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Mateus, O. (2009).  The sauropod Turiasaurus riodevensis in the Late Jurassic of Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29, 144A., 1, Number 3: Taylor & Francis Abstract

THE SAUROPOD DINOSAUR TURIASAURUS RIODEVENSIS IN THE LATE JURASSIC OF PORTUGAL MATEUS, Octávio, New University of Lisbon (CICEGe-FCT) & Museum of Lourinhã, Lisboa, Portugal A partial sauropod was found in 1996 in Vale Pombas, north of Lourinhã, Central West of Portugal, in the Lourinhã Formation, top of Amoreira Porto Novo member dated as c. 150 M.a. (Early Tithonian, Late Jurassic) and is currently housed at Museum of Lourinhã, in Portugal. The specimen (ML368) comprises a complete tooth with root, anterior chevron and almost complete right forelimb including partial scapula, complete coracoid, humerus, ulna, radius, metacarpals I, III and V, phalanx, and ungual phalanx I. It can be ascribed to Turiasaurus riodevensis, which was previously described from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation at Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Characters shared with T. riodevensis holotype include: curvature and asymmetry of tooth crown, expansion of crown, outline of humerus, medial deflection of the proximal end of humerus, shape and prominence of deltopectoral crest, vertical ridge in the distal half of the ulna (considered as diagnostic of Turiasauria), configuration of metacarpals, and bone proportions. It differs from T. riodevensis holotype by the smaller size and the more rectangular ungual phalanx in lateral view. The sediments from which the Riodeva specimen was recovered were previsouly thought to be Tithonian to Berriasian in age. The presence of this species in Portugal, in beds confidently dated as Early Tithonian, may allow a more precise date for the Riodeva type locality of early Tithonian in age. The humerus of the Portuguese T. riodevensis is 152 cm long. Although shorter than the Spanish specimen (790 mm), it represents a large individual. All adult sauropods recovered in Portugal thus far are very large individuals: Dinheirosaurus (estimated body length is 20- 25 m), Lusotitan (humerus length estimated to be 205 cm), Lourinhasaurus (femur length: 174 cm), and Turiasaurus here reported. The lack of of small or medium adult body-size sauropods in the Late Jurassic of Portugal, suggests browsing niches thought to be occupied by smaller forms, could be have been available for other dinosaurs, like the long necked stegosaur Miragaia longicollum.

Mateus, O. (2009).  The sauropod Turiasaurus riodevensis in the the Late Jurassic of Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29, 144., Number 3 Abstract
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Mateus, O. (2009).  The sauropod Turiasaurus riodevensis in the the Late Jurassic of Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29, 144–144., Number 3 Abstract
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Lallensack, J. N., Klein H., Milàn J., Wings O., Mateus O., & Clemmensen L. B. (2017).  Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 62(4), 833-843. Abstractlallensack_et_al_2017_-_sauropodomorph_tracks_greenland.pdf

The Late Triassic (Norian–early Rhaetian) Fleming Fjord Formation of central East Greenland preserves a diverse fossil fauna, including both body and trace fossils. Trackways of large quadrupedal archosaurs, although already reported in 1994 and mentioned in subsequent publications, are here described and figured in detail for the first time, based on photogrammetric data collected during fieldwork in 2012. Two trackways can be referred to Eosauropus, while a third, bipedal trackway may be referred to Evazoum, both of which have been considered to represent sauropodomorph dinosaur tracks. Both the Evazoum and the Eosauropus trackways are distinctly larger than other trackways referred to the respective ichnogenera. The trackmaker of the best preserved Eosauropus trackway is constrained using a synapomorphy-based approach. The quadrupedal posture, the entaxonic pes structure, and five weight-bearing digits indicate a derived sauropodiform trackmaker. Other features exhibited by the tracks, including the semi-digitigrade pes and the laterally deflected unguals, are commonly considered synapomorphies of more exclusive clades within Sauropoda. The present trackway documents an early acquisition of a eusauropod-like pes anatomy while retaining a well-developed claw on pedal digit IV, which is reduced in eusauropods. Although unequivocal evidence for sauropod dinosaurs is no older than the Early Jurassic, the present trackway provides evidence for a possible Triassic origin of the group.

