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Predatory Dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous Faunal Differentiation

1996; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 272; Issue: 5264 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.272.5264.986

1095-9203

Paul C. Sereno, Didier B. Dutheil, Mohamed Iarochène, Hans C. E. Larsson, Gabrielle H. Lyon, Paul M. Magwene, Christian A. Sidor, David J. Varricchio, Jeffrey A. Wilson,

Evolution and Paleontology Studies

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) fossils discovered in the Kem Kem region of Morocco include large predatory dinosaurs that inhabited Africa as it drifted into geographic isolation. One, represented by a skull approximately 1.6 meters in length, is an advanced allosauroid referable to the African genus Carcharodontosaurus. Another, represented by a partial skeleton with slender proportions, is a new basal coelurosaur closely resembling the Egyptian genus Bahariasaurus. Comparisons with Cretaceous theropods from other continents reveal a previously unrecognized global radiation of carcharodontosaurid predators. Substantial geographic differentiation of dinosaurian faunas in response to continental drift appears to have arisen abruptly at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous.