Wachholz, a new exquisite dinosaur-bearing fossiliferous site from the Upper Triassic of southern Brazil. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Müller, Rodrigo Temp; da Rosa, Átila Augusto Stock; Roberto da Silva, Lúcio; Aires, Alex Sandro Schiller; Pacheco, Cristian Pereira; Pavanatto, Ane Elise Branco; Dias-da-Silva, Sérgio
• Is Part Of: Journal of South American earth sciences. Volume 61(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 120
• Page End: 128
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Early dinosaurs -- Sauropodomorpha -- Saurischia -- Caturrita Formation -- Norian -- Western Gondwana; Geology -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Geology -- Antarctica -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Antarctica -- Periodicals; Geology -- Caribbean Area -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Caribbean Area -- Periodicals; Géologie -- Amérique latine -- Périodiques; Sciences de la terre -- Amérique latine -- Périodiques; Géologie -- Antarctique -- Périodiques; Sciences de la terre -- Antarctique -- Périodiques; Géologie -- Caraïbes (Région) -- Périodiques; Sciences de la terre -- Caraïbes (Région) -- Périodiques; Earth sciences; Geology; Antarctica; Caribbean Area; Latin America; Periodicals; 550.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsames.2014.10.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0895-9811

Abstract

Abstract: The present contribution reports a new fossiliferous site from the Caturrita Formation (Upper Triassic of Paraná Basin, Southern Brazil), which yields articulate, complete, associated, and exceptionally well-preserved dinosaur specimens, together with the sole occurrence of an isolated tooth ascribed to a carnivore indetermined archosauriform. These specimens increase the sauropodomorph record from this geological unit. A preliminary evaluation of such specimens suggests that sauropodomorph dinosaurs could have been more abundant in Norian Faunas from southern Brazil, considering the increased sampling here reported. So far, about six specimens are previously recognized (disregarding Guaibasaurus ) from the Caturrita Formation, and here we add four specimens, or even five if consider an additional autopodium. Also, the morphology of the isolated carnivorous-type tooth differs from other described carnivorous archosauriform teeth from the Caturrita Formation. Hence, it might represent a still undescribed taxon. Further studies of these specimens will certainly provide new data regarding biostratigraphy, phylogeny, paleoecology, and taphonomy, as this new fossiliferous locality preserves one of the most representative dinosaur records from the Norian worldwide. Highlights: We describe a new dinosaur-bearing fossiliferous site from the Caturrita Formation. It yielded complete and exceptionally well-preserved dinosaurs. This is remarkable due to the worldwide scarcity of complete early Norian dinosaurs. The new site comprises at least four sauropodomorphs. In addition, a new taxonomic record is proposed based on an archosauriform tooth.