Ghost Ranch Quarry: Rhaetian, New Mexico
collected by E. H. Colbert 1947-1982
List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Coelacanthimorpha
- Coelacanthiformes
- Mawsoniidae
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Chinlea sorenseni
Schaeffer 1967
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Schaeffer 1967 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
AMNH 5657 | ||||||||||
Reptilia
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Reptilia indet.
Laurenti 1768
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Rinehart et al. 2009 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
NMMNH P-55352 | ||||||||||
Sphenodontidae indet.
Cope 1871
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Rinehart et al. 2004 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
= Whitakersaurus bermani n. gen., n. sp.
Heckert et al. 2008
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Heckert et al. 2008 | |||||||||
NMMNH P-43125, maxillary fragment and incomplete lower jaws | ||||||||||
Reptilia
- Drepanosauridae
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Drepanosauridae indet.
Berman and Reisz 1992
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Renesto et al. 2010 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
NMMNH P-57651, partially articulated hindlimb | ||||||||||
Drepanosauridae indet.
Berman and Reisz 1992
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Harris and Downs 2002 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
GR 1113, pectoral girdle | ||||||||||
= Drepanosaurus sp.
Pinna 1980
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Renesto et al. 2010 | |||||||||
Avicranium renestoi n. gen., n. sp.
Pritchard and Nesbitt 2017
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Pritchard and Nesbitt 2017 | 1 individual | ||||||||
AMNH FARB 30834, partial skull and articulated cervical series | ||||||||||
Reptilia
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Archosauriformes indet.
Gauthier 1986
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Rinehart et al. 2009 | 3 specimens | ||||||||
NMMNH P-41307, 41601, 42571, teeth | ||||||||||
Vancleavea sp.
Long and Murry 1995
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Rinehart et al. 2004 | 3 individuals | ||||||||
= Vancleavea campi
Long and Murry 1995
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Nesbitt et al. 2009 | |||||||||
GR 138, complete skeleton; GR 139, disarticulated skeleton; NMMNH P-55351 | ||||||||||
Eucoelophysis sp.
Sullivan and Lucas 1999
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Rinehart et al. 2009 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
TMP 84-63-33, partial skeleton | ||||||||||
Reptilia
- Coelophysidae
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Coelophysis bauri n. sp.
(Cope 1887)
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Numerus skeletons including designated neotype material for Coelophysis bauri | ||||||||||
Reptilia
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Daemonosaurus chauliodus n. gen., n. sp.
Sues et al. 2011
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Sues et al. 2011 | 1 individual | ||||||||
CM 76821, nearly complete but crushed skull and anterior cervical vertebrae | ||||||||||
Reptilia
- Crocodylomorpha
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Postosuchus kirkpatricki
Chatterjee 1985
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Long and Murry 1995 | 2 specimens | ||||||||
CM 73372, articulated skeleton. GR 1007, ilium | ||||||||||
= Crocodylomorpha indet.
Hay 1930
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Nesbitt 2011 | |||||||||
"unnamed species" | ||||||||||
Reptilia
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Hesperosuchus agilis
Colbert 1952
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Clark et al. 2000 | 2 individuals | ||||||||
CM 29894, skull and articulated partial postcranial skeleton. NMMNH P-57654, osteoderms | ||||||||||
= Hesperosuchus informal unnamed species
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Nesbitt 2011 | |||||||||
= Hesperosuchus cf. agilis
Colbert 1952
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Sachs et al. 2019 | |||||||||
Reptilia
- Shuvosauridae
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Effigia okeeffeae n. gen., n. sp.
Nesbitt and Norell 2006
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Nesbitt and Norell 2006 | 4 individuals | ||||||||
AMNH 30587 (holotype), articulated skeleton. AMNH 30588 -30590, postcranial material | ||||||||||
Reptilia
- Parasuchidae
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Phytosauria indet.