Lallensack, J. N., Klein H., Milàn J., Wings O., Mateus O., & Clemmensen L. B. (2017).  Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: evidence for Late Triassic sauropods. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 62, 833–843., Number 4 Abstract
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Lallensack,  J. N., Klein  H., Milàn  J., Wings  O., Mateus  O., & Clemmensen  L. B. (2017).  Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: evidence for Late Triassic sauropods. AbstractWebsite
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Mateus, O. (1998).  Serão as aves dinossauros?. CiênciaJ. 6, 5. Abstract
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Castanhinha, R., & Mateus O. (2007).  Short review on the marine reptiles of Portugal: ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27(suppl. to 3), 57. Abstract
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Tschopp, E., & Mateus O. (2013).  The skull and neck of a new flagellicaudatan sauropod from the Morrison Formation and its implication for the evolution and ontogeny of diplodocid dinosaurs. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 11(7), 853–888. Abstracttschopp__mateus_2013_the_skull_and_neck_of_a_new_flagellicaudatan_sauropod_from_the_morrison.pdfWebsite

A new taxon of diplodocid sauropod, Kaatedocus siberi gen. et sp. nov., is recognized based on well-preserved cervical vertebrae and skull from the Morrison Formation (Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic) of northern Wyoming, USA. A phylogenetic analysis places it inside Diplodocinae (Sauropoda: Flagellicaudata: Diplodocidae), as a sister taxon to a clade uniting Tornieria africana and the classical diplodocines Barosaurus lentus and Diplodocus. The taxon is diagnosed by a unique combination of plesiomorphic and derived traits, as well as the following unambiguous autapomorphies within Diplodocidae: frontals separated anteriorly by a U-shaped notch; squamosals restricted to the post-orbital region; presence of a postparietal foramen; a narrow, sharp and distinct sagittal nuchal crest; the paired basal tuber with a straight anterior edge in ventral view; anterior end of the prezygapophyses of mid- and posterior cervical vertebrae is often an anterior extension of the pre-epipophysis, which projects considerably anterior to the articular facet; anterodorsal corner of the lateral side of the posterior cervical vertebrae marked by a rugose tuberosity; posterior margin of the prezygapophyseal articular facet of posterior cervical vertebrae bordered posteriorly by conspicuous transverse sulcus; posterior cervical neural spines parallel to converging. The inclusion of K. siberi and several newly described characters into a previously published phylogenetic analysis recovers the new taxon as basal diplodocine, which concurs well with the low stratigraphical position of the holotype specimen. Dinheirosaurus and Supersaurus now represent the sister clade to Apatosaurus and Diplodocinae and therefore the most basal diplodocid genera. The geographical location in the less known northern parts of the Morrison Fm., where K. siberi was found, corroborates previous hypotheses on faunal provinces within the formation. The probable subadult ontogenetic stage of the holotype specimen allows analysis of ontogenetic changes and their influence on diplodocid phylogeny.

Conti, S., Sala G., & Mateus O. (2023).  Smart Biomechanical Adaptation Revealed by the Structure of Ostrich Limb Bones. Biomimetics. 8(1), , Number 1 Abstractbiomimetics-08-00098.pdfWebsite

Ostriches are known to be the fastest bipedal animal alive; to accomplish such an achievement, their anatomy evolved to sustain the stresses imposed by running at such velocities. Ostriches represent an excellent case study due to the fact that their locomotor kinematics have been extensively studied for their running capabilities. The shape and structure of ostrich bones are also known to be optimized to sustain the stresses imposed by the body mass and accelerations to which the bones are subjected during movements. This study focuses on the limb bones, investigating the structure of the bones as well as the material properties, and how both the structure and material evolved to maximise the performance while minimising the stresses applied to the bones themselves. The femoral shaft is hollowed and it presents an imbricate structure of fused bone ridges connected to the walls of the marrow cavity, while the tibial shaft is subdivided into regions having different mechanical characteristics. These adaptations indicate the optimization of both the structure and the material to bear the stresses. The regionalization of the material highlighted by the mechanical tests represents the capability of the bone to adapt to external stimuli during the life of an individual, optimizing not only the structure of the bone but the material itself.

Tschopp, E., Mateus O., Kosma R., Sander M., Joger U., & Wings O. (2014).  A specimen-level cladistic analysis of Camarasaurus (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) and a revision of camarasaurid taxonomy. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Program and Abstracts, 2014, 241-242.tschopp_et_al._2014_a_specimen-level_cladistic_analysis_of_camarasaurus.pdf
Tschopp, E., Mateus O., & Benson R. B. J. (2015).  A specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Diplodocidae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda). PeerJ. 3, e857., 4 Abstracttschopp_et_al_2015_brontosaurus_peerj-857.pdfWebsite

