Records of the Western Ailstral/llll MIISflllll 19: 121-129 (1998)

A new Jurassic theropod dinosaur from Western Australia

John A. Long 1 and Ralph E. Molnar 2

I Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000, Australia2 Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia

Abstract - A Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) theropod dinosaur, Ozraptor sllbotaii,gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Cola Iura Sandstone of WesternAustralia, based on the distal end of a left tibia. The astragalar facet indicatesthat the dorsal process of the astragalus was high and distinctly rectangularin outline, with an anterior surface that is almost straight along its dorsalmargin. It differs from all other theropods in which the tibia or astragalus isknown as these have either weakly developed, low dorsal processes or hightriangular-shaped processes. The specimen is significant in being the firstJurassic theropod bone from Australia, and the first Western Australiandinosaur to be formally named, apart from an ichnotaxon.

INTRODUCTION

Australian dinosaurs are known mostly fromscant and rarely articulated remains of EarlyCretaceous age in Victoria, New South Wales,South Australia and Queensland (Molnar 1991;Long 1993, 1998). The only Jurassic dinosaurs sofar described are the partial skeleton of thesauropod Rhoetosaurus brownei (Longman 1927)from sou them Queensland, and a report of aprobable sauropod caudal vertebra by Long (1992)from near Geraldton, Western Australia. The bonedescribed herein comes from the same site as thelatter, the Bringo railway cutting about 20 km eastof Geraldton, which exposes the Middle JurassicColalura Sandstone. The Colalura Sandstone isdated by its stratigraphic position. Immediatelyoverlying it is the Bringo Shale (approximately 2metres thick) and then the NewmarracarraLimestone which contains a diverse marineinvertebrate fauna including abundant bivalvesand ammonites. It has been referred to theSowerbyi and perhaps Sauzei and Humphries­ianium Zones of the European Middle Bajocian.

In addition to the two dinosaur bones, theColalura Sandstone has abundant fossilised wood,bivalves, and rare reptilian bones including anisolated plesiosaur vertebra [WAM 86.10.707,figured by Long (1993, p. 53); UWA 36112; Longand Cruickshank 1998], and a possible paddle bonefrom a plesiosaur (WAM 63.5.13).

The western half of the Australian continent hasbeen almost devoid of dinosaur skeletal remainsuntil Long (1992) described a possible theropodhumerus from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Miria Formation of the Carnarvon Basin and theprobable sauropod caudal vertebra from BringoCutting. L,ong (1995) also gave a brief description

of a Late Cretaceous theropod pedal phalange fromthe Molecap Greensand near Gingin, and Long andCruickshank (1996) described a possible EarlyCretaceous theropod caudal vertebra from theBirdrong Sandstone, exposed near Kalbarri.However, an extensive assemblage of dinosaurfootprint taxa are now known from the EarlyCretaceous Broome Sandstone, including thetheropod ichnotaxon Megalosauropus broomensisColbert and Merrilees 1967, at least two differentkinds of sauropods (Thulborn et al. 1994: 92), avariety of ornithopods including Wintonopus sp.(Long 1993, 1998), and a thyreophoran, possibly astegosaur (Long 1993). This footprint assemblage iscurrently under study by Or Tony Thulborn andMr Tim Hamley, University of Queensland,Zoology Department, ably assisted by Mr PaulFoulkes of Broome. Figure 1 shows all knownMesozoic reptiles sites in Western Australia, andtheir relative stratigraphic positions.

