The oldest North American prosauropod, from the Upper Triassic Tecovas Formation of the Chinle Group (Adamanian: latest Carnian), West Texas.

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Andrew B. Heckert Ph.D., Professor (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/

Abstract: An isolated tooth from the Tecovas Formation of the Chinle Group, Crosby County, West Texas, represents the oldest definitive record of a prosauropod dinosaur from North America. Its age is Adamanian (latest Carnian, approximately 225 Ma) based on vertebrate biostratigraphy, palynostratigraphy and other data. It is clearly distinguished from isolated ornithischian teeth by a combination of prosauropod dental synapomorphies. The addition of this tooth to other recent discoveries of late Carnian prosauropod material from Brazil and Madagascar, as well as the Moroccan Azendohsaurus, indicates a Pangea-wide distribution for prosauropods near their oldest occurrences.

Additional Information

Publication
Harris, S.K., Heckert, A.B., Lucas, S.G., and Hunt, A.P., (2002) The oldest North American prosauropod, from the Upper Triassic Tecovas Formation of the Chinle Group (Adamanian: latest Carnian), West Texas. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 21, p. 249-252. (ISSN 1524-4156) Archived in NC DOCKS with permission of the editor. The version of record is available at: http://econtent.unm.edu/
Language: English
Date: 2002

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