The end of the Age of Dinosaurs in Antarctica Matthew C. Lamanna, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pangaea: ancient supercontinent 220 Ma (Late Triassic) Blakey 2003
Mid-Mesozoic breakup of Pangaea 150 Ma (Late Jurassic) Blakey 2003
Mid-Mesozoic breakup of Pangaea Laurasia: northern supercontinent Blakey 2003
Mid-Mesozoic breakup of Pangaea Gondwana: southern supercontinent Blakey 2003
Geography influences evolution
Laurasian Cretaceous dinosaurs Josh Franzos
Gondwanan Cretaceous dinosaurs
Ron Blakey Gondwanan dinos much less known
Exploring the Gondwanan Cretaceous Ron Blakey
Ron Blakey Exploring the Gondwanan Cretaceous South America
Ron Blakey Exploring the Gondwanan Cretaceous Africa & Arabia
Ron Blakey Exploring the Gondwanan Cretaceous Australia
Ron Blakey http://www.ankizy.org Exploring the Gondwanan Cretaceous Madagascar
Jeff Wilson Jeff Wilson Ron Blakey Exploring the Gondwanan Cretaceous India & Pakistan
Ron Blakey Gondwanan Cretaceous dinosaurs
Ron Blakey Jose Bonaparte Abelisauroid theropods Bonaparte 1985; Bonaparte et al. 1990 Carnotaurus sastrei
Ron Blakey Jose Bonaparte Dave Krause Abelisauroid theropods Lavocat 1955; Sampson et al. 1998; Sampson & Krause 2007 Carnotaurus sastrei Majungasaurus crenatissimus
Ron Blakey Jose Bonaparte Dave Krause Project Exploration Abelisauroid theropods Wilson et al. 2003 Rajasaurus narmadensis Carnotaurus sastrei Majungasaurus crenatissimus
Spinosaurid theropods Davide Bonadonna/National Geographic
Carcharodontosaurid theropods University of Chicago
Todd Marshall Rebbachisaurid sauropods
Mark Hallett Titanosaurian sauropods
Titanosaurian sauropods
Todd Marshall Paralititan stromeri
Antarctica
Antarctica?
zimbio.com
Antarctica: the missing piece
Antarctica: the missing piece ~70 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
Antarctica: the missing piece South America Antarctica Australia ~70 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
Antarctica: the missing piece South America Antarctica Australia ~70 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula Vega Is. James Ross Is.
James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula Vega Is. James Ross Is.
James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula 66 146 Cretaceous Maastrichtian Campanian Santonian Coniacian Turonian Cenomanian Albian 66 71 84 86 89 94 100 200 251 Ma Jurassic Triassic Aptian Barremian Hauterivian Valanginian Berriasian 112 125 130 134 140 146 Ma
James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula 66 146 Cretaceous Maastrichtian ~90-70 Campanian Ma Santonian Coniacian Turonian Cenomanian Albian 66 71 84 86 89 94 100 200 251 Ma Jurassic Triassic Aptian Barremian Hauterivian Valanginian Berriasian 112 125 130 134 140 146 Ma
James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Robert Nicholls
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Sharks
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Bony fishes
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Plesiosaurs
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Mosasaurs
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Non-avian dinosaurs
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov.
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Olivero et al. 1991; Salgado & Gasparini 2006
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Bones preserved Pelvis Left lateral (side) view Coria et al. 2013
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Milner et al. 1992; Barrett et al. 2014
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Milner et al. 1992; Barrett et al. 2014
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Right dentary (lower jaw) Lateral (side) view Milner et al. 1992; Barrett et al. 2014
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Labial (side) view Tooth Mesial (front) view Case et al. 2000
Michael Skrepnick Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov.
Michael Skrepnick Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov.