The specimen described here was found in 1966by four year 12 Scotch College students, StevenHincliffe, Peter Peebles, Robert Coldwell andTrevor Robinson (deceased), who visited the regionto collect fossils. They gave the bone to ProfessorRex Prider of the University of Western Australiawho made casts and sent them to the BritishMuseum of Natural History in London. At thisstage the bone was still embedded in matrix. Anote found with the specimen indicates that it hadbeen shown to Or A. Charig who thought it mightbe a turtle bone. In 1989, when one of us (JL) wasappointed as curator of vertebrate palaeontologyat the Western Australian Museum, a review of theMesozoic vertebrates of that state was initiated. Allmaterial from the UWA collections was studied.­The specimen was only recently prepared from the

122 J.A. Long, R.E. Molnar

Early Cretaceousdinosaur trackways(Broome Sst)

• marine/shelf deposits

Miria Fm

Molecap Gs

!21fI Birdrong Sst

o BroomeSst

near shore marine

o continental

()

enenet 0 Colalura Ssta:::::>"'")

en::::>ow()et...wa:()

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Middle Jurassicplesiosaur. dinosaurs(Colalura Sst)

Late Cretaceousmosasaurs, dinosaurspterosaur (Miria Fm.)pliosaur (Gearle Sit)

Early Cretaceoupliosaur,ichthyosaur.dinosaur(Birdrong Sst)

Early Cretaceouspliosaur, ichthyosau(Birdrong Sst)

500 KM

Figure 1 Map showing the localities and stratigraphic positions of all known Mesozoic reptile fossils found inWestern Australia.

rock by hammer and chisel, and consolidated withdilute Mowital B30 in acetone.

Although this specimen represents the firstskeletal material of a Jurassic Australiantheropod, tracks are known from Queensland(Hill et al. 1966). Among these, at least one trackfrom a small theropod, probably of Bajocian­Bathonian age, is comparable in size to thismaterial (Hill et al. 1966).

apparently has the astragalus and calcaneum fusedto the tibia (specimen examined by JL in 1996).

Order Saurischia Seeley 1888

Suborder Theropoda Marsh 1881

Family Incertae Sedis

Genus Ozraptor gen. novo

SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY

Although the specimen described here is basedon a single incomplete bone, it is well known thatin theropods the shape of the astragalus, or itscorresponding facet on the tibia, can be distinctiveat the generic level or above (Paul 1992; Welles andLong 1974; Molnar et al. 1981, 1996; Molnar andPledge 1980). As this is also the first AustralianJurassic theropod recorded from skeletal material,it is unlikely to be confused with any describedexisting dinosaur skeletal remains. The closesttheropod both in age and geographic proximity isCryolophosaurus elliotti Hammer and Hickerson,1994, from the earliest Jurassic of Antarctica, which

Type SpeciesOzraptor subotaii sp. novo

DiagnosisA small theropod dinosaur having the distal end

of the tibia with a high rectangular, well-definedfacet for the ascending process of the astragalus setinto the anterior surface of the tibia. This facet hasa relatively straight, dorsal margin, and a distinctvertical ridge centrally placed. Medial malleolusweakly developed.

EtymologyAfter "Oz" colloquial usage, short for Australia,

and "raptor" meaning robber, a now popular

New theropod dinosaur

1 cm

123

Figure 2 Ozraptor sl/botaii gen. et sp. nov., holotype UWA 82469. Distal end of left tibia in lateral view (A), anteriorview (B), posterior view (C), and medial view (D). Bone whitened with ammonium chloride.

124

A

ridge for thedorsal margin ofastragalar ascendingprocess

medial

vertical ridge

medial malleolus(incomplete)

flat surfacefor fibula

ridge for thelateral margin ofastragalar ascend ingprocess

curved surfacefor calcaneum

B

p

medialbuttress

2 cm

J.A. Long, R.E. Molnar

astragalus calcaneum

Figure 3 Ozraptor subotaii gen. et sp. nov., holotype UWA 72469. A, sketch of the anterior face of the distal end of thetibia. B, possible reconstruction showing estimated shape of astragalus, calcaneum and distal fibula.

reference to small theropod dinosaurs (Currie1997). One may therefore (metaphorically) think ofOzraptor as 'the lizard of Oz'.

Ozraptor subotaii sp. novo

Material ExaminedHolotype UWA 82469, distal end of left tibia

(Figures 2, 3); only specimen.

Type localityFound on the ground at the Bringo Railway

Cutting, about 20 km east of Geraldton, WesternAustralia. Identified as being derived from theColalura Sandstone (Bajocian) because theassociated matrix showes the lithologicalcharacteristics of that unit, and included fossilwood.

