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A partial skeleton of the tyrannosaurid dinosaur Aublysodon from the Upper Cretaceous of New Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Thomas M. Lehman  and
Kenneth Carpenter
Thomas M. Lehman
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409
Kenneth Carpenter
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Natural History, City Park, Denver, Colorado 80205
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Abstract

A fragmentary tyrannosaurid skull and postcranial skeleton from the Kirtland Shale of northwestern New Mexico is the most complete specimen of a carnivorous dinosaur known from these strata. The specimen is identified as Aublysodon cf. A. mirandus on the basis of its narrow frontals, V-shaped frontal-parietal suture, and nondenticulate incisiform premaxillary tooth. The D-shaped cross section of the premaxillary tooth, rugose postorbital, well-developed footed pubis, and proximally constricted third metatarsal confirm the assignment of Aublysodon to the Tyrannosauridae. The limb bones are gracile and similar in proportions to those of Albertosaurus; however, the tibia and metatarsals are shorter relative to the femur. The distal end of the tibia exhibits a unique medial emargination not reported in other tyrannosaurids.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 64 , Issue 6 , November 1990 , pp. 1026 - 1032
Copyright
Copyright © The Journal of Paleontology 

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