Diplodocidae are among the best known sauropod dinosaurs. Several species were described in the late 1800s or early 1900s from the Morrison Formation of North America. Since then, numerous additional specimens were recovered in the USA, Tanzania, Portugal, and Argentina, as well as possibly Spain, England, Georgia, Zimbabwe, and Asia. To date, the clade includes about 12 to 15 nominal species, some of them with questionable taxonomic status (e.g., ‘\textit{Diplodocus}’ \textit{hayi} or \textit{Dyslocosaurus polyonychius}), and ranging in age from Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. However, intrageneric relationships of the iconic, multi-species genera \textit{Apatosaurus} and \textit{Diplodocus} are still poorly known. The way to resolve this issue is a specimen-based phylogenetic analysis, which has been previously implemented for \textit{Apatosaurus}, but is here performed for the first time for the entire clade of Diplodocidae.The analysis includes 81 operational taxonomic units, 49 of which belong to Diplodocidae. The set of OTUs includes all name-bearing type specimens previously proposed to belong to Diplodocidae, alongside a set of relatively complete referred specimens, which increase the amount of anatomically overlapping material. Non-diplodocid outgroups were selected to test the affinities of potential diplodocid specimens that have subsequently been suggested to belong outside the clade. The specimens were scored for 477 morphological characters, representing one of the most extensive phylogenetic analyses of sauropod dinosaurs. Character states were figured and tables given in the case of numerical characters.The resulting cladogram recovers the classical arrangement of diplodocid relationships. Two numerical approaches were used to increase reproducibility in our taxonomic delimitation of species and genera. This resulted in the proposal that some species previously included in well-known genera like \textit{Apatosaurus} and \textit{Diplodocus} are generically distinct. Of particular note is that the famous genus \textit{Brontosaurus} is considered valid by our quantitative approach. Furthermore, “\textit{Diplodocus}” hayi represents a unique genus, which will herein be called \textit{Galeamopus} gen. nov. On the other hand, these numerical approaches imply synonymization of “\textit{Dinheirosaurus}” from the Late Jurassic of Portugal with the Morrison Formation genus \textit{Supersaurus}. Our use of a specimen-, rather than species-based approach increases knowledge of intraspecific and intrageneric variation in diplodocids, and the study demonstrates how specimen-based phylogenetic analysis is a valuable tool in sauropod taxonomy, and potentially in paleontology and taxonomy as a whole.

Tschopp, E., Mateus O., & Benson R. B. J. (2015).  A specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Diplodocidae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda). {PeerJ}. 3, e857.: {PeerJ} AbstractWebsite
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Strganac, C., Jacobs L. L., Polcyn M. J., Ferguson K. M., Mateus O., Gonçalves O. A., Morais M. - L., & da Silva Tavares T. (2015).  Stable oxygen isotope chemostratigraphy and paleotemperature regime of mosasaurs at Bentiaba, Angola. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences. FirstView, 1–7., 2 Abstractstrganac_etal2015_stable_oxigen_isotopes.pdfWebsite

ABSTRACT Stable oxygen isotope values of inoceramid marine bivalve shells recovered from Bentiaba, Angola, are utilised as a proxy for paleotemperatures during the Late Cretaceous development of the African margin of the South Atlantic Ocean. The δ18O values derived from inoceramids show a long-term increase from –3.2‰ in the Late Turonian to values between –0.8 and –1.8‰ in the Late Campanian. Assuming a constant oceanic δ18O value, an ∼2‰ increase may reflect cooling of the shallow marine environment at Bentiaba by approximately 10°. Bentiaba values are offset by about +1‰ from published records for bathyal Inoceramus at Walvis Ridge. This offset in δ18O values suggests a temperature difference of ∼5° between coastal and deeper water offshore Angola. Cooler temperatures implied by the δ18O curve at Bentiaba coincide with the stratigraphic distribution of diverse marine amniotes, including mosasaurs, at Bentiaba.

Strganac, C., Jacobs L. L., Polcyn M. J., Ferguson K. M., Mateus O., Gon?alves A. O., Morais M. - L., & da Silva Tavares T. (2014).  Stable oxygen isotope chemostratigraphy and paleotemperature regime of mosasaurs at Bentiaba, Angola. Geologie en Mijnbouw/Netherlands Journal of Geosciences. 94, 137-143., Number 1 Abstract
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Guillaume, A. R. D., Costa F., & Mateus O. (2022).  Stegosaur tracks from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal: new occurrences and perspectives. Ciências da Terra / Earth Sciences Journal. 20(1), 37-60. Abstractguillaumeetal.pdf

The record of Late Jurassic stegosaur tracks from the Lourinhã Formation (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) is here revised. Thirty-eight dinosaur tracks, preserved as natural infill casts, are here reported, and thirty-two of them are attributed to the ichnogenus Deltapodus. Four of those present impressions of skin, with polygonal scales and random pattern. Deltapodus is the most common ichnogenus in the track record of the Lourinhã Formation. The sizes and shape suggest one single dacentrurine trackmaker, which could be Miragaia longicollum, also common in the same horizons.