Jaeger 1828
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Hunt and Lucas 1989 | 2 specimens | ||||||||
"Nicrosaurus/Pseudopalatus-grade" | ||||||||||
= Redondasaurus bermani n. sp.
Hunt and Lucas 1993
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Hunt and Lucas 1993 | |||||||||
CM unnumbered, skull. NMMNH P-44920, skull | ||||||||||
Redondasaurus gregorii
Hunt and Lucas 1993
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Lucas et al. 2013 | |||||||||
NMMNH P-44920, skull of juvenile | ||||||||||
Palaeonisciformes
- Redfieldiidae
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aff. Sinorichthyes sp.
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Schaeffer 1967 | 1 specimen | ||||||||
AMNH 5719 | ||||||||||
= Synorichthys cf. stewarti
Schaeffer 1967
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Rinehart et al. 2009 | |||||||||
replaced by Lasalichthys stewarti | ||||||||||
NMMNH P-41417, 41599 | ||||||||||
Ostracoda
- Podocopida
- Darwinulidae
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Darwinula sp.
Brady and Robertson 1885
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Rinehart et al. 2009 | |||||||||
Branchiopoda
- Shipingiidae
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Shipingia sp.
Shen 1976
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Rinehart et al. 2009 | |||||||||
see common names |
Geography
Country: | United States | State/province: | New Mexico | County: | Rio Arriba |
Coordinates: | 36.3° North, 106.5° West (view map) | ||||
Paleocoordinates: | 14.8° North, 46.4° West | ||||
Basis of coordinate: | stated in text | ||||
Altitude: | 2015 meters | ||||
Geographic resolution: | small collection |
Time
Period: | Triassic | Epoch: | Late/Upper Triassic |
Stage: | Rhaetian | 10 m.y. bin: | Triassic 4 |
Key time interval: | Rhaetian | ||
Age range of interval: | 208.50000 - 201.40000 m.y. ago |
Stratigraphy
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: | desiccation cracks,bioturbation,intraclastic,brown,green,red muddy siltstone |
Secondary lithology: | pebbly calcareous conglomerate |
Includes fossils? | Y |
Lithology description: "The quarry itself is in a sequence of 11 siltstone beds...These beds are intensively bioturbated, contain many silt rip-up clasts"; "predominately of reddish-brown, yellowish-brown, and light greenish-grey siltstones interbedded with carbonate pebble conglomerates; 10-20 m of interbedded sandstone and siltstone comprise the top of the section." | |
Environment: | crevasse splay |
Geology comments: "pond [underlying the main quarry layer] represented a topographic depression in which the dinosaurs and associated carcasses accumulated...carcasses were washed into the quarry by a single [flood] event that also ripped up underlying lacustrine siltstones and even introduced some bones into the uppermost level of the lacustrine interval" |
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation: | body |
Lagerst�tten type: | concentrate |
Degree of concentration: | -bonebed |
Size of fossils: | macrofossils,mesofossils,microfossils |
Spatial orientation: | preferred |
Preservation of anatomical detail: | good |
Abundance in sediment: | abundant |
Articulated whole bodies: | some |
Associated major elements: | many |
Disassociated major elements: | many |
Disassociated minor elements: | some |
Size sorting: | medium |
Fragmentation: | occasional |
Encrustation: | none |
Temporal resolution: | snapshot |
Spatial resolution: | autochthonous |
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods: | bulk,selective quarrying,surface (float),surface (in situ),mechanical,field collection,survey of museum collection | ||
Reason for describing collection: | general faunal/floral analysis | ||
Museum repositories: | AMNH,CM,MCZ,YPM | ||
Collectors: | E. H. Colbert | Collection dates: | 1947-1982 |
Collection method comments: 1947 AMNH expedition under E. H. Colbert
Material also in MNA, NMMNH, TMP |
Metadata
Also known as: | Whitaker Quarry, Coelophysis Quarry | ||
Database number: | 48422 | ||
Authorizer: | M. Carrano, A. Dunhill, P. Wagner, R. Butler | Enterer: | M. Carrano, R. Butler, P. Wagner, B. Allen |
Modifier: | M. Carrano | Research group: | taphonomy,vertebrate |
