Vectaerovenator

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Vectaerovenator
Temporal range: Late Aptian, ~116  Ma
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Tetanurae
Family: incertae sedis
Genus: Vectaerovenator
Barker et al., 2020
Species:
V. inopinatus
Binomial name
Vectaerovenator inopinatus
Barker et al., 2020

Vectaerovenator (meaning "Isle of Wight air-filled hunter" [1] due to the pneumaticity of the vertebrae) is a genus of tetanuran theropod from the Early Cretaceous period of what is now England (Lower Greensand Group; Ferruginous Sands). It contains one species, Vectaerovenator inopinatus; its holotype, consisting of the specimens IWCMS 2020.400, 2020.407, and 2019.84, comprises two anterior dorsal vertebrae, a cervical vertebra and a mid‐caudal vertebra from the late Aptian Ferruginous Sands of the Isle of Wight in southern England, discovered in 2019. [2] Comparative anatomical analysis shows that this taxon shares homoplastic features with megalosauroids, carcharodontosaurs, and some coelurosaurs, and cannot be reliably placed beyond Tetanurae incertae sedis, but has enough autapomorphies that it can be considered a valid genus.

Discovery and Naming

In 2019, Robin Ward, a regular fossil hunter found material belonging to Vectaerovenator while on a visit with his family. Another person, James Lockyer also found material as did Paul Farrell, amassing to the 4 vertebrae and one rib recovered. The bones were then analyzed by Chris Barker, who led the study with his colleagues. It was determined to be a new species and was given the name Vectaerovenator inopinatus, meaning air-filled hunter, due to amount of air spaces found in the recovered vertebrae. [3] More potential material has turned up since its original discovery belonging in private collections. These might eventually find their way to a museum, where they can be analyzed. It was further determined that the material found belonged to one individual due to its general location, both in time and space, and the common similarity between the four vertebrae (this being the texture, and overall size). [1]

Description

When described in 2020 by Chris Barker and colleagues, it was hypothesized the holotype of Vectaerovenator would have been estimated to have measured at around 4 metres (13 ft) long based on the vertebrae, and the size they would potentially range from individual to individual. However the authors also noted that due to sutures in the recovered material, Vectaerovenator was not at full size, and would be somewhat larger than was estimated when fully grown. [4] Based on the overall shape of the four vertebrae recovered, it was determined that at least one of the vertebrae belonged in the neck, two in the upper back, and one vertebrae belonged in the tail.

Classification

As the material recovered is very fragmentary, it is very unclear where this animal stands in terms of its taxonomy. When it was examined it was first thought to be a megaraptoran, but the authors did eventually recover it as a possible basal tyrannosauroid, although this also was done with some level of uncertainty, as it could easily belong under the superfamilies Allosauroidea or Megalosauroidea. It is, (with the exception of a few undiagnostic teeth), the youngest theropod taxon to be discovered in the British Mesozoic yet. [1] [4]

Related Research Articles

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Baryonyx is a genus of theropod dinosaur which lived in the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous period, about 130–125 million years ago. The first skeleton was discovered in 1983 in the Smokejack Clay Pit, of Surrey, England, in sediments of the Weald Clay Formation, and became the holotype specimen of Baryonyx walkeri, named by palaeontologists Alan J. Charig and Angela C. Milner in 1986. The generic name, Baryonyx, means "heavy claw" and alludes to the animal's very large claw on the first finger; the specific name, walkeri, refers to its discoverer, amateur fossil collector William J. Walker. The holotype specimen is one of the most complete theropod skeletons from the UK, and its discovery attracted media attention. Specimens later discovered in other parts of the United Kingdom and Iberia have also been assigned to the genus, though many have since been moved to new genera.

The Isle of Wight is one of the richest dinosaur localities in Europe, with over 20 species of dinosaur having been recognised from the early Cretaceous Period, some of which were first identified on the island, as well as the contemporary non-dinosaurian species of crocodile, turtle and pterosaur.

<i>Neovenator</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

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<i>Eotyrannus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

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The Vectis Formation is a geological formation on the Isle of Wight and Swanage, England whose strata were formed in the lowermost Aptian, approximately 125 million years ago. The environment of deposition was that of a freshwater coastal lagoon with occasional marine influence after the early Aptian marine transgression, transitioning from the floodplain environment of the underlying Wessex Formation. The primary lithology is of laminated grey mudstones. The Vectis Formation is composed of three geological members: the Shepherds Chine member, the Barnes High Sandstone member, and the Cowleaze Chine member. It is overlain by the fully marine Atherfield Clay Formation, part of the Lower Greensand Group. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferruginous Sands</span>

The Ferruginous Sands is a geologic formation in England. It preserves fossils dating back to the Aptian Stage of the Cretaceous period. It consists of "a number of heavily bioturbated coarsening-upward units each comprising dark grey sandy muds or muddy sands passing up into fine-to medium-grained grey to green glauconitic sands." The dinosaur Vectaerovenator inopinatus is known from the formation. Shark teeth are also known from the formation, including those of an indeterminate lamniform shark and Palaeospinax.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Naish, D. (2020). "Introducing 'Unexpected Isle of Wight Air-Filled Hunter', a New English Theropod Dinosaur". Tetrapod Zoology. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  2. Barker, Chris; Naish, Darren; Clarkin, Claire; Hullman, Gabriel; Schneider, Philipp; Gostling, Neil; Farrell, Paul; Ward, Robin; Lockyer, James (2020). "Dryad Data -- Data from: A highly pneumatic 'mid Cretaceous' theropod from the British Lower Greensand". Dryad. doi:10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9gmj.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. "New dinosaur related to T. rex". BBC. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 Barker, C.T.; Naish, D.; Clarkin, C.E.; Farrell, P.; Hullmann, G.; Lockyer, J.; Schneider, P.; Ward, R.K.C.; Gostling, N.J. (2020). "A highly pneumatic middle Cretaceous theropod from the British Lower Greensand". Papers in Palaeontology. 6 (4): 661–679. doi: 10.1002/spp2.1338 . S2CID   225281618.