Tschopp, E., & Mateus O. (2012).  A sternal plate of a large-sized sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of Portugal. 10th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists ¡Fundamental! . 20, 263-266.: European Association of Vertebrate Paleontologist tschopp__mateus_2012_sternal_plate_sauropod_portugal.pdf
Mateus, O., & Araújo R. (2008).  Stone-splitters and expansive demolition agents: breaking big rocks with little effort on vertebrate paleontological excavations. Journal of Paleontological Techniques. 3, 1-6. Abstractmateus__araujo_2008_stone-splitters_and_expansive_demolition_agents_jpt_n003_oct.pdfWebsite

Two techniques (stone-splitters and demolition agents) are revealed to be efficient methods for breaking large stone blocks in extreme paleontological excavation. In certain conditions – where security factors, permission issues, terrain conditions, rock properties are problematic – the traditional methods for breaking large rock blocks cannot be applied (e.g. crane trucks or explosives). Using an expansive demolition agent or stone-splitters after drilling equidistant holes not only allows a cheap, quick and safe solution but also permits precise removal of up to 9 ton blocks. Stone-splitters are a three-part tool that when inserted linearly and equidistantly along a brittle rock mass cause a precise fracture.

Martino, R., Ríos M. I., Mateus O., & Pandolfi L. (2022).  Taxonomy, chronology, and dispersal patterns of Western European Quaternary hippopotamuses: New insight from Portuguese fossil material. Quaternary International. Abstractmartino_et_al_2022_hippos_portugal.pdfWebsite

The taxonomy, chronology and dispersal patterns of hippopotamuses in Western Europe are still a matter of debate, despite the long history of researchers on these topics. In this framework, the Portuguese material has never been investigated or recently revised, and it can contribute to increasing our comprehension about Quaternary hippopotamuses. The material considered in this work, collected from sites dated between 1 Ma and 0.13 Ma, is compared with fossil Pleistocene hippopotamuses from the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Germany and Greece, in order to contribute into the discussion on evolutionary and dispersal patterns of these large semi-aquatic mammals in Europe during the Pleistocene. Portugal deposits recorded the presence of H. antiquus, starting from 1 Ma up to 0.4 Ma, and H. cf. amphibius during the late Middle Pleistocene. In particular, the occurrence of H. antiquus in Condeixa, dated around 0.4 Ma, can be considered as the LAD of this species in Europe. The paleobiogeography and dispersal patterns of European hippopotamuses are further discussed.

Mateus, O., Taquet P., Antunes M. T., Mateus H., & Ribeiro V. (1998).  Theropod dinosaur nest from Lourinhã, Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 18, 61A., Number (Suppl. 3) Abstractmateus_et_al_1998_theropod_dinosaur_nest_from_lourinha_portugal_svp.pdfWebsite

More than 100 well preserved dinosaur eggs have been discovered in the Upper Jurassic levels (Tithonian) of Lourinhã, Portugal. The eggshels dispersed in a big area with 11 meters in the highest diameter with high concentration in the middle.
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Ribeiro, V., Holwerda F., & Mateus O. (2013).  Theropod egg sites from the Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts, 2013. 198.ribeiro_et_al_2013_theropod_egg_sites_lourinha_svp_meeting_abstracts_213.pdf
Puértolas-Pascual, E., & Mateus O. (2019).  A three-dimensional skeleton of Goniopholididae from the Late Jurassic of Portugal: implications for the Crocodylomorpha bracing system. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. , 10 Abstractpuertolas-pascual__mateus_2019_croc.pdfWebsite

{We here describe an articulated partial skeleton of a small neosuchian crocodylomorph from the Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Portugal). The skeleton corresponds to the posterior region of the trunk and consists of dorsal, ventral and limb osteoderms, dorsal vertebrae, thoracic ribs and part of the left hindlimb. The paravertebral armour is composed of two rows of paired osteoderms with the lateral margins ventrally deflected and an anterior process for a ‘peg and groove’ articulation. We also compare its dermal armour with that of several Jurassic and Cretaceous neosuchian crocodylomorphs, establishing a detailed description of this type of osteoderms.These features are present in crocodylomorphs with a closed paravertebral armour bracing system. The exceptional 3D conservation of the specimen, and the performance of a micro-CT scan, allowed us to interpret the bracing system of this organism to assess if previous models were accurate. The characters observed in this specimen are congruent with Goniopholididae, a clade of large neosuchians abundant in most semi-aquatic ecosystems from the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous of Laurasia. However, its small size, contrasted with the sizes observed in goniopholidids, left indeterminate whether it could have been a dwarf or juvenile individual. Future histological analyses could shed light on this.}

Milan, J., Christiansen P., & Mateus O. (2005).  A three-dimensionally preserved sauropod manus impression from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal: Implications for sauropod manus shape and locomotor mechanics. Kaupia. 14, 47-52. Abstractmilan_et_al_mateus_2005_-_3d_sauropod_manus_track_l_j_portugal.pdfWebsite