Created: | 2005-03-18 07:59:30 | Last modified: | 2022-06-15 10:00:36 |
Access level: | the public | Released: | 2005-03-18 07:59:30 |
Creative Commons license: | CC BY |
Reference information
Primary reference:
5707. | ETE 1463 | E. H. Colbert. 1947. The little dinosaurs of Ghost Ranch. Natural History 59(9):392-399-427-428 [A. Behrensmeyer/A. Behrensmeyer/A. Murch] |
Secondary references:
65138 | Anonymous. 1947. Earliest dinosaurs. Life 23(6):49-50, 52 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] | |
14440 | ETE | J. M. Clark, H.-D. Sues, and D. M. Berman. 2000. A new specimen of Hesperosuchus agilis from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico and the interrelationships of basal crocodylomorph archosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(4):683-704 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
52402 | E. H. Colbert. 1947. The search for fossils in northern New Mexico. El Palacio 54:209-212 [M. Carrano/A. Murch] | |
15654 | ETE | E. H. Colbert. 1989. The Triassic dinosaur Coelophysis. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 57:1-174 [M. Carrano/K. Maguire/M. Carrano] |
13578 | ETE | E. H. Colbert. 1990. Variation in Coelophysis bauri. In K. Carpenter and P. J. Currie (eds.), Dinosaur Systematics: Perspectives and Approaches, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 81-90 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
14700 | ETE | D. S. G. Covey. 1993. Ontogenetic changes in hind limb proportions within the Ghost Ranch population of Coelophysis bauri. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 13(3, suppl.):31A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
14846 | ETE | A. Downs and J. Davidge. 1997. A choristodere from the Ghost Ranch Coelophysis quarry. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17(3, suppl.):43A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
54100 | D. D. Gillette. 1986. A new place for old bones. Ghost Ranch Journal 1(1):2-6 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] | |
31994 | J. D. Harris and A. Downs. 2002. A drepanosaurid pectoral girdle from the Ghost Ranch (Whitaker) Coelophysis Quarry (Chinle Group, Rock Point Formation, Rhaetian), New Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(1):70-75 [R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
31961 | A. B. Heckert, S. G. Lucas, R. M. Sullivan, A. P. Hunt, and J. A. Spielmann. 2005. The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Triassic (Revueltian: early-mid Norian) Painted Desert Member (Petrified Forest Formation: Chinle Group) in the Chama Basin, northern New Mexico. In S. G. Lucas, K. E. Ziegler, V. W. Lueth, & D. E. Owen (eds.), New Mexico Geological Society, 56th Field Conference Guidebook, Geology of the Chama Basin 56:302-318 [R. Butler/R. Butler/M. Carrano] | |
78473 | A. B. Heckert, S. G. Lucas, R. M. Sullivan and A. P. Hunt. 2005. New Mexico’s Triassic dinosaur district. In S. G. Lucas, K. E. Zeigler, V. W. Lueth, & D. E. Owen (eds.), New Mexico Geological Society, 56th Field Conference, Geology of the Chama Basin 56:34-36 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] | |
24941 | ETE | A. B. Heckert and S. G. Lucas. 2006. Micro- and small vertebrate biostratigraphy and biochronology of the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, southwestern USA. In J. D. Harris, S. G. Lucas, J. A. Spielmann, M. G. Lockley, A. R. C. Milner, J. I. Kirkland (eds.), The Triassic-Jurassic Terrestrial Transition. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 37:94-104 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/P. Wagner] |
27834 | ETE | A. B. Heckert, S. G. Lucas, L. F. Rinehart and A. P. Hunt. 2008. A new genus and species of sphenodontian from the Ghost Ranch Coelophysis Quarry (Upper Triassic: Apachean), Rock Point Formation, New Mexico, USA. Palaeontology 51(4):827-845 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
5928 | ETE 1709 | A. P. Hunt and A. G. Lucas. 1989. Late Triassic vertebrate localities in New Mexico. In S. G. Lucas and A. P. Hunt (eds.), Dawn of the Age of Dinosaurs in the American Southwest, New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque 72-101 [A. Behrensmeyer/A. Behrensmeyer/M. Carrano] |
