A unique multitoothed ornithomimosaur dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain

THE Lower Cretaceous lithographic limestones from Las Hoyas (province of Cuenca, Spain) have yielded important vertebrate fossil remains. We report here a new specimen, the first ornithomimosaur theropod found in Europe. Pelecanimimus polyodon gen. et sp. nov., has some striking elements preserved,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1994-08, Vol.370 (6488), p.363-367
Main Authors: Pérez-Moreno, Bernardino P, Luis Sanz, José, Buscalioni, Angela D, Moratalla, José J, Ortega, Francisco, Rasskin-Gutman, Diego
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cretaceous
Dinosaurs
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Fossils
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
multidisciplinary
Paleontology
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Stratigraphy
Vertebrate paleontology
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Summary:THE Lower Cretaceous lithographic limestones from Las Hoyas (province of Cuenca, Spain) have yielded important vertebrate fossil remains. We report here a new specimen, the first ornithomimosaur theropod found in Europe. Pelecanimimus polyodon gen. et sp. nov., has some striking elements preserved, such as the hyoid, sternum and integumentary impressions. The fossil has revealed other unexpected features, including a derived hand in an ancient ornithomimosaur, and a large number of teeth (over 200) with a distinctive morphology. This specimen suggests an alternative evolutionary process towards the toothless condition in Ornithomi-mosauria, which could be explained by an exaptation. Pelecanimimus polyodon stresses the relationship between Troodontidae and Ornithomimosauria.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/370363a0