Article
Geology
Katrina Mayo, Ricardo L. Silva, Paul R. Durkin
Summary: This study refines the paleoenvironmental reconstructions of Late Cretaceous rivers through facies and facies associations analysis, meander-belt architecture characterization, and paleohydraulic parameter calculations. The results demonstrate that the meander-belt deposits of the Dinosaur Park Formation were deposited in a fluvial environment upstream of the fluvial-marine transition zone, changing our understanding of the paleogeography of the Western Interior Seaway in western Canada. This study contributes to the validation and development of a systematic approach to the paleoenvironmental reconstruction of ancient river systems based on paleohydraulic analysis.
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Hansheng Cao, Wentong He, Fajin Chen, Xuanlong Shan, Deming Kong, Qinghua Hou, Xiaoqiang Pu
Summary: This study investigates the initiation mechanisms of late Cretaceous lacustrine anoxic events in the Songliao Basin, NE China, revealing processes such as marine transgression, microbial sulfate reduction, and isolation of lake water from seawater. By comparing sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen cycles, it is argued that enhanced sulfate levels from marine transgression were the driving force behind the anoxic events, influencing nutrient recycling and regulating lacustrine carbon and nitrogen cycles.
Article
Geography, Physical
Lida Xing, Martin G. Lockley, Zhifang Mao, Hendrik Klein, Zhenfei Gu, Chundong Bai, Liang Qiu, Yusheng Liu, Anthony Romilio, W. Scott Persons, Xiaoqiao Wan
Summary: This paper documents a new locality in the Jurassic-Cretaceous Tuchengzi Formation in northeast China, providing insights into the paleocommunity structure and preferred habitats of different sized theropods. The newly discovered site, dating back to the Berriasian stage, includes sauropod and theropod tracks, shedding light on the ontogeny and paleobiology of these dinosaurs. Size-frequency distribution analysis reveals the dominance of small theropod trackmakers and a lack of tracks from very large megatheropods, contrasting with previous studies based on skeletal data.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geology
Kecheng Niu, Lida Xing
Summary: The record of dinosaur footprints in China has been sparse compared to the abundance of skeletal body fossils. However, a new discovery in Longxiang Village, Fujian Province, has revealed the largest known Upper Cretaceous dinosaur track assemblage in China, as well as the first recorded evidence of dinosaurs in Fujian Province. The tracks include various sizes of ornithopod tracks, scarce sauropod and small-medium tridactyl theropod tracks, and the absence of large forms. The presence of different deinonychosaur tracks is particularly remarkable. This unusual dinosaur track assemblage from Longxiang enhances our understanding of dinosaur evolution in Late Cretaceous faunas in East Asia.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Ryan T. Tucker, Ethan G. Hyland, Terry A. Gates, M. Ryan King, Eric M. Roberts, Elliot K. Foley, David Berndt, Rattanaphorn Hanta, Sasa-on Khansubha, Wasinee Aswasereelert, Lindsay E. Zanno
Summary: We described the sedimentology, geochronology, and geochemistry of the Early Cretaceus Sao Khua Formation in the Khorat Basin, northeastern Thailand, and adjusted the temporal range for its dinosaurian assemblage. Our findings suggest that the formation was deposited in a floodplain environment during the late Valanginian to early Hauterivian. Furthermore, the entombed dinosaur biota in this formation is significantly older than previously recognized, making it one of the oldest known globally for these dinosaur groups.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haiguang Wu, Chengcheng Feng, Xun Kang, Dawei Fu, Jinlai Feng, Yunfeng Zhang, Junjun Zhou, Tianxin Hu
Summary: This study highlights the linkage between marine transgression and lacustrine source rock development based on research in the Upper Cretaceous Songliao Basin in NE China. Multiple transgression events were found to have both positive and negative effects on the quality of lacustrine source rocks.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Aaron A. Kilmury, Kirstin S. Brink
Summary: This study provides an updated description and testing of the community zonation hypothesis for Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway (WIS) vertebrates. The results highlight significant fluctuations in vertebrate community zonation throughout time and space, shedding light on the compositional and paleoecological changes that can occur in shallow marine vertebrate communities over a 25 million year interval.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Ryuji Takasaki, Anthony R. Fiorillo, Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig, Yoshinori Hikida
