2016/02/01 by Laurel J. Krumenacker, D. Jade Simon, Garrett Benson Scofield +1 · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/08912963.2015.1137913
openalex publication_date 2016/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/20
The record of terrestrial vertebrates in the upper Albian to Cenomanian Wayan Formation of Idaho is sparse, with most fossils recovered belonging to the small orodromine neornithischian Oryctodromeus cubicularis and the maniraptoran ootaxon Macroelongatoolithus carlylei. Here we report on a diversity of theropod forms now recognised from various isolated teeth, vertebrae, eggs and eggshell. Theropods recognised from isolated teeth include a large possible tyrannosauroid, a small tyrannosauroid, dromaeosaurids, and indeterminate theropods. A possible neovenatorid and indeterminate theropods are recognised from isolated vertebrae. A giant oviraptorosaur is indicated by the presence of rare eggs and common eggshell accumulations referred to Macroelongatoolithus. While these remains are admittedly meager, their presence indicates that a substantial diversity of theropods existed in the Albian to Cenomanian environments of southeastern Idaho. The Wayan theropod assemblage is among the most diverse reported for this time period in North America, and represents a transitional assemblage resembling that of the later Late Cretaceous.