The controversial Les Labadous eggshells: A new and peculiar dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) ootype from the Upper Cretaceous of Europe |
| |
| Institution: | 2. Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173480, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States of America;3. Department of Paleontology, Museum of the Rockies, 600 W. Kagy Blvd., Bozeman, MT 59717, United States of America;4. Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, 400 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America;2. Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom |
| |
| Abstract: | The fossil record of small-sized theropods in south-western Europe is scarce and fragmentary. In absence of more direct evidence, the oological record arises as an alternative source of information to infer biodiversity. In this regard, the controversial dinosaur eggshells from the Les Labadous locality in southern France are herein re-evaluated in the light of new material and current parataxonomic information. New data and analyses reveal a new eggshell type, Montanoolithus labadousensis oosp. nov., characterized by a unique combination of characters. Additionally, the phylogenetic analysis reinforces the placement of the new oospecies as the sister taxon of the North American Montanoolithus strongorum, refusing the previous attribution of the Les Labadous remains to Elongatoolithidae. The combination of microstructural and phylogenetic results suggests that Montanoolithus labadousensis was likely produced by a dromaeosaurine dromaeosaurid, a taxonomic attribution that is consistent with the biodiversity of small-sized theropods at the latest Cretaceous of south-western Europe. |
| |
| Keywords: | Upper Cretaceous Europe Theropod Eggs Dinosaurs |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