Sauropods were the largest animals ever to walk the earth, and evolved several specializations in their limbs in order to support their body mass. Their legs became columnar and their manual digits became reduced and encapsulated in tissue to form a single weight-bearing unit in the derived sauropods. A new three-dimensionally preserved cast of a sauropod manus, found in the Upper Jurassic Lourinhã Formation, Portugal, demonstrates not only the shape, but also the actual movements of the sauropod manus during the stride. The manus cast is 32 cm deep, and show the manus to be hoof-shaped and lacking any impressions of individual digits, except for digit I, the pollex. Well preserved striations from skin on the sides of the cast show that the manus was covered in rough, tubercular skin. The width of the manus cast is consistent from top to bottom, demonstrating that the manus was brought down and lifted vertically before any parasaggital movement of the upper limb took place.

Milàn, J., & Mateus O. (2023).  To nye dinosaurfund fra Hasle. Natur På Bornholm. 2023, 74-76.milan__mateus_2023_-_to_nye_dinosaurfund_fra_hasle.pdf
Rita, F., Mateus O., & Overbeeke M. (2008).  Tomografia Computorizada na Deteccão de Fraudes em Fósseis. Acta Radiológica Portuguesa. 80, 83-84., Number 20 Abstractrita_et_al_2008_tomografia_computorizada_na_deteccao_de_fraudes_em_fosseis.pdfWebsite

The material in analysis is the skull of an Ornitiquous Psittacosaurus of the China Cretaceous suspicious of being a fraud. The fossil described here appeared to be in very good condition and conservation. The skull is almost complete but because it is filled by sediment, this prevents an analyse of the intra-skull anatomy.
With the intuition of confirming or not the existence of fossiled bone elements in the interior of the sedimented mass that filled the Psittacossaurus skull, it was submitted to a Computorized Tomography.
The Psittacosaurus skull showed an unexpected absorption of the x-rays, because of the outstanding differences of density between the bone and the matrix due to the fact that the interior of the skull was composed by an amalgam of materials, where a less compact and relatively homogeneous material (soil and wax) was found and that material united and mounted the whole skull and the normal bone structures were non-existing.
The capacity of the Computorized Axial Tomography of differentiating materials with different densities of absorption of x-rays, permitted an easy and reliable investigation and explained beyond doubt the quality of the fossil specimen studied, concluding with no doubt that in spite of the realistic aspect, we had come before a fraud.

Rita, F., Mateus O., & Overbeeke M. (2008).  Tomografia Computorizada na Deteccão de Fraudes em Fósseis. Acta Radiológica Portuguesa. 80, 83-84., Number 20 Abstract
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Rita, F., Mateus O., & Overbeeke M. (2008).  Tomografia Computorizada na Deteccão de Fraudes em Fósseis. Acta Radiológica Portuguesa. 80, 83–84., Number 20 Abstract
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Clemmensen, L. B., Kent D. V., Mau M., Mateus O., & Milàn J. (2020).  Triassic lithostratigraphy of the Jameson Land basin (central East Greenland), with emphasis on the new Fleming Fjord Group. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark. 68, 95–132. Abstractclemmensen_et_al_2020_triassic_lithostratigraphy_of_the_jameson_land_basin.pdfWebsite

The lithostratigraphy of the Triassic deposits of the Jameson Land Basin in central East Greenland is revised. The new Scoresby Land Supergroup is now composed of the Wordie Creek, Pingo Dal, Gipsdalen and Fleming Fjord Groups. This paper only deals with the lithostratigraphy of the late Early-Late Triassic continental deposits of the latter three groups with emphasis on the vertebratebearing Fleming Fjord Group. The new Pingo Dal Group consists of three new formations, the Rødstaken, Paradigmabjerg and Klitdal Formations (all elevated from members), the new Gipsdalen Group consists of three new formations, the Kolledalen, Solfaldsdal (with the new Gråklint Member) and Kap Seaforth Formations (all elevated from members), and the new Fleming Fjord Group is subdivided into three new formations, the Edderfugledal, Malmros Klint and Ørsted Dal Formations (all elevated from members). The Edderfugledal Formation contains two cyclic bedded, lacustrine members, a lowermost Sporfjeld Member (elevated from beds), and an uppermost Pingel Dal Member (elevated from beds). The lacustrine red beds of the Malmros Klint Formation are not subdivided. The lacustrine and fluvial Ørsted Dal Formation contains three new members. In the eastern and central part of the basin, the formation is initiated by cyclic bedded, red lacustrine mudstones of the Carlsberg Fjord Member (elevated from beds), while in the northwestern part of the basin the lowermost part of the formation is composed of grey fluvial conglomerates and sandstones with subordinate red mudstones of the Bjergkronerne Member (elevated from beds). The uppermost part of the formations in most of the basin is composed of cyclic bedded, variegated lacustrine mudstones and grey to yellowish marlstones of the Tait Bjerg Member (elevated from beds). The sediments in the Fleming Fjord Group contain remains of a rich and diverse vertebrate fauna including dinosaurs, amphibians, turtles, aeotosaurs, pterosaurs, phytosaurs and mammaliaforms. Most vertebrate bones have been found in uppermost Malmros Klint Formation, and in the Carlsberg Fjord and Tait Bjerg Members. The Norian–early Rhaetian, lacustrine Fleming Fjord Group was deposited at about 41° N on the northern part of the supercontinent Pangaea. Lacustrine sedimentation was controlled by seasonal as well as longer-term (orbital) variation in precipitation. Precipitation was probably brought to the basin by southwesterly winds. The lacustrine sediments of the uppermost Fleming Fjord Group show deposition during increasingly humid conditions changing the lake environment from an ephemeral lake-steppe area to a perennial lake. This evolution of lake environment suggests a change from a winter-wet temperate climate to one with precipitation throughout the year.