13902 | ETE | A. P. Hunt and S. G. Lucas. 1991. Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 65(1/2):191-198 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/J. Alroy] |
13904 | ETE | A. P. Hunt and S. G. Lucas. 1993. Stratigraphy and vertebrate paleontology of the Chinle Group (Upper Triassic), Chama Basin, north-central New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 2:61-69 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
28127 | ETE | A. P. Hunt and S. G. Lucas. 1993. A new phytosaur (Reptilia: Archosauria) genus from the uppermost Triassic of the western United States and its biochonological significance. In S. G. Lucas and M. Morales (eds.), The Nonmarine Triassic. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 3:193-196 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
31825 | A. P. Hunt and S. G. Lucas. 1993. Triassic vertebrate paleontology and biochronology of New Mexico. In S. G. Lucas & J. Zidek (ed.), Vertebrate Paleontology in New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 2:49-60 [R. Butler/R. Butler/M. Carrano] | |
66249 | S. E. Jasinski. 2011. Biomechanical modeling of Coelophysis bauri: possible feeding methods and behavior of a Late Triassic theropod. In R. M. Sullivan, S. G. Lucas, & J. A. Spielmann (eds.), Fossil Record 3. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 53:195-201 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] | |
21437 | B. S. Kues. 1982. Fossils of New Mexico 1-226 [G. Webster/G. Webster/M. Carrano] | |
14122 | ETE | R. A. Long and P. A. Murry. 1995. Late Triassic (Carnian and Norian) Tetrapods from the Southwestern United States. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 4:1-254 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/P. Wagner] |
36695 | ETE | S. G. Lucas. 1993. The Upper Triassic Chinle Group, western United States. In S. G. Lucas & M. Morales (ed.), The Nonmarine Triassic. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 3:G2-G12 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
44702 | S. G. Lucas. 1993. The Chinle Group: revised stratigraphy and biochronology of Upper Triassic nonmarine strata in the western United States. In M. Morales (ed.), Aspects of Mesozoic Geology and Paleontology of the Colorado Plateau. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 59:27-50 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] | |
66842 | S. G. Lucas, J. A. Spielmann, and L. F. Rinehart. 2013. Juvenile skull of the phytosaur Redondasaurus from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico, and phytosaur ontogeny. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 61:389-400 [A. Dunhill/B. Allen] | |
27232 | ETE | S. G. Lucas, K. E. Ziegler, A. B. Heckert and A. P. Hunt. 2003. Upper Triassic stratigraphy and biostratigraphy, Chama Basin, north-central New Mexico. In K. E. Ziegler, A. B. Heckert, & S. G. Lucas (eds.), Paleontology and Geology of the Upper Triassic (Revueltian) Snyder Quarry, New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 24:15-39 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
35983 | S. J. Nesbitt. 2011. The early evolution of archosaurs: relationships and the origin of major clades. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 353:1-292 [R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
16546 | ETE | S. J. Nesbitt and M. A. Norell. 2006. Extreme convergence in the body plans of an early suchian (Archosauria) and ornithomimid dinosaurs (Theropoda). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
31327 | S. J. Nesbitt, M. R. Stocker, B. J. Small and A. Downs. 2009. The osteology and relationships of Vancleavea campi (Reptilia: Archosauriformes). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 157:814-864 [R. Butler/R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
66007 | A. C. Pritchard and S. J. Nesbitt. 2017. A bird-like skull in a Triassic diapsid reptile increases heterogeneity of the morphological and phylogenetic radiation of Diapsida. Royal Society Open Science 4:170499 [R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
