New tyrannosaurid from New Mexico

[The Amateur Paleontologist]

Hey everyone

There's this new bit of research from PeerJ, describing the partial remains of a new tyrannosaurid, Dynamoterror dynastes (pretty cool name, huh? ). The remains were from the Menefee Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of New Mexico, and are a valuable addition to our knowledge of North American tyrannosaurids.

 

Partial cranial material of D. dynastes.

 

McDonald et al. (2018). A new tyrannosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Menefee Formation of New Mexico. 

 

Abstract:

 

The giant tyrannosaurids were the apex predators of western North America and Asia during the close of the Cretaceous Period. Although many tyrannosaurid species are known from numerous skeletons representing multiple growth stages, the early evolution of Tyrannosauridae remains poorly known, with the well-known species temporally restricted to the middle Campanian-latest Maastrichtian (∼77–66 Ma). The recent discovery of a new tyrannosaurid, Lythronax argestes, from the Wahweap Formation of Utah provided new data on early Campanian (∼80 Ma) tyrannosaurids. Nevertheless, the early evolution of Tyrannosauridae is still largely unsampled. We report a new tyrannosaurid represented by an associated skeleton from the lower Campanian Allison Member of the Menefee Formation of New Mexico. Despite fragmentation of much of the axial and appendicular skeleton prior to discovery, the frontals, a metacarpal, and two pedal phalanges are well-preserved. The frontals exhibit an unambiguous autapomorphy and a second potential autapomorphy that distinguish this specimen from all other tyrannosaurids. Therefore, the specimen is made the holotype of the new genus and species Dynamoterror dynastes. A phylogenetic analysis places Dynamoterror dynastes in the tyrannosaurid subclade Tyrannosaurinae. Laser-scanning the frontals and creation of a composite 3-D digital model allows the frontal region of the skull roof of Dynamoterror to be reconstructed.

 

 

You can download (for free!) the paper from this link: McDonald et al. 2018 Dynamoterror dynastes

 

Hope you like this!

-Christian

[jpc]

Just once I would like to see a tyrannosaur NOT named after it ferociousness....  I read names like Dynamoterror dynastes and I can't help but roll my eyes.  

[The Amateur Paleontologist]

13 minutes ago, jpc said:

Just once I would like to see a tyrannosaur NOT named after it ferociousness....  I read names like Dynamoterror dynastes and I can't help but roll my eyes.  

You're right, it is a fairly recurring theme.. On the other hand., it's not like all tyrannosaurids have a name based on its ferociousness - take the Canadian Albertosaurus, or the Mongolian Alioramus, for example  

-Christian

[jpc]

Thanks for keeping me honest.