Megalosaurus
209985319
A Palaeogravity calculation based on weight and mass estimates of Megalosaurus bucklandii.
The dinosaur specimen chosen for this study of palaeogravity was Megalosaurus bucklandii BMNH 31806. 1 See for example: Harle (1911) Kort (1947) Pennycuick (1992, 2008, 2016) Hurrell (1994, 2011, 2012, 2014a, 2014b, 2018, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c, 2019d, 2019e, 2019f) Carey (2000) Amirmardfar (2000, 2012, 2016) Erickson (2001) Sato et al (2009) Scalera (2003a, 2003b) Strutinski (2012, 2016a, 2016b) and Maxlow (2014) Abstract
Stephen W Hurrell
53517395
X ray computed tomography (XCT) and chemical analysis (EDX and XRF) used in conjunction for cultural conservation: the case of the earliest scientifically described dinosaur Megalosaurus bucklandii
This paper demonstrates the combined use of X ray computed tomography (XCT) energy dispersive X ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X ray fluorescence (XRF) to evaluate the conservational history of the dentary (lower jaw) of Megalosaurus bucklandii Mantell, 1827, the first scientifically described dinosaur. Previous analysis using XCT revealed that the specimen had undergone at least two phases of repair using two different kinds of plaster, although their composition remained undetermined. Additional chemical analysis using EDX and XRF has allowed the determination of the composition of these unidentified plasters, revealing that they are of similar composition, composed dominantly of 'plaster of Paris' mixed with quartz sand and calcite, potentially from the matrix material of the Stonesfield Slate, with the trace presence of chlorine. One of the plasters unusually contains the pigment minium (naturally occurring lead tetroxide; Pb22+Pb4+O4) whilst the other seems to have an additional coating of barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)2) indicating that these likely represent two separate stages of repair. The potential of this combined approach for evaluating problematic museum objects for conservation is further discussed as is its usage in cultural heritage today.
Heritage Science
P F Wilson M Paul Smith J Hay Jason M Warnett Alex Attridge M A Williams
56302027
A Four Legged Megalosaurus and Swimming Brontosaurs A Brief History of Paradigm Shifts within Dinosaur Paleontology
Thomas Kuhn in his famous work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions laid out the framework for his theory of how science changes. At the advent of dinosaur paleontology fossil hunters like Gideon Mantell discovered some of the first dinosaurs like Iguanodon and Megalosaurus. Through new disciples like Georges Cuvier's comparative anatomy lead early dinosaur paleontologist to reconstruct them like giant reptiles of absurd proportions. This lead to the formation of a new paradigm that prehistoric animals like dinosaurs existed and eventually went extinct. The first reconstructions of dinosaur made them to look like giant counterparts of their modern cousins. Then in 1841, Richard Owen coined the term dinosaur, and put the newly discovered dinosaurs into a special group based on similar morphological characteristics. He reconstructed them to look like giant elephant like reptiles. They were slow, sluggish, and their tales dragged the ground. Then in 1858, William Foulke and Joseph Leidy discovered the dinosaur Hadrosaurus which had morphological characteristics that hindered the animal from being quadrupedal. As a result a new paradigm was formed and some dinosaurs were lifted off the ground. They were reconstructed to look like giant reptilian kangaroos in stance, but they were still considered slow, sluggish, with tails still dragging behind them. This paradigm persisted until the 1960's when paleontologist John Ostrom realized that there was an anomaly within dinosaur paleontology. The environments that dinosaurs inhabited did not match with the reconstructions of swamp dwelling animals, and dinosaur anatomy also did not match those reconstructions. Ostrom's discovery and description of Deinonychus with its very bird like skeleton lead him to conclude that dinosaurs were energetic, and probably endothermic. This resulted in a crisis which lead other paleontologist to research this anomaly. More discoveries proved Ostrom's new paradigm and dinosaur paleontology underwent a scientific revolution from the 1960's to the 1980's. Formally termed the dinosaur renaissance this revolution lead to dinosaurs being reconstructed as active, intelligent animals no longer with their tails dragging behind them.
