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: 17 września 2008, o 09:19
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Fiorillo, A.R. 2008. Dinosaurs of Alaska: implications for the Cretaceous
origin of Beringia; pp. 313-326 in Blodgett, R.B. and Stanley, G.D., Jr.
(eds.), The Terrane Puzzle: New Perspectives on Paleontology and
Stratigraphy from the North American Cordillera. Geological Society of
America Special Paper 442.
ABSTRACT: Fossils within accreted terranes are typically used to describe
the age or origin of the exotic geologic blocks. However, accretion may also
provide new pathways for faunal exchange between previously disconnected
landmasses. One such landmass, the result of accretion, is Beringia, that
entity encompassing northeastern Asia and northwestern North America and the surmised land connection between the two regions.
The present concept of Beringia as a Quaternary subcontinent includes a
climatic component in the form of glacial advances and retreats driving
changes in sea level. These changes may have facilitated exchanges of marine
biota between the Pacific Ocean and Arctic Basin, or exchanges of
terrestrial faunas and floras between Asia and North America. The Beringian
ecosystem includes specializations of the fl ora and fauna, especially in
the vertebrate fauna.
A review of tectonic reconstructions and the striking taxon-free
parallel patterns in data on the Cretaceous and Quaternary fauna and flora
suggest that a generalized concept of Beringia should be formally extended
back in time to the Cretaceous. A significant shift in emphasis of defining
variables occurs with this extension. Climate, in the form of meteorological
phenomena, and geologic history are important variables in the previously
recognized definition of Beringia. The extension of Beringia into the
Cretaceous implies that Beringia is rooted in its accretionary rather than
its climatic history; in other words, the geographic pattern as the result
of tectonics is the defining parameter for Beringia.
Gierlinski, G.D. 2008. Dinosaur track assemblages in the Oxfordian of
Poland; pp. 43-44 in Uchman, A. (ed.), Second International Congress on
Ichnology Abstract Book. Polish Geological Institute, Warszawa.
ABSTRACT: There are two main track-bearing horizons in the Oxfordian
carbonates of the Holy Cross Mts., the middle Oxfordian Baltow Coral
Limestones and the late Oxfordian Blaziny Oolite Limestones (following
strata recognition of Gutowski, 1998). The number of new finds in these
deposits increased importantly during the last years, since first reports
published in 2002 (Gierlinski, Niedzwiedzki, 2002; Gierlinski, Sabath,
2002). According to the present knowledge, dinosaur track assemblage of the Baltow Coral Limestones (Fig. 1A-E) comprises mostly diminutive ichnofauna,
small ornithopod footprints of Dinehichnus, small and medium theropod
tracks, such as Wildeichnus, Jialingpus and Therangospodus, and the
stegosaurian pedal print labeled as Stegopodus sensu Gierlinski et at.
(2005). The Blaziny unit reveals relatively larger forms, which include
sauropod tracks of Brontopodus, numerous Dinehichnus specimens, medium theropod ichnite of Therangospodus and the large one classed as
Megalosauripus (Fig. 1F-I).
Gierlinski, G.D. 2008. Late Cretaceous dinosaur tracks from the Roztocze
Hills of Poland; pp. 44 in Uchman, A. (ed.), Second International Congress
on Ichnology Abstract Book. Polish Geological Institute, Warszawa.
ABSTRACT: Late Cretaceous and Miocene footprints in the Roztocze region
represent ones of the latest finds of vertebrate tracks in Poland
(Gierlinski, 2007; Gierlinski et al., 2007). Dinosaur tracks came from the
arenaceous limestones, which contain the late Maastrichtian foraminiferan
assemblages. Footprints were found in the Potok site (approximate
coordinates: N 50°32.609', E 023°04.203') and Mlynarka Mount (N 50°30.790',
E 023°03.784'). Both sites have been vandalized. The Potok original
specimens (Fig. lB, D) are stored in the GuciĂłw Cottage, while the replicas
of the Mlyfiarka Mt. material (Fig. 1A, C) are housed by the Polish
Geological Institute and the Baltow theme park. The collected material
includes Velociraptorichnus sp. (small didactyl eumaniraptoran footprint),
Irenesauripus sp (large tridactyl theropod track), Macropodosaurus sp.