32240 | S. Renesto, J. A. Spielmann, S. G. Lucas and G. T. Spagnoli. 2010. The taxonomy and paleobiology of the Late Triassic (Carnian-Norian: Adamanian-Apachean) drepanosaurs (Diapsida: Archosauromorpha: Drepanosauromorpha). New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 46:1-81 [R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
14813 | ETE | L. Rinehart, A. P. Hunt, S. G. Lucas, A. B. Heckert, and J. Smith. 2005. New evidence of cannibalism in the Late Triassic (Apachean) dinosaur, Coelophysis bauri (Theropoda: Ceratosauria). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(3, suppl.):105A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
14438 | ETE | L. F. Rinehart, A. B. Heckert, S. G. Lucas and A. P. Hunt. 2004. Taphonomic implications of the microstratigraphy and fauna of a single block from the Late Triassic Whitaker (Coelophysis) Quarry (Rock Point Formation: Chinle Group), north-central New Mexico. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 36(5):64 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
14439 | ETE | L. F. Rinehart, A. B. Heckert, and S. G. Lucas. 2004. Ostracodes and conchostracans from the Upper Triassic Whitabker Quarry, Rock Point Formation, Chinle Group, north-central New Mexico. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 36(4):6 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
58658 | L. F. Rinehart, S. G. Lucas, A. B. Heckert and A. P. Hunt. 2004. Vision characteristics of Coelophysis bauri based on sclerotic ring, orbit, and skull morphology. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3, suppl.):104A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] | |
24961 | ETE | L. F. Rinehart, S. G. Lucas, and A. P. Hunt. 2007. Furculae in the Late Triassic theropod dinosaur Coelophysis bauri. Palaeontologische Zeitschrift 81(2):174-180 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
32134 | L. F. Rinehart, S. G. Lucas, A. B. Heckert, J. A. Spielmann, and M. D. Celeskey. 2009. The paleobiology of Coelophysis bauri (Cope) from the Upper Triassic (Apachean) Whitaker quarry, New Mexico, with detailed analysis of a single quarry block. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 45:1-260 [R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
25845 | ETE | B. T. Roach and D. L. Brinkman. 2007. A reevaluation of cooperative pack hunting and gregariousness in Deinonychus antirrhopus and other nonavian theropod dinosaurs. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 48(1):103-138 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
71489 | S. Sachs, M. M. Johnson, M. T. Young and P. Abel. 2019. The mystery of Mystriosaurus: Redescribing the poorly known Early Jurassic teleosauroid thalattosuchians Mystriosaurus laurillardi and Steneosaurus brevior. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 64(3):565-579 [G. Lloyd/G. Lloyd/G. Varnham] | |
43410 | B. Schaeffer. 1967. Late Triassic fishes from the western United States. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 135(6):285-342 [R. Butler/R. Butler] | |
5706 | ETE 1462 | H. L. Schwartz and Gillette, D.D. 1994. Geology and Taphonomy of the Coelophysis Quarry, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 68(5):1118-1130 [A. Behrensmeyer/A. Behrensmeyer/J. Alroy] |
28931 | ETE | D. K. Smith and A. Merrill. 2006. Facial variation in Coelophysis bauri and the status of Megapnosaurus (Syntarsus). In J. D. Harris, S. G. Lucas, J. A. Spielmann, M. G. Lockley, A. R. C. Milner, & J. I. Kirkland (eds.), The Triassic-Jurassic Terrestrial Transition. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 37:592-598 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |
35814 | H.-D. Sues, S. J. Nesbitt, D. S. Berman and A. C. Henrici. 2011. A late-surviving basal theropod dinosaur from the latest Triassic of North America. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278:3459-3464 [R. Butler/R. Butler/M. Carrano] | |
37966 | S. P. Welles. 1972. Fossil-hunting for tetrapods in the Chinle Formation: a brief pictorial history. In C. S. Breed & W. J. Breed (ed.), Investigations in the Triassic Chinle Formation. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 47:13-18 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano] |