Summary: This study re-examines a specimen from the lower Campanian Osoushinai Formation in Japan and identifies it as a new taxon, Paralitherizinosaurus japonicus gen. et sp. nov. It demonstrates unique characteristics in the metacarpal I and unguals. The study also reveals an evolutionary trend in ungual shape and suggests the adaptation of therizinosaurs to coastal environments.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Dustin G. Stewart, Patrick S. Druckenmiller, Gregory M. Erickson, Jeff A. Benowitz, Denny M. Capps, Cassandra L. Knight, Kevin C. May, Paul J. McCarthy
Summary: The Upper Cretaceous Cantwell Formation in DENA contains a diverse ichnofossil record of high latitude dinosaurs. The largest tracksite known in DENA and all of Alaska, called the Coliseum, is described here, providing valuable information about the Late Cretaceous forested ecosystem in a Greenhouse World.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Monique Feist, Marc Floquet
Summary: This paper presents the charophyte-bearing sites in the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary series of the Castilian marine ramp and continental basins in central northern Spain. It lists the recognized charophyte taxa and describes the sedimentary sequences in which the charophytes were found to reconstruct their depositional environments. The study reveals that the charophyte fossils are mainly distributed in sites formed during episodes of emersion and terrestrial conditions, as well as in restricted continental basins developed after the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary. Furthermore, the fossiliferous sites from the Campanian-Maastrichtian allow for floristic and biostratigraphic correlations with charophyte floras from Catalonia and the Serrania de Cuenca.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Juan Manuel Lopez-Garcia, Hugues-Alexandre Blain, Christian Sanchez-Bandera, Jessica Cohen, Loic Lebreton, Sophie Montuire, John R. Stewart, Emmanuel Desclaux
Summary: This study used the archaeological site of Lazaret cave to depict the climate and environment during MIS 6, revealing a generally cold climate, relatively humid environment, and a landscape dominated by deciduous temperate forests. The results are consistent with general trends seen in other proxies studied in the Mediterranean region and western Europe, making Lazaret cave an important site for understanding the climate and environment of this period.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Caleb M. Brown, Sean Herridge-Berry, Kentaro Chiba, Allison Vitkus, David A. Eberth
Summary: Mapping fossil sites is crucial for understanding the history and behavior of organisms, with modern technologies like photogrammetry, laser scanning, and geographic information systems providing digital, three-dimensional, and georeferenced data. However, methods for mapping bone accumulations have not advanced as much, remaining limited to two dimensions and static maps.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Thomas M. Cullen, Lindsay Zanno, Derek W. Larson, Erinn Todd, Philip J. Currie, David C. Evans
Summary: The study of theropod biodiversity in the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, reveals unique morphological and biostratigraphic differences from other regions, questioning the validity of some taxonomic units. There is no clear pattern of faunal zonation among theropods in the formation, possibly due to insensitivity to environmental changes or other cryptic ecological or evolutionary factors.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristina Pineiro-Corbeira, Laura Iglesias, Raquel Nogueira, Sara Campos, Arturo Jimenez, Marcos Regueira, Rodolfo Barreiro, Miquel Planas
Summary: The study in Cies Archipelago found the association between Syngnathids and epifaunal assemblages, with Syngnathid feeding regimes depending on species and prey availability. Three Syngnathid species in Cies Archipelago occupied similar trophic positions but showed differences in niche size, suggesting seasonal migrations influenced by epifaunal structure and environmental changes. The importance of Gongolaria assemblages in providing dietary sources and potential ecological concerns for Syngnathids and other fauna were highlighted, indicating the need for further investigations in regions with ongoing cover reduction.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
James O. Farlow, Dan Coroian, Philip J. Currie, John R. Foster, Jordan C. Mallon, Francois Therrien
Summary: Counts of skeletal specimens suggest that large theropods were more abundant relative to big herbivores than expected. Models indicate that the population density of large theropods may have been higher than estimates based on modern carnivores. In addition to other factors, large theropods likely included non-megaherbivore dinosaurs as significant components of their diet.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Roger A. Close, Roger B. J. Benson, John Alroy, Anna K. Behrensmeyer, Juan Benito, Matthew T. Carrano, Terri J. Cleary, Emma M. Dunne, Philip D. Mannion, Mark D. Uhen, Richard J. Butler
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Michael D. D'Emic, Matthew T. Carrano
