Publications in the Year: 2019

Book Chapter

Mateus, O, Callapez PM, Polcyn MJ, Schulp AS, Gonçalves AO, Jacobs LL.  2019.  The Fossil Record of Biodiversity in Angola Through Time: A Paleontological Perspective. Biodiversity of Angola: Science {&} Conservation: A Modern Synthesis. (Huntley, Brian J., Russo, Vladimir, Lages, Fernanda, Ferrand, Nuno, Eds.).:53–76., Cham: Springer International Publishing Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the alpha paleobiodiversity of Angola based on the available fossil record that is limited to the sedimentary rocks, ranging in age from Precambrian to the present. The geological period with the highest paleobiodiversity in the Angolan fossil record is the Cretaceous, with more than 80{%} of the total known fossil taxa, especially marine molluscs, including ammonites as a majority among them. The vertebrates represent about 15{%} of the known fauna and about one tenth of them are species firstly described based on specimens from Angola.

Mateus, O, Callapez PM, Polcyn MJ, Schulp AS, Gonçalves AO, Jacobs LL.  2019.  O registo fóssil da biodiversidade em Angola ao longo do tempo: uma perspectiva paleontológica. Biodiversidade de Angola: Ciência e Conservação - Uma Síntese Moderna. (Huntley B.J., Russo V., Lages F., Ferrand N., Eds.).:89-116., Porto: Arte & Ciência Abstractmateus_et_al_2019_paleobiodiversidade_angola.pdf

Este capítulo apresenta uma visão geral da paleobiodiversidade alfa de Angola com base no registo fóssil disponível, o qual se limita às rochas sedimentares, a sua idade variando entre o Pré‑Câmbrico e o pre‑
sente. O período geológico com a maior paleobiodiversidade no registo fóssil angolano é o Cretácico, com mais de 80% do total dos táxones fósseis conhecidos, especialmente moluscos marinhos, sendo estes na sua maioria
amonites. Os vertebrados representam cerca de 15% da fauna conhecida e cerca de um décimo destes são espécies descritas pela primeira vez com base em espécimes de Angola.

Mateus, O, Callapez PM, Polcyn MJ, Schulp AS, Gonçalves AO, Jacobs LL.  2019.  The Fossil Record of Biodiversity in Angola Through Time: A Paleontological Perspective. Biodiversity of Angola: Science & Conservation: A Modern Synthesis. (Huntley, Brian J., Russo, Vladimir, Lages, Fernanda, Ferrand, Nuno, Eds.).:53–76.: Springer International Publishing Abstractmateus2019_chapter_thefossilrecordofbiodiversityi.pdf

This chapter provides an overview of the alpha paleobiodiversity of Angola based on the available fossil record that is limited to the sedimentary rocks, ranging in age from Precambrian to the present. The geological period with the highest paleobiodiversity in the Angolan fossil record is the Cretaceous, with more than 80{%} of the total known fossil taxa, especially marine molluscs, including ammonites as a majority among them. The vertebrates represent about 15{%} of the known fauna and about one tenth of them are species firstly described based on specimens from Angola.

Conference Proceedings

Schulp, AS, Mateus O, Polcyn M, Gonçalves A, Jacobs LL.  2019.  Angola and its role in the paleobiogeography of Gondwana. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :188.schulp_et_al_2019_angola_svp_abstract.pdf
Guillaume, AR, Moreno-Azanza M, Mateus O.  2019.  New lissamphibian material from the Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Portugal). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :112. Abstract
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Park, J, Lee Y, Currie PJ, Kobayashi Y, Koppelhus EB, Barsbold R, Lee S, Kim S, Mateus O.  2019.  Three new skulls of the Late Cretaceous armored dinosaur Talarurus plicatospineus Maleev, 1952. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :165-166.park_et_al_2019_svp_abstract.pdf
Azanza, MM, Coimbra R, Puértolas-Pascual E, Russo J, Bauluz B, Mateus O.  2019.  Crystallography of Lourinhanosaurus eggshells (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Allosauroidea). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :156-157. Abstract
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Rotatori, F, Moreno-Azanza M, Mateus O.  2019.  New ornithopod dinosaur remains from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation. 17th Conference of the EAVP. :100., Bruxelles: European Association of Vertebrate Paleontologistsrotatori_et_al_2019_ornithopod_portugal_eavp_2019_abstract.pdf
Russo, J, Mateus O.  2019.  A new Ankylosaur Dinosaur Skeleton from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :184.russo__mateus_2019_svp_abstract.pdf
Schulp, AS, Mateus O, Polcyn M, c}alves G{\cA, Jacobs LL.  2019.  Angola and its role in the paleobiogeography of Gondwana. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :188. Abstract
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Park, J, Lee Y, Currie PJ, Kobayashi Y, Koppelhus EB, Barsbold R, Lee S, Kim S, Mateus O.  2019.  Three new skulls of the Late Cretaceous armored dinosaur Talarurus plicatospineus Maleev, 1952. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :165-166. Abstract
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Guillaume, AR, Moreno-Azanza M, Mateus O.  2019.  New lissamphibian material from the Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Portugal). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :112.guillaume_et_al_2019_svp_abstract.pdf
Russo, J, Mateus O.  2019.  A new Ankylosaur Dinosaur Skeleton from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :184. Abstract
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Azanza, MM, Coimbra R, Puértolas-Pascual E, Russo J, Bauluz B, Mateus O.  2019.  Crystallography of Lourinhanosaurus eggshells (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Allosauroidea). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts. :156-157.moreno_azanza_et_al_2019_svp_abstract.pdf