DiagnosisAs for genus, only species.

RemarksMolnar & Pledge (1980) erected the new

theropod genus Kakuru based on the distal end of aright tibia, with a well-preserved astragalar facet.They argued, following the study of Welles andLong (1974), that the shape of the ascendingprocess of the astragalus was unique. Here weiterate the same argument: in no other theropod isthe astragalus developed as an almost rectangulardorsal process with a straight dorsal margin.

Welles and Long argued that the shape of theastragalar ascending process could be used torecognise major groups of theropods, and thischaracter is still used in contemporaryphylogenetic classifications (e.g., Gauthier 1986;Sereno 1997). If so, it is expected that the form inKakuru is not actually unique but indicative of anotherwise unknown group of theropods. This issupported by the later publication (Taquet 1985) ofa Moroccan Liassic theropod with a similarlyformed ascending process. Although in thepublished figures the astragalus resembles those ofceratosaurs, examination of this specimen by REMreveals that this is misleading because the medialedge and apex of the ascending process are broken.Examination of the break on the astragalar bodyshows that the process did not extend across thebody. Thus, like that of Kakuru, the ascendingprocess of this unnamed taxon was high, but didnot cover the entire anterior face of the tibia. This,in combination with the occurrence of these formsin regions where the dinosaurian fauna is poorlyknown, suggests that these 'aberrant' forms do notinvalidate the use of the form of the astragalarprocess in recognising theropod taxa, but insteadindicate that some Gondwanan theropod groupswere not represented, or yet documented, in thenorthern continents.

The Bringo Cutting specimen is readilyrecognised as a distal tibia from the characteristictriangular distal form and ridge on the posteriorsurface behind the medial malleolus found inbipedal dinosaurian tibiae. The presence of a facet

New theropod dinosaur 125

· -, ';.

· _.'..,'

· "':.

for the ascending process of the astragalus showsthat the tibia represents a derived theropod (Roweand Gauthier 1990).

EtymologyAfter the fictional character Subotai, a swift

running thief from the film "Conan the Barberian"(1982, Universal Pictures), based on the Robert E.Howard books.

DescriptionThe bone is unfortunately much abraded along

the lateral and distal margins, thus the latter is notwell defined. The distal end of the left tibia, aspreserved, measures 40 mm across at the broadestand the shaft is 19.6 mm thick at its thickest. Themid cross-section of the shaft is tear-shaped. Thedistal end of the bone is quite asymmetric due tothe well-developed lateral flange behind the fibula,as is typical of theropod tibiae. The astragalar facetmeasures approximately 35 mm high from thedistal end of the bone, and is 20.6 mm wide at itsdorsal edge. The facet is depressed slightly into theshaft, unlike other derived theropods, where theascending process may abut a step in the anteriorface of the tibia (as in Megalosaurus) but does notrest 'beneath' the general level of the anterior face.The dorsal margin of the astragalar facet is well­developed as a strong shelf, gently curving out tomeet the anterior face of the shaft, most stronglydefined medially. The facet has a distinct medianridge extending vertically down its centre, weaklyexpanded distally. The dorsal margin is slightlyoffset at its junction with this ridge, with the lateralportion set more distally than the medial. Themedial margin of the astragalar facet is straight.The extensor surface of the tibia is slightly concaveat the fibular flange, becoming weakly convexdorsally along the shaft. The medial malleolus isabraded, yet from the overall shape of the bone itappears that it was not prominent, and may havebeen truncate as in Megalosaurus and Poekilopleurorz(Molnar et al. 1996). The medial surface adjacent tothe facet is extremely narrow, due to the greatwidth of the astragalar facet.