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Limnology
Lillian R. Aoki, Karen J. McGlathery, Matthew P. J. Oreska
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2020)
Article
Biology
Roger A. Close, Roger B. J. Benson, John Alroy, Matthew T. Carrano, Terri J. Cleary, Emma M. Dunne, Philip D. Mannion, Mark D. Uhen, Richard J. Butler
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthew P. J. Oreska, Karen J. McGlathery, Lillian R. Aoki, Amelie C. Berger, Peter Berg, Lindsay Mullins
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert J. Orth, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Karen S. McGlathery, Lillian Aoki, Mark W. Luckenbach, Kenneth A. Moore, Matthew P. J. Oreska, Richard Snyder, David J. Wilcox, Bo Lusk
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew P. J. Oreska, Karen J. McGlathery, Patricia L. Wiberg, Robert J. Orth, David J. Wilcox
Summary: Seagrass restoration is crucial for reversing global meadow loss and restoring ecosystem services, but the high costs and challenges in site selection remain obstacles. Research suggests that factors like water residence time and fetch distance play key roles in determining seedling survival and spread of seagrass, highlighting the importance of targeted seeding efforts for restoration and expansion.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lillian R. Aoki, Karen J. McGlathery, Patricia L. Wiberg, Matthew P. J. Oreska, Amelie C. Berger, Peter Berg, Robert J. Orth
Summary: Seagrass meadows accumulate significant stocks of organic carbon, known as blue carbon, but disturbances can lead to significant losses of sediment carbon. The impact of seagrass declines on sediment carbon stocks following marine heat waves has not been directly measured. The study showed that seagrass dieback from a single marine heat wave led to significant losses of sediment carbon, but localization of seagrass loss can prevent meadow-wide carbon losses. Maintaining seagrass resilience to short-term disturbance events is crucial for the long-term stability of seagrass blue carbon.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, Philip D. Mannion, Alex Farnsworth, Matthew T. Carrano, Sara Varela
Summary: The study shows that sauropods, compared to other dinosaurs, occupied climatic niches characterized by high temperatures and strongly bounded by minimum cold temperatures. This constrained their distribution and dispersal pathways to tropical areas, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. The greater availability of suitable habitat in southern continents, particularly in the Late Cretaceous, may explain the high diversity of sauropods there.
Article
Paleontology
Matthew T. Carrano, Matthew P. J. Oreska, Abree Murch, Kelli C. Trujillo, Kevin R. Chamberlain
Summary: A new species of the albanerpetontid amphibian Albanerpeton has been described from the Lower Cretaceous Cloverly Formation in Wyoming, USA. This new species has unique characteristics that could affect the classification of other species within the Albanerpeton genus. The study suggests that Albanerpeton likely inhabited a range of habitats throughout its evolutionary history.
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
David G. DeMar, Marc E. H. Jones, Matthew T. Carrano
Summary: A new small-bodied rhynchocephalian reptile, Opisthiamimus gregori gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Wyoming, USA. The specimen includes most of the skull and postcranium, making it one of the most complete specimens of Rhynchocephalia known from North America. The skull exhibits features similar to both non-neosphenodontian rhynchocephalians and more nested taxa like Sphenodon, and the postcranial skeleton shows characteristics typical of a terrestrial rhynchocephalian. Phylogenetic analyses place Opisthiamimus gregori inside Eusphenodontia but outside Neosphenodontia, providing important insights into character polarity for deeper nested clades. An aquatically adapted taxon, Leptorhynchia, is also erected based on cranial and postcranial characters. The discovery of Opisthiamimus gregori expands the taxonomic diversity and implies significant paleoecological diversity in the Morrison Formation.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Paleontology
Matthew T. Carrano, David R. Schwimmer, Jessica Nakano, Amanda Millhouse
JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Andrew B. Heckert, Tabitha C. Viner, Matthew T. Carrano
Summary: This study describes a well-preserved specimen of phytosaur with extensive pathological evidence throughout its postcranial skeleton, possibly due to osteomyelitis. The specimen's presumed low metabolic rate allowed the progression of lesions over several months before death, highlighting the fourth report of pathology in phytosaurs. The character and location of the lesions suggest aspects of osteomyelitis and hypertrophic osteopathy, but are not fully consistent with either condition and are not well-explored in extant reptiles.
PALAEONTOLOGIA ELECTRONICA
(2021)