Open Paleo

Teratophoneus

Carr et al., 2011 teh-RAT-o-FO-nee-us

From Ancient Greek 'teras' meaning 'monster' and 'phoneus' meaning 'murderer', translating as 'monstrous murderer'.

83.6–72.2 million years ago Campanian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Teratophoneus is a genus of tyrannosaurine theropod dinosaur that lived during the late Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period, (about 76.5 to 75.5 million years ago) in what is now Utah. It contains a single known species, T. curriei, named in honor of paleontologist Philip J. Currie. It is known from an incomplete skull and postcranial skeleton recovered from the Kaiparowits Formation.

Diagnosis

  1. Maxilla with steep rostrodorsal margin and maxillary fenestra situated far caudal to antorbital fossa
  2. Complete overlap on caudal margin of frontal by parietal
  3. Distinct angle in caudal margin of postorbital process of jugal
  4. Transversely oriented occiput with paroccipital processes extending nearly directly laterally
  5. Short basicranium with basisphenoid recess nearly closed and steeply rostroventrally inclined ventral margin
  6. Reduced tooth count of 12 in maxilla and 14 in dentary

Species

Teratophoneus curriei Carr et al., 2011

Type species

Named for Philip J. Currie, the paleontologist honored for contributions to theropod research.

Holotype
BYU 8120 , Earth Sciences Museum, Brigham Young University
Material
Partial skull and postcrania
Horizon
middle Kaiparowits Formation, Campanian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–72.2 million years ago
Locality
The Blues, Utah, United States

Notable specimens

  • UMNH VP 21100

    Utah Museum of Natural History complementary

    The only known articulated specimen of Teratophoneus, measured at 7.6 meters long. It allowed the maximum adult length of the taxon to be estimated at about 8.7 meters, in contrast to the fragmentary subadult holotype.

    Titus et al. (2021)

References

  1. Titus, A. L.; Knoll, K.; Sertich, J. J. W.; Yamamura, D.; Suarez, C. A.; Glasspool, I. J.; Ginouves, J. E.; Lukacic, A. K.; Roberts, E. M. (2021). Geology and taphonomy of a unique tyrannosaurid bonebed from the upper Campanian Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah: implications for tyrannosaurid gregariousness. PeerJ 9: e11013. doi:10.7717/peerj.11013 titus2021a
  2. Carr, T. D.; Williamson, T. E.; Britt, B. B.; Stadtman, K. (2011). Evidence for high taxonomic and morphologic tyrannosauroid diversity in the Late Cretaceous (Late Campanian) of the American Southwest and a new short-skulled tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits formation of Utah. Naturwissenschaften 98(3): 241-246. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1007/s00114-011-0762-7 carr2011a
  3. Paul, G. S. (2024). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.

    Source of the appearance features.

    paul2024a