The first record of a neonatal ornithopod dinosaur from Gondwana |
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| Authors: | Victoria M Egerton Fernando E Novas Peter Dodson Kenneth Lacovara |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;2. Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;3. CONICET, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Avenida Angel Gallardo 470, Buenos Aires 1405, Argentina;4. School of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;5. Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA |
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| Abstract: | Discrete post-embryonic teeth and bone fragments have been recovered from the matrix with the holotype skeleton (MPM‐10001) of the ornithopod dinosaur, Talenkauen santacrucensis Novas et al., 2004 (Upper Cretaceous, Argentina). The minute tooth crowns are 1 mm apicobasally tall and 1.7 mm mesodistally wide. The crowns are symmetrical and have a centrally located primary ridge on the lingual surface. Secondary ridges lead to five marginal denticles on both teeth. The tooth morphology is consistent with dentary teeth in euiguanodontids. There is no evidence of transport, suggesting that the material is autochthonous with respect to the adult body block of T. santacrucensis (MPM‐10001). Steeply inclined wear facets on the lingual surface and associated microstriae support the conclusion that the minute teeth were from a post-embryonic euiguanodontid dinosaur rather than early stage replacement teeth. The morphology, size, and wear of the teeth and small bone fragments found in the body block of MPM‐10001 suggest that this material belongs to a neonatal T. santacrucensis. This is the first record of neonatal ornithopod remains from Gondwana. |
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