A new dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Wessex Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Barremian) of the Isle of Wight, and implications for European palaeobiogeography

Nicholas R. Longrich, David M. Martill, Megan L. Jacobs

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6 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

The Lower Cretaceous of England has produced a diverse assemblage of dinosaurs, including ornithischians, sauropods, and theropods. The origins of this assemblage are poorly understood. Here, we describe a new dromaeosaurid, Vectiraptor greeni gen. et sp. nov., from the Barremian Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight. The animal is represented by associated dorsal vertebrae and a partial sacrum. Dorsal vertebrae are short, with pleurocoels, camellate pneumatization, stalked parapophyses and enlarged neural canals. Neural spines are tall, with large ligament scars. Sacral centra lack pleurocoels but have large neural canals and foramina suggesting pneumatization. These characters suggest affinities with Dromaeosauridae and specifically the derived, large-bodied Eudromaeosauria. Vectiraptor resembles Early Cretaceous eudromaeosaurs from North America, suggesting a faunal exchange between Europe and North America. The diverse Early Cretaceous dinosaur assemblage found in England and Europe resulted from dispersal from North America, Asia, and West Gondwana, likely involving both land bridges and oceanic dispersal. Europe served as a biotic crossroads in the Early Cretaceous, allowing faunal interchange between landmasses.

Original languageEnglish
Article number105123
JournalCretaceous Research
Volume134
Early online date17 Dec 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jun 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
For discussions of paleogeography, the authors are grateful to Andy Gale. Thanks to Pete Makovicky for helpful discussions on theropod anatomy. For discussions on Isle of Wight theropods, the authors are grateful to Mick Green, Keith Simmonds, Jeremy Lockwood, Steve Sweetman and Andrew Cocks. We are very grateful to Mick Green for finding, preparing and donating the specimens, and also to Nick Chase (deceased) who found and donated one of the specimens. Thanks to Vahe Demirjian for comments improving the manuscript. Thanks to Dino Pulero for the skilful execution of the line drawings, and to Gabriel Ugueto for his reconstruction. Finally, thanks to Michael Pittman and an anonymous reviewer, whose comments have improved this paper.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd

Funding

For discussions of paleogeography, the authors are grateful to Andy Gale. Thanks to Pete Makovicky for helpful discussions on theropod anatomy. For discussions on Isle of Wight theropods, the authors are grateful to Mick Green, Keith Simmonds, Jeremy Lockwood, Steve Sweetman and Andrew Cocks. We are very grateful to Mick Green for finding, preparing and donating the specimens, and also to Nick Chase (deceased) who found and donated one of the specimens. Thanks to Vahe Demirjian for comments improving the manuscript. Thanks to Dino Pulero for the skilful execution of the line drawings, and to Gabriel Ugueto for his reconstruction. Finally, thanks to Michael Pittman and an anonymous reviewer, whose comments have improved this paper.

Keywords

  • Barremian
  • Biogeography
  • Dinosauria
  • Dromaeosauridae
  • Theropoda
  • United Kingdom

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Palaeontology

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