Journal Article

Belvedere, M, Castanera D, Meyer CA, Marty D, Mateus O, Silva BC, Santos VF, Cobos A.  2019.  Late Jurassic globetrotters compared: A closer look at large and giant theropod tracks of North Africa and Europe. Journal of African Earth Sciences. 158:103547. Abstractbelvedere_et_al_2019_jurassic_globetrotters_compared.pdfWebsite

Late Jurassic theropod tracks are very common both in North Africa and Europe. Two recently described ichnotaxa Megalosauripus transjuranicus and Jurabrontes curtedulensis from the Kimmeridgian of Switzerland show the coexistence of two apex predators in the same palaeoenvironment. Similar tracks can be found in tracksites from the Iberian Peninsula and from Morocco. Here, we further explore the similarities among the Swiss ichnotaxa and the other tracks from Germany (Kimmeridgian), Spain (Tithonian-Berriasian), Portugal (Oxfordian-Tithonian) and Morocco (Kimmeridgian) through novel three-dimensional data comparisons. Specimens were grouped in two morphotypes: 1) large and gracile (30 < Foot Length<50 cm) and 2) giant and robust (FL > 50 cm). The analyses show a great morphological overlap among these two morphotypes and the Swiss ichnotaxa (Megalosauripus transjuranicus and Jurabrontes curtedulensis, respectively), even despite the differences in sedimentary environment and age. This suggests a widespread occurrence of similar ichnotaxa along the western margin of Tethys during the Late Jurassic. The new data support the hypothesis of a Gondwana-Laurasia faunal exchange during the Middle or early Late Jurassic, and the presence of migratory routes around the Tethys.

Hendrickx, C, Mateus O, Araújo R, Choiniere J.  2019.  The distribution of dental features in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: Taxonomic potential, degree of homoplasy, and major evolutionary trends. Palaeontologia Electronica. 22(3):1-110. Abstractthe_distribution_of_dental_features_in_non-avian_t.pdfWebsite

Isolated theropod teeth are some of the most common fossils in the dinosaur fossil record and are continually reported in the literature. Recently developed quantitative methods have improved our ability to test the affinities of isolated teeth in a repeatable framework. But in most studies, teeth are diagnosed on qualitative characters. This can be problematic because the distribution of theropod dental characters is still poorly documented, and often restricted to one lineage. To help in the identification of isolated theropod teeth, and to more rigorously evaluate their taxonomic and phylogenetic potential, we evaluated dental features in two ways. We first analyzed the distribution of 34 qualitative dental characters in a broad sample of taxa. Functional properties for each dental feature were included to assess how functional similarity generates homoplasy. We then compiled a quantitative data matrix of 145 dental characters for 97 saurischian taxa. The latter was used to assess the degree of homoplasy of qualitative dental characters, address longstanding questions on the taxonomic and biostratigraphic value of theropod teeth, and explore the major evolutionary trends in the theropod dentition.

In smaller phylogenetic datasets for Theropoda, dental characters exhibit higher levels of homoplasy than non-dental characters, yet they still provide useful grouping information and optimize as local synapomorphies of smaller clades. In broader phylogenetic datasets, the degree of homoplasy displayed by dental and non-dental characters is not significantly different. Dental features on crown ornamentations, enamel texture and tooth microstructure have significantly less homoplasy than other dental features and can be used to identify many theropod taxa to ‘family’ or ‘sub-family’ level, and some taxa to genus or species. These features should, therefore, be a priority for investigations seeking to classify isolated teeth.

Our observations improve the taxonomic utility of theropod teeth and in some cases can help make isolated teeth useful as biostratigraphic markers. This proposed list of dental features in theropods should, therefore, facilitate future studies on the systematic paleontology of isolated teeth.

Hendrickx, C, Mateus O, Araújo R, Choiniere J.  2019.  The distribution of dental features in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: Taxonomic potential, degree of homoplasy, and major evolutionary trends. Palaeontologia Electronica. 22, Number 3 Abstract
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Puértolas-Pascual, E, Mateus O.  2019.  A three-dimensional skeleton of Goniopholididae from the Late Jurassic of Portugal: implications for the Crocodylomorpha bracing system, 10. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 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.}