A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism
Abstract Tyrannosaurid dinosaurs dominated as predators in the Late Cretaceous of Laurasia, culminating in the evolution of the giant Tyrannosaurus rex, both the last and largest tyrannosaurid. Where and when Tyrannosaurini (T. rex and kin) originated remains unclear. Competing hypotheses place tyra...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47011-0 |
| _version_ | 1827327697643110400 |
|---|---|
| author | Sebastian G. Dalman Mark A. Loewen R. Alexander Pyron Steven E. Jasinski D. Edward Malinzak Spencer G. Lucas Anthony R. Fiorillo Philip J. Currie Nicholas R. Longrich |
| author_facet | Sebastian G. Dalman Mark A. Loewen R. Alexander Pyron Steven E. Jasinski D. Edward Malinzak Spencer G. Lucas Anthony R. Fiorillo Philip J. Currie Nicholas R. Longrich |
| author_sort | Sebastian G. Dalman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Tyrannosaurid dinosaurs dominated as predators in the Late Cretaceous of Laurasia, culminating in the evolution of the giant Tyrannosaurus rex, both the last and largest tyrannosaurid. Where and when Tyrannosaurini (T. rex and kin) originated remains unclear. Competing hypotheses place tyrannosaurin origins in Asia, or western North America (Laramidia). We report a new tyrannosaurin, Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis, from the Campanian–Maastrichtian Hall Lake Formation of New Mexico, based on a fossil previously referred to T. rex. T. mcraeensis predates T. rex by ~ 6–7 million years, yet rivaled it in size. Phylogenetic analysis recovers T. mcraeensis as sister to T. rex and suggests Tyrannosaurini originated in southern Laramidia. Evolution of giant tyrannosaurs in southern North America, alongside giant ceratopsians, hadrosaurs, and titanosaurs suggests large-bodied dinosaurs evolved at low latitudes in North America. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:05:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-369162bf33644ef2a5c668a1d13ad4ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:05:05Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-369162bf33644ef2a5c668a1d13ad4ae2024-03-05T18:54:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111110.1038/s41598-023-47011-0A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantismSebastian G. Dalman0Mark A. Loewen1R. Alexander Pyron2Steven E. Jasinski3D. Edward Malinzak4Spencer G. Lucas5Anthony R. Fiorillo6Philip J. Currie7Nicholas R. Longrich8New Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceDepartment of Geology and Geophysics, University of UtahDepartment of Biological Sciences, The George Washington UniversityDepartment of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Harrisburg UniversityPennsylvania State University, Lehigh ValleyNew Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceNew Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of AlbertaDepartment of Biology and Biochemistry, University of BathAbstract Tyrannosaurid dinosaurs dominated as predators in the Late Cretaceous of Laurasia, culminating in the evolution of the giant Tyrannosaurus rex, both the last and largest tyrannosaurid. Where and when Tyrannosaurini (T. rex and kin) originated remains unclear. Competing hypotheses place tyrannosaurin origins in Asia, or western North America (Laramidia). We report a new tyrannosaurin, Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis, from the Campanian–Maastrichtian Hall Lake Formation of New Mexico, based on a fossil previously referred to T. rex. T. mcraeensis predates T. rex by ~ 6–7 million years, yet rivaled it in size. Phylogenetic analysis recovers T. mcraeensis as sister to T. rex and suggests Tyrannosaurini originated in southern Laramidia. Evolution of giant tyrannosaurs in southern North America, alongside giant ceratopsians, hadrosaurs, and titanosaurs suggests large-bodied dinosaurs evolved at low latitudes in North America.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47011-0 |
| spellingShingle | Sebastian G. Dalman Mark A. Loewen R. Alexander Pyron Steven E. Jasinski D. Edward Malinzak Spencer G. Lucas Anthony R. Fiorillo Philip J. Currie Nicholas R. Longrich A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism Scientific Reports |
| title | A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism |
| title_full | A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism |
| title_fullStr | A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism |
| title_full_unstemmed | A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism |
| title_short | A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism |
| title_sort | giant tyrannosaur from the campanian maastrichtian of southern north america and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47011-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sebastiangdalman agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT markaloewen agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT ralexanderpyron agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT stevenejasinski agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT dedwardmalinzak agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT spencerglucas agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT anthonyrfiorillo agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT philipjcurrie agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT nicholasrlongrich agianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT sebastiangdalman gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT markaloewen gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT ralexanderpyron gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT stevenejasinski gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT dedwardmalinzak gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT spencerglucas gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT anthonyrfiorillo gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT philipjcurrie gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism AT nicholasrlongrich gianttyrannosaurfromthecampanianmaastrichtianofsouthernnorthamericaandtheevolutionoftyrannosauridgigantism |