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Lecho Formation
The Lecho Formation is a geological Formation (geology), formation in the Salta Basin of the provinces Jujuy Province, Jujuy and Salta Province, Salta of northwestern Argentina. Its strata date back to the Maastrichtian, Early Maastrichtian, and is a unit of the Salta Group. The fine-grained bioturbation, bioturbated sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial to lacustrine coastal plain depositional environment, environment. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.Weishampel et al., 2004, "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, South America)." pp. 600-604 According to Frankfurt and Chiappe (1999), the Lecho Formation is composed of reddish sandstones. The Lecho is part of the Upper/Late Cretaceous Balbuena Subgroup (Salta Group), which is a near-border stratigraphic unit of the Andean sedimentary basin. Fossils from this formation include the titanosaur ''Saltasaurus'' along with a variety of Bird, avian and non-avian thero ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geological Formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics (lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exposed in a geographical region (the stratigraphic column). It is the fundamental unit of lithostratigraphy, the study of strata or rock layers. A formation must be large enough that it can be mapped at the surface or traced in the subsurface. Formations are otherwise not defined by the thickness (geology), thickness of their rock strata, which can vary widely. They are usually, but not universally, tabular in form. They may consist of a single lithology (rock type), or of alternating beds of two or more lithologies, or even a heterogeneous mixture of lithologies, so long as this distinguishes them from adjacent bodies of rock. The concept of a geologic formation goes back to the beginnings of modern scientific geology. The term was used by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saltasaurus
''Saltasaurus'' (which means "lizard from Salta") is a genus of saltasaurid dinosaur of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period of Argentina. Small among sauropods, though still heavy by the standards of modern creatures, ''Saltasaurus'' was characterized by a short neck and stubby limbs. It was the first genus of sauropod known to possess Armour (zoology), armour of bony plates embedded in its skin. Such small bony plates, called osteoderms, have since been found on other titanosaurians. Discovery The fossils of ''Saltasaurus'' were excavated by José Bonaparte, Martín Vince and Juan C. Leal between 1975 and 1977 at the Estancia "El Brete". The find was in 1977 reported in the scientific literature. ''Saltasaurus'' was named and described by Bonaparte and Jaime E. Powell in 1980. The type species is ''Saltasaurus loricatus''. Its generic name is derived from Salta Province, the region of north-west Argentina where the first fossils were recovered. The specific name (zoolo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abelisaur
Ceratosaurs are members of the clade Ceratosauria, a group of dinosaurs defined as all theropods sharing a more recent common ancestor with '' Ceratosaurus'' than with birds. The oldest known ceratosaur, '' Saltriovenator'', dates to the earliest part of the Jurassic, around 199 million years ago. Ceratosauria includes three major clades: Ceratosauridae, Noasauridae, and Abelisauridae, found primarily (though not exclusively) in the Southern Hemisphere. Originally, Ceratosauria included the above dinosaurs plus the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Coelophysoidea and Dilophosauridae, implying a much earlier divergence of ceratosaurs from other theropods. However, most recent studies have shown that coelophysoids and dilophosaurids do not form a natural group with other ceratosaurs, and are excluded from this group. Ceratosauria derives its names from the type species, '' Ceratosaurus nasicornis'', described by O.C. Marsh in 1884. A moderately large predator from the Late Ju ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noasauridae
Noasauridae is an extinct family of theropod dinosaurs belonging to the group Ceratosauria. They were closely related to the short-armed Abelisauridae, abelisaurids, although most noasaurids had much more traditional body types generally similar to other theropods. Their heads, on the other hand, had unusual adaptations depending on the subfamily. 'Traditional' noasaurids, sometimes grouped in the subfamily Noasaurinae, had sharp teeth which splayed outwards from a downturned lower jaw. The most complete and well-known example of these kinds of noasaurids was ''Masiakasaurus knopfleri'' from Madagascar. Another group, Elaphrosaurinae, has also been placed within Noasauridae by some studies. Elaphrosaurines developed toothless jaws and Herbivore, herbivorous diets, at least as adults. The most complete and well known elaphrosaurine was ''Limusaurus, Limusaurus inextricabilis''. At least some noasaurids had Skeletal pneumaticity, pneumatised cervical vertebrae.Arthur Souza Brum, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noasaurus
''Noasaurus'' ("Northwestern Argentina lizard") is a genus of Ceratosauria, ceratosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of Argentina. The Type species, type and only species is ''N. leali''. The fragmentary holotype specimen of ''Noasaurus'', PVL 4061, consisting of a few cranial and postcranial bones, was discovered from strata from the Lecho Formation of Southern Salta in 1975 by a team lead by José Fernando Bonaparte. When described by Bonaparte and in PhD student Jaime Powell in 1980, it was believed to be a Coelurosauria, coelurosaur theropod and assigned to a Family (biology), family of its own; this family, Noasauridae, still exists, though has been reassigned to Ceratosauria. ''Noasaurus'' was a fairly small theropod, with PVL 4061 measuring somewhere between in length. Initially, it was believed that two strongly curved Ungual, unguals (claws) found alongside the holotype were evidence of raptorial foot claws, like those of Dromaeosauridae, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martinavis
