Paleo File: Timurlengia

        In Tyrannosaur evolution, there is a 20 million year gap in the early-mid Cretaceous that excludes evidence of how this group of animals achieved its large dominating size. When new organisms are uncovered that shed light on these kinds of ‘dark gaps’, they help to shed new light on the way a group of animals develops over time.

Material referred to Timurlengia

Art and Copyright belongs to Todd Marshall            

              Timurlengia, coined in reference to the emperor Timurleng, became known in 1944. The original material, found in Uzbekistan, consisted of fragmentary bones and would remain in storage until a group of researchers uncovered a braincase in 2004; All of the fossils were again put into storage. Steve Brusatte analyzed the remains in 2014 and determined that the fossils suggested a unique genus. It was not until 2016 that Brusatte et al. coined the type specues Timurlengia euotica, euotica translating to “Well-eared”. In total, the material collected consist of; the right half of a braincase, right maxilla, left frontal bone, left quadrate, piece of a right dentary, a right articular with angular, front neck vertebra, rear neck vertebra, the neural arch of the front back vertebra, middle back vertebra, front tail vertebra, middle tail vertebra, rear tail vertebra, and a toe claw. All of these fossils were uncovered in the Bissekty Formation of the Kyzylkum Desert and date to the Turonian age of the early late Cretaceous period, approximately 90 million years ago.

Art and Copyright belongs to Fabrizio De Rossi

          Timurlengia shows characteristics of both early and later Tyrannosaurs; it had very well-developed sight, smell, hearing, and cognition reminiscent of the later Tyrannosaurs. The evidence of heightened senses but small size and slender snout suggest that Tyrannosaurs evolved their enormous size in a quick period of time. Timurlengia was an animal of around 9 to 12 feet in length with teeth designed for the rendering of flesh and senses developed for pursuit of fast-moving prey, like hadrosaurs. 

Art and Copyright belongs to James Kuether 

References:

Lazaro, Enrico De. "Timurlengia Euotica: New Species of Tyrannosaur Discovered in Uzbekistan." Timurlengia Euotica: New Species of Tyrannosaur Discovered in Uzbekistan. Sic-news, 15 Mar. 2016. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/timurlengia-euotica-new-species-tyrannosaur-uzbekistan-03702.html>.

Brusatte, Stephen L., Alexander Averianov, Hans-Dieter Sues, Amy Muir, and Ian B. Butler. "New Tyrannosaur from the Mid-Cretaceous of Uzbekistan Clarifies Evolution of Giant Body Sizes and Advanced Senses in Tyrant Dinosaurs." New Tyrannosaur from the Mid-Cretaceous of Uzbekistan Clarifies Evolution of Giant Body Sizes and Advanced Senses in Tyrant Dinosaurs. PNAS, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/03/08/1600140113>.

Paleo File: Bagaraatan

         Bagaraatan, which is mongolian for “little hunter”, was a small carnivorous theropod dinosaur. Polish Paleontologist, Halszka Osmólska discovered the remains of the animal in the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia 1996. Although the name might seem odd, it is the phylogenetic categorization that makes this organism an oddity.

Art and Copyright belongs to Robinson Kunz

          Halska Osmólska never pursued her findings to the phylogenetic level and left it to other scientists to decide on the fragmentary remains; A Lower Mandible, the upper legs, pelvis, and caudal vertebrae. Scientists have found three possible groups the animal may belong to; Holtz suggested a Tyrannosauroid, Coria a Troodontid, and Rauhut a Maniraptoran. However, despite the differing opinions and confounding evidence, the phylogenetic grouping so far agreed upon is Tyrannosauroidea. More fossils are needed before a concrete classification can be reached, or an appropriate reconstruction of the animal in life.

Material referred to Bagaraatan

References:

"BAGARAATAN : From DinoChecker's Dinosaur Archive." Dinochecker RSS. Dinochecker, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurs/BAGARAATAN>.

"Bagaratan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagaraatan>.

Osmolska, H. (1996). "An unusual theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Nemegt Formation of Mongolia". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 41; 1-38

"Bagaraatan." Bagaraatan. Prehistoric Wildlife, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/b/bagaraatan.html>.

Paleo File: Aviatyrannis

        Although small organisms tend to fossilize more complete than larger organisms, due to the increase of deterioration by environmental conditions on larger surface areas quicker, there are plenty of fragmentary organisms of a small stature. Take for instance; the theropod dinosaur, Aviatyrannis (Av-Eye-Ah-Tie-Ran-Is).

Material attributed to Aviatyrannis

           Uncovered exclusively, so far as science knows, in Portugal, the material was initially found in a lignitic coal seam within the Alcobaca Formation at Guimarota, which is near Leiria in Central Portugal. The Holotype, for which the specific name, jurassica, was attributed by Paleontologist, Oliver Rauhut, and subsisted of a right ilium. The ilium dated to the early Kimmeridgian stage of the Late Jurassic, about 155 million years ago. In 2003, Rauhut assigned a few more pieces to the genus including, a partial right ilium and right ischium.

Approximate Size

          The name, Aviatyrannis jurassica, translates to, “Tyrant Grandmother of the Jurassic” referring to the animal’s phylogenetic placement. Aviatyrannis is a very basal Tyrannosauroid, with the exception of Proceratosaurus, it is the most primitive and likely did not grow very large, with an estimated length of approximately 3-4 feet. Like with the majority of prehistoric flora and fauna, more material is needed before proper identification and visualization of the living organism can be appropriately realized.

Art and Copyright belongs to Frederik Spindler

Works Cited:

Paul, G.S., 2010, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press p. 100

"Aviatyrannis." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviatyrannis>.

"Aviatyrannis." Aviatyrannis. Prehistoric Wildlife, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/a/aviatyrannis.html>.

"AVIATYRANNIS : From DinoChecker's Dinosaur Archive." Dinochecker RSS. DinoChecker, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurs/AVIATYRANNIS>.
"Fossilworks: Aviatyrannis Jurassica." Fossilworks: Aviatyrannis Jurassica. Fossilworks, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://fossilworks.org/?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=68482>.