Paleobiogeographic evolution and distribution of Carcharodontosauridae (Dinosauria, Theropoda) during the middle Cretaceous of North Africa
AUTOR(ES)
Candeiro, Carlos Roberto dos Anjos, Brusatte, Stephen Louis, Vidal, Luciano, Pereira, Paulo Victor Luiz Gomes da Costa
FONTE
Pap. Avulsos Zool.
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
26/07/2018
RESUMO
Abstract Over the last few decades, the systematics and evolution of carcharodontosaurids, a group of large predatory dinosaurs, from North Africa have been better understood mainly due the discovery of new species. We review this record here and discuss its importance for understanding the evolution and ecology of these dinosaurs. North Africa has one of the best records of carcharodontosaurid species. These species show dietary specializations and paleogeographic distributions similar to other top predatory theropods such as Abelisauridae and Spinosauridae. However, carcharodontosaurids have a wider distribution than other large theropods. The middle Cretaceous of North Africa was characterized by the niche overlap between large predators. This evidence increases our understanding of the evolution of Carcharodontosauridae in a highly competitive region, a conjuncture rarely reported for large top predators.
Documentos Relacionados
- A new small deinonychosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagônia, Argentina
- Note on the paleobiogeography of Compsognathidae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and its paleoecological implications
- Early Cretaceous mammal from North America and the evolution of marsupial dental characters.
- A new saurolophine hadrosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Shandong, China
- A new dinosaur (Theropoda, Spinosauridae) from the Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Alcântara Formation, Cajual Island, Brazil