''Martinavis'' is a genus of enantiornithine birds which existed in what is now southern France, North America and Salta Province, Argentina during the late Cretaceous period. It was named by Cyril A. Walker, Eric Buffetaut and Gareth J. Dyke in 2007, and the type species is ''Martinavis cruzyensis''. Description ''M. cruzyensis'' is known from the holotype ACAP-M 1957, a complete uncrushed right humerus, recovered from the Massecaps locality, Cruzy, which is in a Campanian/Maastrichtian-stage deposits in the Grès à Reptiles Formation of France. This species reached in length, in hip height and in weight. A second species, ''M. vincei'' is known from the holotype PVL 4054, a complete left humerus and from the associated paratype PVL 4059, a distal end of left humerus, recovered from the El Brete locality (Maastrichtian age), Lecho Formation of Argentina. A possible third species is represented by the unnamed specimen KU-NM-37 from United States. In 2009, three addit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lectavis Bretincola Reconstruction By Lauren Helton
''Lectavis'' is a genus of enantiornithine avialan. Their fossil bones have been recovered from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian, c. 70.6 – 66 mya) Lecho Formation at ''estancia'' El Brete, Argentina. The genus contains a single species, ''Lectavis bretincola''. Etymology It's naming means "Lecho Formation bird living at El Brete". ''Lectavis'', after Latin ''lectus'' ("bed") = Spanish ''lecho'' + Latin ''avis'', "bird". ''bretincola'', after the type locality ''estancia'' El Brete + Latin ''incola'', "inhabitant". Description The presently only known fossil bones ( PVL-4021-1) are mostly of the left tibiotarsus (lower leg) and tarsometatarsus (upper foot) of a single individual. ''L. bretincola'' was a sizeable bird, with a tibiotarsus and a tarsometatarsus which if complete must have been nearly long (Chiappe 1993). This remains indicate an animal with a length of , hip height of , and weight of . It possesses a hypotarsus, which it evolved autapomorphically fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Enantiornis
''Enantiornis'' is a genus of Enantiornithes. The type and only currently accepted species ''E. leali'' is from the Late Cretaceous Lecho Formation at El Brete, Argentina. It was described from specimen PVL-4035, a coracoid, proximal scapula and proximal humerus found close to each other and suspected to represent the left shoulder of a single individual. Description The genus and the larger group it belongs to, get their name from the reversed scapula-coracoid connection they possess compared to modern birds and the hesperornithids that were their contemporaries: Enanti "opposite", ornis is "bird". Another left shoulder and wing, almost complete and found associated in one lump of rock, as well as a few isolated bones were also assigned to this species mainly based on size. It is among the largest enantiornithines discovered to date, with a length in life of around , hip height of , weight of , and wingspan comparable to herring gulls, around . Its ecological niche resembl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Enantiornithes
The Enantiornithes, also known as enantiornithines or enantiornitheans in literature, are a group of extinct Avialae, avialans ("birds" in the broad sense), the most abundant and diverse group known from the Mesozoic era. Almost all retained teeth and clawed fingers on each wing, but otherwise looked much like modern birds externally. Over seventy species of Enantiornithes have been named, but some names represent only single bones, so it is likely that not all are valid. The Enantiornithes became extinct at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, along with Hesperornithes and all other non-avian dinosaurs. Discovery and naming The first Enantiornithes to be discovered were incorrectly referred to modern bird groups. For example, the first known species of Enantiornithes, ''Gobipteryx minuta'', was originally considered a paleognath related to ostriches and tinamou. The Enantiornithes were first recognized as a distinct lineage, or "subclass" of birds, by Cyril A. Walker in 1981. W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elbretornis
''Elbretornis'' is an extinct genus of enantiornithine which existed in what is now Salta Province, Argentina during the late Cretaceous period. Etymology It was named by Cyril A. Walker and Gareth J. Dyke in 2009, and the type and so far only species is ''Elbretornis bonapartei''. The generic name refers to the " El Brete" locality, where the fossil remains were found, and the Greek word for "bird" (''ornis''). The specific name honors José Bonaparte. Description It is known from the holotype PVL 4022, left humerus and associated right radius, ulna, scapula, coracoid, and tibiotarsus, recovered from the El Brete locality (Maastrichtian age), Lecho Formation of Argentina. The holotype indicates an animal with a length of , hip height of , and weight of . Taxonomy As few elements are known from ''Elbretornis'', it might actually belong to one of the El Brete enantiornithines known only from leg bones and described earlier, namely ''Lectavis ''Lectavis'' is a genus o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic Geological period, period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the #Evolutionary history, evolution of dinosaurs is a subject of active research. They became the dominant terrestrial vertebrates after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event 201.3 mya and their dominance continued throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record shows that birds are feathered dinosaurs, Evolution of birds, having evolved from earlier Theropoda, theropods during the Late Jurassic epoch, and are the only dinosaur lineage known to have survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event approximately 66 mya. Dinosaurs can therefore be divided into avian dinosaurs—birds—and the extinct non-avian dinosaurs, which are all dinosaurs other than birds. Dinosaurs are varied from taxonomy (biology), taxonomic, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