Jordan C Oldham
90484041
A Four Legged Megalosaurus and Swimming Brontosaurs
Thomas Kuhn in his famous work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions laid out the framework for his theory of how science changes. At the advent of dinosaur paleontology fossil hunters like Gideon Mantell discovered some of the first dinosaurs like Iguanodon and Megalosaurus. Through new disciples like Georges Cuvier's comparative anatomy lead early dinosaur paleontologist to reconstruct them like giant reptiles of absurd proportions. This lead to the formation of a new paradigm that prehistoric animals like dinosaurs existed and eventually went extinct. The first reconstructions of dinosaur made them to look like giant counterparts of their modern cousins. Then in 1841, Richard Owen coined the term dinosaur, and put the newly discovered dinosaurs into a special group based on similar morphological characteristics. He reconstructed them to look like giant elephant like reptiles. They were slow, sluggish, and their tales dragged the ground. Then in 1858, William Foulke and Joseph Leidy discovered the dinosaur Hadrosaurus which had morphological characteristics that hindered the animal from being quadrupedal. As a result a new paradigm was formed and some dinosaurs were lifted off the ground. They were reconstructed to look like giant reptilian kangaroos in stance, but they were still considered slow, sluggish, with tails still dragging behind them. This paradigm persisted until the 1960's when paleontologist John Ostrom realized that there was an anomaly within dinosaur paleontology. The environments that dinosaurs inhabited did not match with the reconstructions of swamp dwelling animals, and dinosaur anatomy also did not match those reconstructions. Ostrom's discovery and description of Deinonychus with its very bird like skeleton lead him to conclude that dinosaurs were energetic, and probably endothermic. This resulted in a crisis which lead other paleontologist to research this anomaly. More discoveries proved Ostrom's new paradigm and dinosaur paleontology underwent a scientific revolution from the 1960's to the 1980's. Formally termed the dinosaur renaissance this revolution lead to dinosaurs being reconstructed as active, intelligent animals no longer with their tails dragging behind them.
Jordan C Oldham
38102669
Utilizing X ray computed tomography for heritage conservation: The case of Megalosaurus bucklandii
Of key importance to any cultural institution is the practice of conservation, the method by which specimens at risk of severe degradation or destruction are treated to ensure that they survive into the future. However, surface inspection is often insufficient to properly inform conservators of the best treatment approach, and where there is little to no record of the conservational history of an object it can be difficult to identify exactly what form of conservation has been undertaken. X Ray Computed Tomography (XCT) grants a way to overcome these issues by allowing conservators to non destructively investigate the subsurface details of an artefact to provide essential information on condition of a specimen. Here, the potential of this approach is demonstrated using the first XCT scans of the iconic dentary of Megalosaurus bucklandii Mantell, 1827 (1) the first dinosaur ever named and described scientifically. XCT analysis reveals that the degree of repair is less extensive than previously thought and also elucidates two different material types, M1 and M2, thought to be representative of at least two phases of repair. Finally the potential of this approach is further explored, highlighting its importance for conservation practice, identifying forgeries and hoaxes in addition to potential applications in public engagement.
2017 IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC)
P F Wilson M A Williams Jason M Warnett Alex Attridge Hilary F Ketchum J Hay M Paul Smith
91138540
New light on the history of Megalosaurus, the great lizard of Stonesfield
Early reports of large bones from slate mines in the Middle Jurassic rocks at Stonesfield, Oxfordshire are reviewed, along with previously unpublished accounts of the workings. The material that fo.
Elizabeth Howlett William James Kennedy H Philip Powell Hugh S Torrens
131581427
"Megalosaurus cf. superbus" from southeastern Romania: the oldest known Cretaceous carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and its implications for earliest Cretaceous Europe Gondwana connections
Abstract Some of the best records of continental vertebrates from the Cretaceous of Europe come from Romania, particularly two well known occurrences of dwarfed and morphologically aberrant dinosaurs and other taxa that lived on islands (the Cornet and Hateg Island faunas) Substantially less is known about those vertebrates living in the more stable, cratonic regions of Romania (and Eastern Europe as a whole) particularly during the earliest Cretaceous. We describe one of the few early Early Cretaceous fossils that have ever been found from these regions, the tooth of a large theropod dinosaur from Southern Dobrogea, which was discovered over a century ago but whose age and identification have been controversial. We identify the specimen as coming from the Valanginian stage of the Early Cretaceous, an incredibly poorly sampled interval in global dinosaur evolution, and as belonging to Carcharodontosauridae, a clade of derived, large bodied apex predators whose earliest Cretaceous history is poorly known. Quantitative analyses demonstrate that the Romanian tooth shows affinities with a derived carcharodontosaurid subgroup, the Carcharodontosaurinae, which until now has been known solely from Gondwana. Our results suggest that this subgroup of colossal predators did not evolve vicariantly as Laurasia split from Gondwana, but originated earlier, perhaps in Europe. The carcharodontosaurine diversification may have been tied to a north to south trans Tethyan dispersal that took place sometime between the Valanginian and the Aptian, illustrating the importance of palaeogeographic ties between these two realms during the largely mysterious early mid Early Cretaceous.