(tetradactyl plantigrade therizinosauroid footprint) and cf. Hadrosauropodus
sp. (hadrosaurid pedal and manual print).
Gierlinski, G.D., Lockley, M.G., Singer, T., and Niedzwiedzki, G. 2008.
Protoceratopsid skeleton and track association from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia; pp. 45 in Uchman, A. (ed.), Second International Congress on
Ichnology Abstract Book. Polish Geological Institute, Warszawa.
ABSTRACT: The articulated protoceratopsid skeleton, the specimen ZPAL Mg
D-II/3 (Fig.1A), was collected by the Polish-Mongolian Expedition of 1965,
in the Djadokhta Formation of Flaming Cliffs. The natural cast of
tetradactyl digitigrade footprint (Fig. lB), was found underneath the pelvic
girdle by two of us (TS and GN), while the skeleton and matrix were being
recently prepared. The footprint size (9.1 cm wide and 7.8 cm long) fits the
supposed pes size of the associated individual. Toes are slightly projected
above the hypex. They are relatively broad and well patted with no discrete
phalangeal pads. Footprint morphology strongly resembles three times larger ceratopsian footprint, the specimen CU-MWC 227.1, from the Iron Springs Formation of Utah (Milner et al., 2006).
Gierlinski, G.D., and Nowacki, P. 2008. Middle Jurassic dinosaur track from the Polish Jura chain; pp. 46 in Uchman, A. (ed.), Second International
Congress on Ichnology Abstract Book. Polish Geological Institute, Warszawa.
ABSTRACT: The natural cast of dinosaur footprint (Fig. 1 LEFT) was found by
junior author on the Cybata Mount, near Przystajn, in the Czltstochowa
region (approximate coordinates: N 50°52"371'; E 018°40"002'). The find came
from the epicontinental Bajocian sandstones of Koscielisko Beds, from the
strata previously reported by Kopik (1967). Footprint (original specimen
owned by senior author) is 17 cm long with the three narrow and widely
divaricated digits, which lack their proximal pads. Similar footprints from
the Middle Jurassic of Utah and Wyoming are labeled as Carmelopodus Lockley
et al., 1998 (Fig. 1A). Those ichnites look like the enlargement of small
coelurosaurian subdigitigrade tracks of Wildeichnus Casamique1a, 1964 (Fig. 1B) and Skartopus Thulborn, Wade, 1984 (Fig. 1C).
Candeiro, C.R.A., and Tanke, D.H. 2008. A pathological Late Cretaceous
carcharodontosaurid tooth from Minars Gerais, Brazil. Bulletin of
Geosciences 83(3).
ABSTRACT: A theropod (Carcharodontosauridae) tooth exhibiting a split carina
is the first recorded from upper Maastrichtian MarĂlia Formation (Serra da
Galga Member), Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The distal split carina has a
distinct Y-shape. Split carinae have been reported elsewhere in Laurasian
theropods (tyrannosaurids and allosaurids).
Hummel, J., and Clauss, M. 2008. Megaherbivores as pacemakers of carnivore diversity and biomass: distributing or sinking trophic energy? Evolutionary Ecology Research 10.
ABSTRACT: Question: What is the trophic role of megaherbivores?
Hypothesis: Depending on their life histories, megaherbivores can either act
as sinks or distributors of trophic energy.
Methods: Comparative review of mammal and dinosaur faunas, and aspects of
their reproductive biology.
Conclusion: Extant (mammalian) megaherbivore populations represent trophic sinks that potentially limit carnivore diversity and productivity, because they are immune to predation and follow a reproductive strategy of very few,
well-protected offspring. In contrast, in dinosaur faunas, the
particularities of reproductive biology such as a larger number of offspring
and limited parental care made a major part of megaherbivore biomass
available to carnivores. Consequently, this increase in available trophic
energy allowed for larger body masses and higher species diversity of
dinosaur carnivores.