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Thesis
First Occurrence of Gargoyleosaurus (Dinosauria: Ankylosauria) in Utah: the Importance of Osteoderms for the Purpose of Taxonomy
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Mar 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001583
Abstract
Ankylosaurs are a group of armored dinosaurs that likely evolved sometime during the Middle Jurassic period and survived until the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period. Ankylosaur material from the Jurassic is rare, and often fragmentary, leading to confusion about the phylogenetic placements of various Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous taxa. A new specimen of a Late Jurassic (Tithonian) ankylosaur from the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry near Hanksville, Utah is the first occurrence of the genus Gargoyleosaurus in the state and serves as a case study for the potential taxonomic utility of dorsal osteoderms in ankylosaurs. Dorsally placed osteoderms appear to display variation which is more taxonomically useful than previously thought and may allow for previously undiagnosed ankylosaurian material to be more directly compared and diagnosed to previously described taxa.
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Details
- Title
- First Occurrence of Gargoyleosaurus (Dinosauria: Ankylosauria) in Utah
- Creators
- Daniel Stewart Large
- Contributors
- Pamela Yau (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- viii, 169 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Arts Administration; Arts and Entertainment Enterprise; Drexel University; Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
- Other Identifier
- 991020340613604721