on its caudal surface, indicating predation or scavenging by another theropod.
On the Remains and Affinities of five Genera of Mesozoic Reptiles
Introductory. The following communication treats of certain remains referred to four species of English Mesozoic Reptiles, some of which were first described or named by Professor H. G. Seeley, and also includes a discussion as to the affinities of a fifth form. The substance of that portion of the paper relating to Peloneustes philarchus was previously brought under the notice of the Society at the Meeting held on May 23rd as a separate communication, entitled “On the Skeleton of a Sauropterygian from the Oxford Clay near Bedford”, but, on account of a change of view on the part of the Author, it was considered advisable that it should be again presented in a revised form. Vertebræ of an Ornithopodous Dinosaur from the Canbridge Greensand. On page 621 of a memoir on the remains of Dinosaurs from the Cambridge Greensand, published in the 35th volume of the Society's 'Journal,' professor Seeley applied the name Syngonosaurus macrocercus to a series of nineteen vertebræ from the cervical, dorsal, sacral, and caudal regions, which were said to be associated, and indicate a medium-sized species. At the conclusion of the description of these vertebræ mentions is also made of csrtain dermal scutes. which it was suggested might also be associated. I have no intention of entering into the question whether the alleged association of all these remains is absolutely certain, and I shall accordingly confine my remarks to the one cervical and eight dorsal vertebræ, which, as being the first described (although not figured), may,
Taphonomy of Isisfordia duncani specimens from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) portion of the Winton Formation, Isisford, central-west Queensland
Taphonomic analysis of fossil material can benefit from including the results of actualistic decay experiments. This is crucial in determining the autochthony or allochthony of fossils of juvenile and adult Isisfordia duncani, a basal eusuchian from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) distal-fluvial-deltaic lower Winton Formation near Isisford. The taphonomic characteristics of the I. duncani fossils were documented using a combination of traditional taphonomic analysis alongside already published actualistic decay data from juvenile Crocodylus porosus carcasses. We found that the I. duncani holotype, paratypes and referred specimens show little signs of weathering and no signs of abrasion. Disarticulated skeletal elements are often found in close proximity to the rest of the otherwise articulated skeleton. The isolated and disarticulated skeletal elements identified, commonly cranial, maxillary and mandibular elements, are typical of lag deposits. The holotype QM F36211 and paratype QM F34642 were classified as autochthonous, and the remaining I. duncani paratypes and referred specimens are parautochthonous. We propose that I. duncani inhabited upper and lower delta plains near the Eromanga Sea in life. Their carcasses were buried in sediment-laden floodwaters in delta plain overbank and distributary channel deposits. Future studies should refer to I. duncani as a brackish water tolerant species.