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Episode 334: A brand new abelisaurid that “causes worry”

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    Episode 334 is all about Erketu, a titanosaur with some significantly lengthy neck vertebrae.

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    On this episode, we focus on:

    Information:

    • A brand new abelisaurid named Llukalkan was present in Patagonia together with a virtually full cranium supply

    • Evaluation of the cretaceous rock in Mongolia reveals a local weather much like Southern California supply
    • In Fujian Province, China, scientists have discovered a “dinosaur dance flooring” with over 600 tracks uncovered thus far supply
    • A big theropod monitor was discovered on the Yorkshire coast of England supply

    • The T. rex Trix was scanned, 3D printed at full scale, and assembled for a brand new dinosaur museum in Nagasaki, Japan supply
    • The Missouri Institute of Pure Science in Springfield is having a raptor run supply
    • Dinosaur Nationwide Monument is reopening the Quarry Exhibit Corridor on Could 1 supply

    • McAllen, Texas has a Dinos and Dragons Journey Park from now till Could 15 supply
    • St. Louis Put up Dispatch shared 5 locations individuals can dig for dinosaurs and different prehistoric animals supply
    • Common Studios Hollywood just lately up to date Jurassic World – The Experience to incorporate a 55ft lengthy Indominus preventing T. rex supply

    The dinosaur of the day: Erketu

    • Somphospondylan (titanosauriform) sauropod that lived within the Late Cretaceous in what’s now Mongolia (Bayan Shireh Formation)
    • Appears to be like titanosaur-like, with columnar legs and a really lengthy neck

    • Had a really lengthy neck relative to its physique dimension (based mostly on its elongate cervical vertebrae)
    • Neck estimated to be twice so long as its physique
    • Don’t know what number of vertebrae within the neck, solely that every one was very lengthy (however Daniel Ksepka estimated 14 or 15)

    • Vertebra lengths ranged from 6.3 in (160 mm) to 19.2 in (489 mm)
    • Had air cavities within the neck and bigger vertebrae had a V-shaped notch
    • Cervical neural spines have been deeply bifurcated (5 via 9)

    • Described in 2006 by Daniel Ksepka and Mark Norell
    • Ksepka mentioned, “It’s nearly like having a bungee twine holding the neck up”
    • Norell mentioned, “On the weirdo index, that is fairly bizarre”

    • No cranium discovered
    • Herbivorous and doubtless a excessive browser, with its lengthy neck
    • Sort species is Erketu ellisoni

    • Genus identify is after Erketü, a type of the god Tengri (from Mongolian shamanism); Erketu Tengri is the Mighty Tengri, a creator-god who referred to as Yesugei, the daddy of Genghis Khan, into being
    • Species identify is in honor of Mick Ellison, for his contributions to ongoing AMNH dinosaur analysis
    • Fossils discovered throughout a subject expedition in 2002 and 2003, as a part of an American Museum of Pure Historical past and Mongolian Academy of Sciences expedition

    • Crew discovered new locality Bor Guvé within the Bayan Shireh Formation
    • Referred fossils described in 2010 (discovered three extra cervicals in 2003)
    • Fossils discovered embrace 8 cervical vertebrae (discovered articulated first via fifth cervical vertebrae and partial sixth, then later 3 extra articulated cervical vertebrae, 7, 8, and 9), a part of the fitting sternum, tibia, and fibula, with astragalus and calcaneum (ankle and heel bones)

    • One of many first sauropods described from the Bayan Shireh Formation
    • Estimated to be 49 ft (15 m) lengthy and weigh 11,000 lb; although no dorsal vertebrae discovered (however hindlimb materials helped with estimate)
    • Proper hindlimb bones discovered are much like Gobititan, a titanosauriform present in China

    • Fibula was longer than the tibia, however damaged on the finish
    • Shut relative of Euhelopus (sauropod present in China with forelimbs longer than hindlimbs)
    • Lived close to lakes and rivers, on a floodplain, in a semi-arid local weather

    • Different dinosaurs that lived across the identical time and place included the dromaeosaur Achillobator, the hadrosauroid Gobihadros, the ankylosaur Talarurus, the therizinosaurs Erlikosaurus and Segnosaurus
    • Additionally discovered with fossilized fruits (that resemble okra), and turtles

    Enjoyable Truth: Stegosaurus had alternating plates on its again, however different stegosaurs have been discovered with pairs of plates.

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