Ron Blakey Hadrosaur paleobiogeography Originate North America/Eurasia ~100 Ma
Ron Blakey Hadrosaur paleobiogeography Disperse to South America ~80 Ma
Ron Blakey Hadrosaur paleobiogeography Disperse to Antarctica ~80-70 Ma
Ron Blakey Hadrosaur paleobiogeography South America-Antarctica land connection operative in latest Cretaceous
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Anterior (front) view Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Caudal (tail) vertebra Right lateral (side) view Posterior (rear) view Cerda et al. 2012
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Tibia (ankle end only) Posterior (rear) view Molnar et al. 1996
Antarctic Cretaceous dinosaurs Dinosauria Ornithischia Thyreophora Ankylosauria Antarctopelta oliveroi Ornithopoda Morrosaurus antarcticus Trinisaura santamartaensis Unidentified ornithopod(s) Hadrosauridae indet. Saurischia Sauropoda Titanosauria indet. Theropoda Tetanurae indet.?dromaeosauridae?unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Anterior (front) view Tarsus & pes (ankle & foot) Case et al. 2007
Nature of Antarctic dinosaur fauna
Nature of Antarctic dinosaur fauna The majority of the dinosaur assemblage from the Antarctic Peninsula are remnants of a cosmopolitan dinosaur fauna more typical of other areas at earlier times (e.g. mid-cretaceous of North America and Australia ). Case et al. 2007
Antarctica ~70 Ma
Antarctic dinosaurs ~70 Ma Dromaeosaurids Titanosaurs Basal ornithopods Ankylosaurs Hadrosaurids
Gondwanan dinosaurs ~70 Ma Dromaeosaurids Titanosaurs Basal ornithopods Ankylosaurs Hadrosaurids
South American dinosaurs ~70 Ma Dromaeosaurids Titanosaurs Basal ornithopods Ankylosaurs Hadrosaurids
Antarctic dinosaurs ~70 Ma?Dromaeosaurids Titanosaurs Basal ornithopods Ankylosaurs Hadrosaurids = No evidence for relictualism in Antarctic latest Cretaceous dinosaur fauna
Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Robert Nicholls
Robert Nicholls Antarctic Cretaceous vertebrates Birds
Modern birds (Neornithes) >10,000 species
When did modern birds evolve? Modified from Dyke & van Tuinen 2004
Jurassic (200-146 Mya) T I M E Cretaceous (146-66 Mya) Cenozoic (66-0 Mya) Avian fossil record modern birds (Neornithes) Paleogene neornithines Ichthyornis Hesperornis Gansus Hongshanornis Confuciusornis Yixianornis Yanornis Archaeopteryx
Jurassic (200-146 Mya) T I M E Cretaceous (146-66 Mya) Cenozoic (66-0 Mya) Cretaceous origin of modern birds? modern birds (Neornithes) Paleogene neornithines Ichthyornis Hesperornis Gansus Hongshanornis Confuciusornis Yixianornis Yanornis Archaeopteryx
Jurassic (200-146 Mya) T I M E Cretaceous (146-66 Mya) Cenozoic (66-0 Mya) Cretaceous origin of modern birds? modern birds (Neornithes) Ichthyornis Hesperornis Paleogene neornithines Cretaceous neornithines? Gansus Hongshanornis Confuciusornis Yixianornis Yanornis Archaeopteryx
James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula Vega Is. James Ross Is.
Vegavis iaai Clarke et al. 2005
Michael Skrepnick Vegavis iaai Clarke et al. 2005
Michael Skrepnick Vegavis iaai Clarke et al. 2005
Relationships of Vegavis Clarke et al. 2005
Vegavis: a Cretaceous duck Clarke et al. 2005
James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula Vega Is. James Ross Is.
Polarornis gregorii Chatterjee 2002
Aravind Krishnaswamy Polarornis: a Cretaceous loon? Chatterjee 2002
Jurassic (200-146 Mya) T I M E Cretaceous (146-66 Mya) Cenozoic (66-0 Mya) Cretaceous origin of modern birds? modern birds (Neornithes) Paleogene neornithines Ichthyornis Hesperornis Gansus Hongshanornis Confuciusornis Yixianornis Yanornis Archaeopteryx
Jurassic (200-146 Mya) T I M E Cretaceous (146-66 Mya) Cenozoic (66-0 Mya) Cretaceous origin of modern birds! modern birds (Neornithes) Ichthyornis Hesperornis Gansus Antarctic Cretaceous neornithines Hongshanornis Confuciusornis Yixianornis Yanornis Archaeopteryx
Jurassic (200-146 Mya) T I M E Cretaceous (146-66 Mya) Cenozoic (66-0 Mya) Antarctica: cradle of modern birds? modern birds (Neornithes) Ichthyornis Hesperornis Gansus Antarctic Cretaceous neornithines Hongshanornis Confuciusornis Yixianornis Yanornis Archaeopteryx
Unanswered questions
Unanswered questions How, precisely, are Antarctic Late Cretaceous vertebrates related to contemporaneous species from elsewhere in the Gondwanan continents?
Unanswered questions How, precisely, are Antarctic Late Cretaceous vertebrates related to contemporaneous species from elsewhere in the Gondwanan continents? Hadrosaurid dinosaur indicates Late Cretaceous immigration from South America but when, more specifically, was this land route available?
Unanswered questions How, precisely, are Antarctic Late Cretaceous vertebrates related to contemporaneous species from elsewhere in the Gondwanan continents? Hadrosaurid dinosaur indicates Late Cretaceous immigration from South America but when, more specifically, was this land route available? Only definitive neornithine (i.e., modern) birds from Age of Dinosaurs come from Antarctica did the group originate and/or diversify there?