Zoltan Csiki-Sava Stephen L Brusatte Stefan Vasile
84266680
A description of Megalosaurus bucklandii (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Bathonian of the UK and the relationships of Middle Jurassic theropods
Megalosaurus bucklandii (Dinosauria: Theropoda) the oldest named dinosaur taxon, from the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) of England, is a valid taxon diagnosed by a unique character combination of the lectotype dentary. Abundant referred material is described and several autapomorphies are identified: ventral surfaces of first and third to fifth sacral centra evenly rounded, ventral surface of second sacral centrum bearing longitudinal, angular ridge; dorsally directed flange around midheight on the scapular blade; an array of posterodorsally inclined grooves on the lateral surface of the median iliac ridge; anteroposteriorly thick ischial apron with an almost flat medial surface; and complementary groove and ridge structures on the articular surfaces between metatarsals II and III. A new phylogenetic analysis focuses on basal tetanurans and includes 41 taxa, six of which have never been included in a cladistic analysis, and 213 characters, 29 of which are new. This is the first phylogenetic analysis to focus on basal tetanuran relationships, and it reveals several new results. Megalosauroidea Spinosauroidea) includes two clades, basal to the traditional content of Megalosauridae Spinosauridae. These comprise Xuanhanosaurus, Marshosaurus, Condorraptor Piatnitzkysaurus and Chuandongocoelurus Monolophosaurus. Almost all large bodied Middle Jurassic theropods are megalosauroids, but Poekilopleuron is an allosauroid. Megalosauroids show geographical differentiation among clades, indicating the development of endemic theropod faunas across Pangaea during the Middle Jurassic. Notably, megalosaurids are not known from outside of Europe during this epoch. Megalosauroids are less diverse and abundant during the Late Jurassic, when most theropods are neotetanurans and allosauroids dominate the large bodied predator niche. This indicates faunal turnover between the Middle and Late Jurassic.
Roger B J Benson
87394881
Opinion 2269 (Case 3487) Megalosaurus crenatissimus Deperet, 1896 (currently Majungasaurus crenatissimus; Dinosauria, Theropoda) designation of a neotype
Abstract. The prevailing usage and concept of the species Megalosaurus crenatissimus Deperet, 1896 (currently Majungasaurus crenatissimus) has been conserved by replacement of the existing, non diagnostic holotype with a neotype.
The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature
140647073
AN ASSESSMENT OF VARIABILITY IN THEROPOD DINOSAUR REMAINS FROM THE BATHONIAN (MIDDLE JURASSIC) OF STONESFIELD AND NEW PARK QUARRY, UK AND TAXONOMIC IMPLICATIONS FOR MEGALOSAURUS BUCKLANDII AND ILIOSUCHUS INCOGNITUS
The assemblage of large bodied theropod remains from the Taynton Limestone Formation (middle Bathonian) of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire and the Chipping Norton Limestone Formation (lowest Bathonian) of New Park Quarry, Gloucestershire, UK is interpreted as monospecific. An assessment of morphological variation in theropod fossils from these localities reveals no taxonomically significant variation among remains representing large bodied individuals. Previous observations of anatomical variation among femora, ilia and scapulocoracoids are attributed to postmortem damage and deformation. Referral of all such material to the first named dinosaur taxon, Megalosaurus bucklandii Mantell, is therefore justified. 'Iliosuchus incognitus' lacks autapomorphies and is a nomen dubium. However, other remains of small bodied theropods from Stonesfield indicate a minimum of two small bodied taxa that are distinct from M. bucklandii.
Roger B J Benson