The estimated length of the bone, by comparisonwith other similarly robust, although larger,theropod tibiae is approximately 17-20 cm, givingan estimated maximum body length in the range ofabout 1.6-2 m (by comparison with Sirzraptor dOllgi[Currie and Zhao 1993] and Allosaurus fragilis[Madsen 1976]).

fib

gr.fib

Eoo~

gr.ast

. ., ' .. ::

ast calc

Figure 4 AI/osallrlls Late Jurassic, NorthAmerica Diagram showing left tibia inanterior view (A) and shape of astragalusand calcaneum fitted to front of tibia,showmg close corroboration of astragalarshape to groove on tibia.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER THEROPODS

The range of theropods of the Late Triassic andEarly-Middle Jurassic include slender, small formswith elongate tibiae, such as SYlltarslIs andCoeloplzysis, as well as larger, more robust forms,

126

such as DilopllOsallrlls. In these ceratosaurs, theastragalus is broad and low with a weakly tomoderately developed triangular dorsal process(Rowe and Gauther 1990, fig. 5.9; Welles and L,ong1974), as also in the Late Jurassic Sinraptor (Currieand Zhao 1993). Or it is sometimes fused to thetibia and calcaneum as a tibiotarsus (e.g. Syntarslls,Coelophysis, Lilienstemlls; Rowe and Gauthier 1990,fig. 5.9).

In Jurassic megalosaurids the astragalarascending process has a similar form, but ismoderately high (compared to Cretaceous taxa). InMagnosallYlls andrewsi, MegalosallYlls bllcklandi,Poikiloplellron bllcklandii and ElIstreptospondylllsoxoniensis the astragalar facet is probably triangular(Molnar and Pledge 1980; Welles and Long 1974).

Among other Jurassic theropods,Piatnitzkysallrus, from South America, also has alow, triangular astragalus, as restored from thefacet on the front of the tibia (Bonaparte 1996: 73;Molnar et al. 1996). Torvosallrlls and 'Laelaps'gallicus have triangular ascending processes, withtruncate apecies (Britt 1991; Molnar et al. 1990respectively). Yangchllanosaurus shangyuensis fromthe Late Jurassic of China has a low triangularascending process, similar to those of a ceratosaur.Allosallrlls jragilis, from the Late Jurassic of NorthAmerica (Figure 4), shows a higher ascendingprocess on the astragalus, but still retains thedistinctly triangular shape, accurately reflected bythe facet on the flexor surface of the tibia (Figure3). Molnar et al. (1981) characterise the allosauridastragalus by six main features which reflect thespecialised mode of attachment of the ankle bonesto the tibia. Other larger Jurassic taxa, such asGasoSallYllS, Kaijiangosaurlls, Koparion andMarshosallrus apparently lack distal ends of theirtibiae and tarsals.

But most relevant are the smaller theropods,Coe!llrus, Chllandongocoe!llrus and Omitholestes. Asreconstructed the ascending process of Omitholestesis low and moderately narrow. Unfortunately thebasis of this reconstruction is unknown, as neitherset of tarsals and only one tibia are present in thespecimen (E. Manning, pers. comm., 1979). Theastragalar facet is not now exposed on themounted skeleton. In Coe!llrus the facet indicates abroad, high ascending process, that is morecommonly found in the Cretaceous. Only the baseof the ascending process appears to be preservedin Chuandongocoe!urus, but it is such that it couldmatch the form of the facet in Ozraptor (He 1984).However the distal profile of the tibia issubstantially different.

Our survey of astragalar shapes and tibialmorphology in Jurassic theropods fails to find anysimilar to that of Ozraptor. Furthermore, theconservative triangular form of the dorsal processof the theropod astragalus is accentuated in many

