The first records of Elmisaurus (Saurischia, Theropoda) from North America
- 1 June 1989
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
- Vol. 26 (6) , 1319-1324
- https://doi.org/10.1139/e89-111
Abstract
The discovery of a fused tarsometatarsus in the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) strata of Dinosaur Provincial Park [Alberta, Canada] shows that Elmisaurus, previously known only from Mongolia, also lived in North America. Reexamination of the type specimen of "Ornithomimus" elegans (Parks, 1933) confirms the identification and provides a species name. Elmisaurus elegans is more gracile than Elmisaurus rarus, has a weaker longitudinal ridge on the fourth metatarsal, and has a pair of distal processes on metatarsals II and IV. Although six theropod families had representatives in both North America and Asia during Cretaceous times, the degree of genetic similarity is poorly understood. Analysis of the Elmisaurus material suggests that faunal interchange was still underway during the late Cretaceous.This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Osteology and relationships of Chirostenotes pergracilis (Saurischia, Theropoda) from the Judith River (Oldman) Formation of Alberta, CanadaCanadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 1988
- Stenonychosaurus inequalis (Saurischia: Theropoda) from the Judith River (Oldman) Formation of Alberta: new findings on metatarsal structureCanadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 1985
- Ostrich Dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Western CanadaCanadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 1972