Milàn, J., & Mateus O. (2024).  A Turiasaurian (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) Tooth from the Pliensbachian Hasle Formation of Bornholm, Denmark, Shows an Early Jurassic Origin of the Turiasauria. Diversity. 16, , Number 1 Abstractmilan__mateus_2023_diversity-16-00012.pdfWebsite

Turiasauria is a clade of basal sauropod dinosaurs hitherto only known from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) to the Lower Cretaceous (Valanginian). A new find of a shed tooth crown from the Lower Jurassic (Pliensbachian), Halse Formation of Bornholm, Denmark, is spoon-like, asymmetrical, and heart-shaped, which identifies the tooth as turiasaurian, pushing the origin of the Turiasauria some 17 My back into the Lower Jurassic. This suggests a North Pangean/Laurasian origin of the turiasaurian clade, which then, during the Middle to Late Jurassic, dispersed through Europe, India, and Africa, with their latest representatives found in the Early Cretaceous of England and North America. Furthermore, this is the first record of a sauropod from the Pliensbachian in Europe.

Russo, J., Mateus O., Marzola M., & Balbino A. (2017).  Two new ootaxa from the late Jurassic: The oldest record of crocodylomorph eggs, from the Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. PLOS ONE. 12, 1-23., 03, Number 3: Public Library of Science Abstractrusso_et_al_2017_two_new_ootaxa.pdfWebsite

The Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation is known for its abundant remains of dinosaurs, crocodylomorphs and other vertebrates. Among this record are nine localities that have produced either dinosaur embryos, eggs or eggshell fragments. Herein, we describe and identify the first crocodiloid morphotype eggs and eggshells from the Lourinhã Formation, from five occurrences. One clutch from Cambelas, composed of 13 eggs, eggshell fragments from Casal da Rola and Peralta, one crushed egg and eggshells from Paimogo North, and four crushed eggs as well as eggshell fragments from Paimogo South. We observed and confirmed diagnostic morphological characters for crocodiloid eggshells and which are consistent with a crocodylomorph affinity, such as the ellipsoidal shape, wedge-shaped shell units, triangular extinction under cross-polarized light, and tabular ultrastructure. This material is distinctive enough to propose two new ootaxa within the oofamily Krokolithidae, Suchoolithus portucalensis, oogen. and oosp. nov., for the material from Cambelas, the most complete clutch known for crocodiloid eggs, and Krokolithes dinophilus, oosp. nov., for the remaining material. These are the oldest crocodylomorph eggs known, extending the fossil record for this group to the Late Jurassic. Furthermore, except for the clutch from Cambelas, the material was found with theropod eggs and nests, in the other four occurrences, which seem to suggest some form of biological relationship, still unclear at this point.

Russo, J., Mateus O., Marzola M., & Balbino A. (2017).  Two new ootaxa from the late Jurassic: The oldest record of crocodylomorph eggs, from the Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. PLoS ONE. 12, , Number 3 Abstract
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Ribeiro, V., Mateus O., Holwerda F., Araújo R., & Castanhinha R. (2014).  Two new theropod egg sites from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. Historical Biology. 26(2), 206-217. Abstractribeiro_et_al_2014_theropod_eggs_nest_portugal.pdfWebsite

Two new Late Jurassic (uppermost Late Kimmeridgian) dinosaur eggshell sites are described, Casal da Rola and Porto das Barcas, both near Lourinha˜, central-west Portugal. Casal da Rola yields eggshells with an obliquiprismatic morphotype comparable to those from a nest with the associated fossil embryos from Paimogo, tentatively assigned to the theropod Lourinhanosaurus antunesi. The Porto das Barcas eggshells have a dendrospherulitic morphotype with a prolatocanaliculate pore system. This morphotype was also recognised in eggshells from a clutch with associated Torvosaurus embryos at the Porto das Barcas locality. A preliminary cladistic analysis of eggshell morphology suggests theropod affinities for the Casal da Rola eggs, but is unable to resolve the phylogenetic position of the Porto das Barcas eggs. The eggshells at both sites are preserved in distal flood plain mudstones and siltstones. Carbonate concretions within the deposits indicate paleosol development.

