Pyroraptor

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Pyroraptor
Diagram of the skeleton. Known skeletal elements are colored.

Diagram of the skeleton. Known skeletal elements are colored.

Temporal occurrence
Upper Cretaceous (Upper Campanium to Lower Maastrichtian )
76.4 to 69.9 million years
Locations
Systematics
Lizard dinosaur (Saurischia)
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria
Dromaeosauridae
Pyroraptor
Scientific name
Pyroraptor
Allain & Taquet , 2000
Art
  • Pyroraptor olympius

Pyroraptor is a genus of theropod dinosaur (Theropoda) from the late Upper Cretaceous (76.4 to 69.9 mya ) of southern France. It is placed in the taxon Dromaeosauridae , a group of small to medium-sized, carnivorous dinosaurs that have been feathered . Type species of the genus is the only known species P. olympius .

Until the discovery of the Balaur , Pyroraptor was the best fossil record of the European dromaeosaur.

Find and naming

Pyroraptor is only known from a few fossil bones of the specimen that was found near the 815 m high Mont Olympe in Provence near the sandstones of La Boucharde. There were fossil finger bones (phalanxes), metacarpal bone (metacarpal), metatarsals (metatarsals), caudal vertebrae , vertebra, Elle (ulna) and spoke of the right forearm and (radius) teeth recovered.

There are 17 known specimens, the holotype (MNHN BO001), whose completely preserved foot bone (second metatarsus) is exhibited in the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle , and 16 paratypes (MNHN BO002-17 and one without a number). According to Turner et al. In 2012 many paratypes are controversial, such as MNHN BO0017 (dorsal vertebra), which is very poorly preserved, so it cannot be said for sure whether it was a dromaeosaur. Also, many paratypes could belong to the same animal, according to these researchers. They also found out that there was also a Metatarsus III among the fossils.

The name Pyroraptor olympius ( Greek pyros - "fire"; raptor - "robber"; Latin olympius - " Olymp ") means something like "fire thief of Olympus". The name of the genus points to the fact that the fossils were found after a forest fire in 1989. The species epithet alludes to Mont Olympe, at the foot of which the fossil was found.

features

Mentioned features for this taxon include depressions on the ulna, a curved on the underside (about 140 ° according to Ostrom's method) and fluted at the end of the metatarsal bone, as well as almost equal ells and metatarsus II length. In addition, the teeth that were mainly sawn on the back were mentioned. In a new analysis (2012) the first feature was not taken up again in the new description. Instead, Pyroraptor has been described as a medium-sized Dromaeosauridae with the last two characteristics mentioned. Many features could not be described because the material found shows similarities with other dromaeosaurs, but the fragmentary procurement makes comparisons difficult. Size calculations are also missing.

Paleecology

Mont Olympe near La Boucharde in Provence, view from the north

Along with the remains of Pyroraptor , other late Cretaceous dinosaurs were found. Fossils were discovered the Iguanodon congeners Rhabdodon priscus , a sauropod Titanosauriers , a Cerato Piers , a ankylosauriden Nodosauriers and a theropod Abelisauroiden and the eggshells of Dinosaurierparataxons Megaloolithus aureliensis . In addition, the shells of four species of turtles (Dortoka sp., Solemys sp., Polysternon sp, and a new species of alligator turtle) and various alligators were found in the rock.

Systematics

Pyroraptor was classified as Dromaeosauridae by both the first descriptors and later authors. The exact position is unknown. A total of 23 different positions within the Dromaeosauridae are possible.

It is debated whether Pyroraptor and Variraptor , which was also found in the south of France (near Marseille ), are the same genus. Since the discovery of Pyroraptor , Variraptor has been regarded as a noun dubium , ie taxonomically doubtful. Recent Variraptor fossil records support the view that both genera are valid. But that is uncertain, because Variraptor was not listed as a valid genus in the 2012 review by Turner et al.

Pop Culture

Pyroraptor has made an appearance in popular culture until now. This was in the third episode of the series "The Last Years of the Dinosaurs", where he lived in Southern Europe. A miniature version was also shown in Romania. In the film, Pyroraptor had the niche of a smaller predator in its ecosystem. The main character was called Pod, which was derived from P yroraptor o lympius d romaeus. In addition, Pyroraptor was depicted with feathers.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Ronan Allain, Philippe Taquet : A new genus of Dromaeosauridae (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of France. In: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Volume 20, No. 2, ISSN  0272-4634 , 2000, pp. 404-407, doi : 10.1671 / 0272-4634 (2000) 020 [0404: ANGODD] 2.0.CO; 2 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Alan H. Turner, Peter J. Makovicky , Mark A. Norell : A review of dromaeosaurid systematics and paravian phylogeny (= Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. Volume 371, ISSN  0003-0090 ). American Museum of Natural History, New York NY 2012, doi : 10.1206 / 748.1 , online (PDF; 53.38 MB) .
  3. ^ A b The Theropod Database Pyroraptor. ( Memento from July 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  4. ^ A b The Paleobiology Database Pyroraptor
  5. ↑ a b Thomas R. Holtz Jr .: Winter 2011 Appendix. 2012. To: Thomas R. Holtz Jr .: Dinosaurs. The most complete, up-to-date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages. Random House, New York NY 2007, ISBN 978-0-375-82419-7 (PDF; 704 kB).
  6. ^ Pascal Godefroit, Philip J. Currie , Li Hong, Shang Chang Yong, Dong Zhi-Ming : A new species of Velociraptor (Dinosauria: Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of northern China. In: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Volume 28, No. 2, 2008, pp. 432-438, doi : 10.1671 / 0272-4634 (2008) 28 [432: ANSOVD] 2.0.CO; 2 .
  7. ↑ Phil Senter, Rinchen Barsbold , Brooks B. Britt, David A. Burnham: Systematics and evolution of Dromaeosauridae. In: Bulletin of Gunma Museum of Natural History. Volume 8, 2004, ISSN  1342-4092 , pp. 1-20. (Abstract) ( Memento from July 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  8. ↑ Mark Norell, Peter Makovicky : Dromaeosauridae. In: David B. Weishampel , Peter Dodson , Halszka Osmólska (eds.): The Dinosauria . 2nd Edition. University of California Press, Berkeley CA et al. 2004, ISBN 0-520-24209-2 , pp. 196-209.
  9. ^ Jean Le Loeuff, Eric Buffetaut : A new dromaeosaurid theropod from the Upper Cretaceous of southern France. In: Oryctos. Volume 1, 1998, ISSN  1290-4805 , pp. 105-112, online .
  10. ↑ Phornphen Chanthasit, Eric Buffetaut: New data on the Dromaeosauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of southern France. In: Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. Volume 180, No. 2, 2009, ISSN  0037-9409 , pp. 145-154, doi : 10.2113 / gssgfbull.180.2.145 .
  11. ↑ The Last Years of the Dinosaurs. Episode 3, Escape to the Island .