Unanswered questions How, precisely, are Antarctic Late Cretaceous vertebrates related to contemporaneous species from elsewhere in the Gondwanan continents? Hadrosaurid dinosaur indicates Late Cretaceous immigration from South America but when, more specifically, was this land route available? Only definitive neornithine (i.e., modern) birds from Age of Dinosaurs come from Antarctica did the group originate and/or diversify there? Where are the mammals? (And crocodilians, and lizards, and snakes, and amphibians )
Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project (AP3)
Project objectives Recover additional Late Cretaceous vertebrate fossils from Antarctica
Project objectives Recover additional Late Cretaceous vertebrate fossils from Antarctica Situate these fossils within accurate evolutionary, temporal, paleoenvironmental & paleoecological contexts
2009 Antarctic Peninsula expedition
Target: Vega Island
2009 Antarctic Peninsula expedition
2009 Antarctic Peninsula expedition
2009 Antarctic Peninsula expedition
Cape Lachman, James Ross Island Vega Is. James Ross Is.
Cape Lachman, James Ross Island
Hidden Lake Formation
Wow! A new fossil crab! Hadrocarcinus tectilacus Schweitzer, Feldmann, & Lamanna 2012
2011 Antarctic Peninsula expedition
The Naze, James Ross Island Vega Is. James Ross Is.
The Naze, James Ross Island
Snow Hill Island Formation
Cape Lamb & Sandwich Bluff, Vega Island Vega Is. James Ross Is.
Cape Lamb & Sandwich Bluff, Vega Island
López de Bertodano Formation
Conditions less than ideal
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries Plants 1 cm cf. Sapindaceae Winged seed
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries Sharks 1 cm
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries Bony fishes 2 cm Articulated vertebral column
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries 5 cm Plesiosaurs Articulated partial skeleton
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries Non-avian dinosaurs 1 cm Pedal phalanx (toe bone) Lateral (side) view 1 cm Tooth
Robert Nicholls 2011 expedition discoveries Thoracic (back) vertebra Tarsometatarsus (foot bone) Coracoid (shoulder bone) Birds 1 cm 1 cm 1 cm
2011 expedition discoveries Roberts et al. 2014
2011 expedition discoveries Roberts et al. 2014
A K Pg boundary section on Vega? Roberts et al. 2014
2013 & 2014 Antarctic expeditions
Satellite images of James Ross Basin January 8, 2013 January 6, 2014
Sea ice extremely extensive January 8, 2013 January 6, 2014
2009 Antarctic Peninsula expedition
Sea ice extremely extensive January 8, 2013 January 6, 2014 = terrible for us
2013 & 2014 Antarctic expeditions
2013 & 2014 Antarctic expeditions
So now what?
2016 Antarctic expedition Ron Kaufmann
A bigger boat! And better yet Ron Kaufmann
Helicopters!
Helicopters!
Plus small boat support
Small boat support
James Ross Island
Vega Island
Robertson Island
Cape Lamb & Sandwich Bluff, Vega Island
The Naze, James Ross Island
Theropod dinosaur fossils!
?Unenlagiinae gen. et sp. nov. Ankle & foot (front view) Case et al. 2007
More to come
Acknowledgments Research collaboration & scientific discussion Julia Clarke, Ross MacPhee, Pat O Connor, Steve Salisbury, Joe Sertich, Eric Roberts, Kerin Claeson, Zubair Jinnah, Meng Jin, Eric Gorscak, Chris Torres, Abby West, Matt Koshmrl, Jane Francis, Judd Case, Ricardo Ely, Dale Malinzak, Sam Gutherz, Carrie Schweitzer, Rodney Feldmann, Nick Swanson-Hysell, Chris Strganac, Joe Kirschvink, Peter Ward, Tom Tobin, Dave Barbeau, Sarah Slotznick, Ross Mitchell Logistical support United States Antarctic Program, Lockheed Martin Antarctic Support Contract, Raytheon Polar Services Corporation, Edison Chouest Offshore, Cara Ferrier, Brett Pickering, Phil Austin, Ken Vicknair, Kelley Watson, Chris Denker, John Evans, Matthew Erickson, Adam Jenkins, Tim McGovern, Alexandra Isern, Mark Kurz, Thom Wilch, Peter West, all personnel on USAP cruises LMG09-11, LMG11-02, & NBP16-02 Funding National Science Foundation (grants ANT 0636639 [PI MacPhee] & ANT 1142129 [PI Lamanna])
Questions?
http://antarcticdinos.org @antarcticdinos