Ribeiro, V., Mateus O., Holwerda F., Araújo R., & Castanhinha R. (2014).  Two new theropod egg sites from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. Historical Biology. 26, 206-217., Number 2 Abstract
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Mateus, O. (2008).  Two ornithischian dinosaurs renamed: Microceratops Bohlin 1953 and Diceratops Lull 1905. Journal of Paleontology. 82, 423., Number 2 Abstractmateus_2008_two_ornithischians_renamed__microceratops_bohlin_1953_and_diceratops_lull_.pdfWebsite

dinosaur genera Diceratops Lull, 1905 and Microceratops Bohlin, 1953 are preoccupied by the Hymenoptera insects, Diceratops Foerster, 1868 and Microceratops Seyrig, 1952, respectively. Therefore, the name of the ceratopsian dinosaur Diceratops Lull, 1905 from the Late Cretaceous of United States is a junior homonym of the hymenoptera Diceratops Foerster, 1868. Diceratus n. gen. (Greek di ‘‘two,’’ Greek ceratos ‘‘horned’’) is proposed as the replacement name of Diceratops Lull, 1905. Some workers have considered Diceratops synonymous with Triceratops (e.g., Dodson and Currie, 1990) but it was reinstated by Forster (1996) after analysis of the characteristics of all existing ceratopsid skulls, and recent reviews (e.g., Dodson et al., 2004) have considered Diceratops a valid genus.
Due to preoccupation, the name of the ceratopsian dinosaur Microceratops Bohlin, 1953 from the Cretaceous of the Gobi is
a junior homonym of the insect Microceratops Seyrig, 1952. Microceratus n. gen. (Greek micro ‘‘small,’’ Greek ceratos ‘‘horned’’) is proposed as the replacing name of Microceratops Bohlin, 1953.
Sereno (2000:489) has declared Microceratops a nomen dubium since the holotype material lacks any diagnostic features, a
convention followed by You and Dodson (2004:480). However, the name is still used by Le Loeuff et al. (2002), Lucas (2006),
Alifanov (2003) and Xu et al. (2002), and such practice justifies the renaming of the genus.
In order to preserve some stability, the names chosen here deliberately preserve the same prefixes.

Mateus, O. (2008).  Two ornithischian dinosaurs renamed: Microceratops Bohlin 1953 and Diceratops Lull 1905. Journal of Paleontology. 82, , Number 2 Abstract
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Schulp, A. S., Polcyn M. J., Mateus O., & Jacobs L. L. (2013).  Two rare mosasaurs from the Maastrichtian of Angola and the Netherlands. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences — Geologie en Mijnbouw. 92(1), 3-10. Abstractschulp_et_al_2013_two_rare_mosasaurs_from_the_maastrichtian_of_angola__njg-92-1-schulp.pdf

We report here the addition of two rare mosasaur taxa to the Maastrichtian marine amniote fauna of Angola. The new specimens include a dentary fragment referable to the large carnivore Prognathodon saturator and an isolated tooth of the small durophage Carinodens belgicus. Both were recovered from Maastrichtian outcrops in southern Angola in 2011. Additionally, a complete posterior mandibular unit of a large mosasaur from the type Maastrichtian of The Netherlands, collected some time prior to 1879 and previously identified as ‘Mosasaurus giganteus’, is described and reassigned here to Prognathodon saturator; historical issues surrounding the taxonomic attribution of this specimen are clarified. The new material extends the known geographic distribution of Prognathodon saturator and Carinodens belgicus.