J.A. long, R.E. Molnar

of the Cretaceous forms, such asornithomimosa urs, ovira ptorosa urs (inc Iudingelmisaurids), dromaeosaurids and troodontids(Barsbold and Osmolska 1990; Barsbold et al. 1990;Currie 1990; Ostrom 1990; Molnar and Pledge 1980;Molnar et al. 1996). It is extremely high in thejuvenile troodontid Sallromitlzoides /1/ongolenesis(Currie and Peng 1993, figure 1-0). Welles andLong (1974) reviewed the shape of the tarsus intheropod dinosaurs, and this was reiterated andsupplemented by Molnar et al. (1996). Neitherpapers mentioning a square astragalar facet (orsimilarly shaped astragalus) in any known genus.The only other dinosaur showing an astragaluswith a relatively transverse dorsal margin is thetroodontid Borogovia (Osmolska and Barsbold1990), although in this form it has an extremelyhigh dorsal process on the astragalus which isfused to the tibia, so is distinctly different fromthat of Ozraptor. Figure 5 shows these differencesby comparing the common shapes of tibiae andastragali for various theropod groups.

We conclude, based on the relative size andalmost square shape of the dorsal process of theastragalus in Ozraptor, that it has no intimaterelationship with any theropods so far described.

DISCUSSION

The only East Gondwanan theropod of this agedescribed from skeletal remains (rather thanfootprints) is the Early Jurassic Cryolophosauruse!lioti from Antarctica. This appears to have a fusedtibia, astragalus and calcaneum, assuming thepostcranial material is correctly associated with theholotype skull, as cautioned by Hammer andHickerson (1994). The Cretaceous abelisaurids areanother group of Gondwana theropods knownprimarily from South America, but also recordedfrom Madagascar and India (Bonaparte 1991). Ofthese, only Xenotarsosallrus has a well-preservedtibia, indicating fusion of the astragalus andcalcaneum to its distal extremity, as is thought tobe the case for Cryolophosallrus.

Thus comparisons show that Ozraptor is uniqueamongst theropods in its inferred astragalar shapeand the depression of the astragalar facet, andcannot be placed in any existing theropod familyon this basis.

The functional morphology of the astragalarshape may tell us something about the nature ofthe theropod lifestyle. Those theropods havinghigh astragalar dorsal processes are the more agile,often small to medium-sized forms (e.g.,ornithomimosaurs, oviraptorids, elmisaurids,dromaeosaurids, and some smaller tetanurans) aswell as large predators like tyrannosaurids. Interms of the astragalar shape and possiblelocomotory implications, Ozraptor is more derived

New theropod dinosaur 127

MillionYears Ago

65Segn.

95

140

170

Bajocian-"--~~

Ca/am.

Oz.

205

210

XCII,

and/or Ius In a mategen. no\' These are not drawn to scale.

asc.pr, proccss of Boro,Dc/I, DclladrolllclIs; Oil

lJzlcklalldl, Cl:, IIOc:, PIIIII

XCllola rsosa IlrllS.

Figure 5 r1sons betweenchror\ol,.)glcal order The \s restored for!\bbreVlatlOns: Acro., AcrocalllllOsallrlls, AI/o.,HiJi",NlliJllI Calalll., ClllanlOSllllrIlS; Cod.Kak. Kllkllrll; I II/\C 11I11; LIL, LliIclI ..;lcnJlIs;

POlk, SlIlIr,

128

than other contemporary Early-Middle Jurassicforms none of which have a high, broad ascendingprocess on the astragalus. The central groove onthe posterior face of the astragalus, suggested bythe central ridge seen on the anterior face of thetibia is a feature seen also in Allosaurus fragilis,Allosaurus sp. (Molnar et al. 1981) and possiblySinraptor dongi (from figures 23E and F in Currieand Zhao 1993), but has not been found from thefew figured examples of ceratosaurians. InDilophosaunls, for example, the posterior face of theastragalus seems to be smooth (Rowe and Gauthier1990, figure 5.9K).

We speculate that the high, broad ascendingprocess may be (partially) 'locked' in place by thecentral ridge, suggesting resistance to stresses atthe ankle. Because the high, broad ascendingprocess seems correlated with small, agile forms,we suggest that Ozraptor was also an agile animal.

