Project 2368: O. W. M. Rauhut, T. Hübner, K.-P. Lanser. 2016. A new megalosaurid theropod dinosaur from the late Middle Jurassic (Callovian) of north-western Germany: implications for theropod evolution and faunal turnover in the Jurassic. Palaeontologia Electronica. 19 (2.29):1-65.
Specimen: † Wiehenvenator albati (WMN/P:27504)
View: fossil

Abstract

Fragmentary remains of a large, robustly built theropod dinosaur were recovered from the marine middle Callovian Ornatenton Formation of north-eastern Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany. The specimen includes a premaxilla, maxilla, lacrimal, postorbital, dentary, several caudal vertebrae, ribs, fibulae, astragalus, and partial calcaneum. It is here described as a new species of megalosauroid, Wiehenvenator albati n. gen. n. sp., diagnosed by a strongly reduced maxillary antorbital fossa on the base of the ascending process of the maxilla, a very short anterior ramus of the lacrimal with an additional pneumatic depression anteroventral to the lacrimal fenestra, a transversely expanded orbital facet in the postorbital, and a laterally flexed proximal end of the ascending process of the astragalus. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Wiehenvenator as a megalosaurine megalosaurid, sister taxon to the Late Jurassic genus Torvosaurus. It thus adds to the considerable diversity of megalosauroids in the Middle Jurassic. A time-calibrated phylogeny of theropods indicates a rapid radiation of averostran theropods between the Toarcian and the Bathonian. This radiation was probably triggered by the Pliensbachian-Toarcian extinction event, which might have been more important for theropod evolution than the Triassic-Jurassic extinction. The fossil record indicates a faunal turnover from megalosauroid dominated Middle Jurassic to allosauroid / coelurosaur dominated Late Jurassic faunas. However, differences in the Middle and Late Jurassic theropod fossil records both in respect to geographic distribution of localities, as well as sampled environments make this inference problematic, at least in respect to allosauroids. An analysis of environmental preferences of allosauroids and megalosauroids indicates that the former preferred inland environments, whereas the latter are more common in nearshore environments.


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Article DOI: 10.26879/654

Project DOI: 10.7934/P2368, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P2368
This project containsMatrices
  • 1 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 63 Taxa
  • 1 Specimen
  • 351 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 32.92M

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 8704
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 351
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 788
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:351/0
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MorphoBank Project 2368

    Authors' Institutions

    • Westfälisches Museum für Naturkunde, Münster

    • Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen

    • Bayerische Staatssammlung fuer Palaeontologie und Geologie



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    Oliver Rauhut
    Project Administrator
    6311351008704
    (8671, 0, 33)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M23784' (62 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
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    NPA
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    "-" cellscell images labels on
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    [1] † Eoraptor
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    9125825802001
    [2] † Herrerasaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    7527427402001
    [3] † Acrocanthosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    6229028900001
    [4] † Aerosteon
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    25010010001001
    [5] † Afrovenator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    16618518401001
    [6] † Allosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    2732632301001
    [7] † Angaturama
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    332191900001
    [8] † Australovenator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    277747400001
    [9] † Baryonyx
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    16019219100001
    [10] † Carcharodontosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    23411711700001
    [11] † Ceratosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    5829429102001
    [12] † Chilantaisaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    315363600001
    [13] † Chuandongocoelurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    297545400001
    [14] † Coelophysis bauri
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    8227126801001
    [15] † Coelophysis rhodesiensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    5429829601001
    [16] † Compsognathus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    19016116100001
    [17] † Concavenator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    24311110800001
    [18] † Condorraptor
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    271808000001
    [19] † Cryolophosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    20814214201001
    [20] † CV00214
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    258959300001
    [21] † Sinosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    16218918801001
    [22] † Dilophosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    6228828702001
    [23] † Dubreuillosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    24710310301001
    [24] † Duriavenator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    320313100001
    [25] † Elaphrosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    23511711600001
    [26] † Eocarcharia
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    319323200001
    [27] † Eustreptospondylus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    14520520402001
    [28] † Fukuiraptor
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    279727200001
    [29] † Giganotosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    16618618500001
    [30] † Guanlong
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    12922522200001
    [31] † Irritator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    273767602001
    [32] † Lourinhanosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    282696900001
    [33] † Magnosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    317343400001
    [34] † Majungasaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    8326726701001
    [35] † Mapusaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    18317016800001
    [36] † Marshosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    19116116000001
    [37] † Masiakasaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    12822122102001
    [38] † Megalosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    21214013900001
    [39] † Megaraptor
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    302494900001
    [40] † Metriacanthosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    282696900001
    [41] † Monolophosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    17118218000001
    [42] † Neovenator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    17417717700001
    [43] † Ornitholestes
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    14920220101001
    [44] † Piatnitzkysaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    16718418400001
    [45] † Piveteausaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    326252500001
    [46] † Poekilopleuron
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    309424200001
    [47] † Proceratosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    271807901001
    [48] † Saurophaganax
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    282696801001
    [49] † Shaochilong
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    310414100001
    [50] † Shidaisaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    292605900001
    [51] † Siamotyrannus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    304474700001
    [52] † Sinraptor dongi
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    7427727700001
    [53] † Spinosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    277727202001
    [54] † Streptospondylus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    302494900001
    [55] † Suchomimus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    17417717601001
    [56] † S zigongensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    22812412300001
    [57] † Torvosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    12422722502001
    [58] † Tyrannotitan
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    287646400001
    [59] † Xuanhanosaurus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    309424200001
    [60] † Yangchuano hepingensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    14720420400001
    [61] † Yangchuano shangyuensis
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    16718418400001
    [62] † Wiehenvenator
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/23/16
    288616102001


    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project406
    Project downloads325
    Matrix downloads80Wiehenvenator matrix (80 downloads);
    Media downloads1M409282 (1 download);