Schulp, A. S., Polcyn M. J., Mateus O., & Jacobs L. L. (2013).  Two rare mosasaurs from the Maastrichtian of Angola and the Netherlands. Geologie en Mijnbouw/Netherlands Journal of Geosciences. 92, 3-10., Number 1 Abstract
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Mateus, O., Estraviz López D., & Madeira Mateus S. G. (2022).  Type specimens alone have a strong correlation with taxa record by geological epoch: the case study of the fossil vertebrates named from {Portuguese} types. Comunicações Geológicas. 109, 57–64. Abstractmateus-et-al_2022_type_specimens.pdfWebsite

ABSTRACT: Type specimens (holotypes, neotypes, syntypes, etc.) are of crucial importance because they are the only tangible evidence of the nomenclatural act that supports the understanding of paleobiodiversity. The list of the vertebrate species whose type specimen is based on fossils from Portugal is presented here. We counted 206 species, of which there are 45 bony fishes, 39 Late Jurassic Mammaliamorpha, 33 Cenozoic mammals, 28 non-avian dinosaurs, 25 non-dinosaur reptiles, 11 Cenozoic Aves, 22 Chondrichthyes and three other vertebrates. Except for the Quaternary fossil record, the type specimens can be used as a shortcut for measuring the fossil record and paleobiodiversity through geological time and rock units because they correlate in 95% with the fossil record by epoch in the case-study of fossil vertebrates of Portugal.

Allain, R., Taquet P., Battail B., Dejax J., Richir P., Veran M., Limon-Duparcmeur F., Vacant R., Mateus O., Sayarath P., Khenthavong B., & Phouyavong S. (1999).  Un nouveau genre de dinosaure sauropode de la formation des Gres superieurs (Aptien-Albien) du Laos. Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science. 329, 609-616., oct, Number 8 Abstractallain_taquet_battail_dejax_richir_mateus_et_al_1999_un_nouveau_genre_de_dinosaure_sauropode_de_la_formation_des_gres_superieurs_aptien-albien_du_laos.pdfWebsite

The partly-articulated postcranial remains of two sauropod skeletons recently found in Tang Vay (Savannakhet Province, Laos) are assigned to the species Tangvayosaurus hoffeti (nov. gen., nov. sp.). The derived characters present in the new material confirm the presence of titanosaurs in South East Asia at the end of the Early Cretaceous, but are not consistent with its placement within Titanosaurus genus as first done by Hoffet in 1942. All of the material relative to this species is therefore referred to a new genus: Tangvayosaurus. Tangvayosaurus and the Thai genus Phuwiangosaurus have strong affinities and are considered as primitive titanosaurs.

Allain, R., Taquet P., Battail B., Dejax J., Richir P., Véran M., Limon-Duparcmeur F., Vacant R., Mateus O., Sayarath P., Khenthavong B., & Phouyavong S. (1999).  Un nouveau genre de dinosaure sauropode de la formation des Grès supérieurs (Aptien-Albien) du Laos. Comptes Rendus de l{\textquotesingle}Académie des Sciences - Series {IIA} - Earth and Planetary Science. 329, 609–616., oct, Number 8: Elsevier {BV} AbstractWebsite
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Moreno-Azanza, M., Balauz B., Ezquerro L., Coimbra R., Mateus O., & Nuñez-Lahuerta C. (2022).  Unbroken dinosaur eggs accumulated together do not guarantee autochthony of the fossil assemblage. Journal of Taphonomy. 16(1-4), 129-130. Abstractmoreno-azanza_et_al_2020_unbroken_eggs.pdf

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Rotatori, F. M., Ferrari L., Sequero C., Camilo B., Mateus O., & Moreno-Azanza M. (2024).  An unexpected early-diverging iguanodontian dinosaur (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda) from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2310066.: Taylor & Francis AbstractWebsite

Iguanodontia is a diverse clade of herbivorous ornithischian dinosaurs that were speciose and abundant during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Although the monophyly of Iguanodontia is well supported, their internal relationships have sparked heated debate due to several phylogenetic paradigm shifts. Late Jurassic basally branching iguanodontians in particular are not well understood in terms of their systematic affinities and evolutionary relevance. Their fossil record in Europe is meager compared with North America, with only a few species currently recognized. Two taxa are currently known from the Upper Jurassic of England, the basally branching styracosternan Cumnoria prestwichii and the putative dryosaurid Callovosaurus leedsi. In the Upper Jurassic of Portugal, the styracosternan Draconyx loureiroi and the dryosaurid Eousdryosaurus nanohallucis are presently the only described basally branching iguanodontians. Here we report a new species of early diverging iguanodontian from the Upper Jurassic Lourinhã Formation of western-central Portugal. The new species is clearly distinguished from all other coeval taxa by an exclusive combination of characters that include a tibia with a cnemial crest that is directed craniolaterally and a fibular condyle that is angled at 90° with respect to the proximal epiphysis, a fibula with symmetrical proximal margins, and a reduced metatarsal I. The phylogenetic relationships of the Lourinhã iguanodontian were explored using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. The two analyses recover the Lourinhã iguanodontian as an indeterminate dryomorphan, with more precise affinities precluded due to the current available material. Body size is estimated between 3 and 4 meters for the holotype specimen, adding to the diversity of small ornithopods already recognized in the paleoichnological record of the Lourinhã Formation. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5F4D52D0-0F0B-4809-8561-BE58C7C97D45