SummaryThe few characters preserved on the distal tibia

of Ozraptor subotaii gen. et sp. novo indicate that itrepresents a new taxon of theropod dinosaur thatwas relatively derived for its age.Biogeographically Ozraptor represents the onlyknown Jurassic theropod from Australia (apartfrom ichnotaxa, see Long 1998 for details); and theoldest theropod bone from the continent.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We wish to thank Dr Bill Hammer and Mr BillHickerson, Augustana College, Illinois, forallowing the senior author to examine the typematerial of Cryolophosaurus ellioti, Dr PhilippeTaquet, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, forallowing the junior author to examine theropodmaterial from Morocco, and the GeologyDepartment, University of Western Australia, forthe transfer of the specimen and other BringoCutting material to the collections of the WesternAustralian Museum. Ms Kris Brimmell is thankedfor her fine photography of the specimens and formaking replicas of the bone.

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Barsbold, R, Maryanska, T. and Osmolska, H. (1990).Oviraptosauria. In D.B. Wieshampel, P. Dodson, P.and H. Osmolska (eds) The Dinosauria: 249-258.

Bonaparte, ].F. (1991). The Gondwanan theropodfamilies Abelisauridae and Noasauridae. HistoricalBiology 5: 1-25.

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Britt, B.B. (1991). Theropods of Dry Mesa Quarry(Morrison Formation, Late ]urassic), Colorado, withemphasis on the osteoleogy of Torvosallrtls tanneri.Brig/mm YOllng University. Geology Stlldies 37: 1-72.

Currie, P.]. (1990). Elmisauridae. In D.B. Weishampel, P.Dodson, P. and H. Osmolska (eds) The Dinosallria:245-248. University of California Press, Berkeley, LosAngeles, Oxford.

Currie, P.J. (1997). Raptors. In P. J. Currie and K. Padian(eds) Encyclopedia of Dinosallrs: 626. Academic Press,San Diego.

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Mall//,;cript recclVed 10 NOllel1lbel' 1997; accepted 8 April1998

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InternationalNomenclature

Subject Matter:Reviews, observations and results of research into

all branchcs of natural scicncc and human studicswill be considered for publication. flowever,emphasis is placed on studies pertaining to WcsternAustralia. Longcr papcrs will be conSidered forpublication as a Supplement to the Records of theWestern Australian Museum. Short communicationsshould not normally exceed three typed pages andthis category of paper is mtended to accommodateobservations, results or new records of significance,that otherwise might not get into the literature, orfor wh ic h there is a parti cular urgency forpubhcation. All material must be ongmal and nothave been published elsewhere.

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Records ofthe Western Australian MuseumVolume 19 Part 1 1998

CONTENTS

K.P. Aplin111fee new blindsnakes (Squamata: Typhlopidae) fromnorthwestern Australia

B. Baehr and M. BaehrNew species and new records of Hersiliidae from Australia(Arachnida: Araneae: Hersiliidae). Sixth supplement tothe revision of the Australian Hersiliidae

J.A. Long, P. Vichers-Rich, K. Hirsch, E. Bray and C. Tuniz111e Cervantes egg: an early Malagasy tourist to Australia

J.A. Long and A.R.I. CruickshankFurther records of plesiosaurian reptiles of Jurassic andCretaceous age from Western Australia

N.R. Strahan, R.A. How and J. DellReproduction and diet in four species of burrowing snakes(Simoselaps spp.) from southwestern Western Australia

J. FromontRevision of the marine sponge genus Caulospongia Saville Kent, 1871(Demospongia: Hadromerida). Part 1. Morphological and skeletal characters

M.S. HarveyUnusual new water mites (Acari: Hydracarina) from Australia, Part 1

H. SmitA new genus of the water mite family Piersigiidae fromAustralia (Acari: Hydrachnidia)

M.S. HarveyA review of the Australasian species ofAnapistula Gertsch (Araneae: Symphytognathidae)

J.A. Long and R.E. MolnarA new Jurassic theropod dinosaur from Western Australia

Dates of Publication

Records of tile Western Australian Museum

Volume 18, Part 1 24 October 1996Volume 18, Part 2 18 December 1996Volume 18, Part 3 27 November 1997Volume 18, Part 4 30 January 1998

Western

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