Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

The ornithopod dinosaur Dryosaurus and a Laurasia–Gondwanaland connection in the Upper Jurassic

Abstract

COMPARISONS of Upper Jurassic ornithopod dinosaurs show that Dysalotosaurus lettow-vorbecki (Tendaguru Beds, Tanzania, East Africa) is referable to the genus Dryosaurus (Morrison Formation, western North America). This extended distribution of Dryosaurus provides additional evidence for a land connection between Laurasia and Gondwanaland sometime in the Upper Jurassic.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hallam, A. Jurassic Environments (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hallam, A. Scient. Am. 227, 56–66 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Charig, A. J. in Faunal Provinces in Space and Time (eds Middlemass, F. A., Rawson, P. F. & Newall, G.) 111–128 (Seel House, Liverpool, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cox, C. B. J. Biogeogr. 1, 75–94 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Colbert, E. H. Wandering Lands and Animals (Dutton, New York, 1973); in Implications of Continental Drift to the Earth Sciences 1 (eds Tarling, D. H. & Runcorn, S. K.) 395–412 (Academic, London, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Charig, A. J. in Atlas of Biogeography (ed. Hallam, A.) 339–352 (Elsevier, London, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Janensch, W. Palaeontographica, Suppl. 7 1st Reihe II, 1–34 (1929); II, 149–249 (1935); III 177–235 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Janensch, W. Palaeontographica, Suppl. 7 1st Reihe III, 27–93, 95–103 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Riggs, E. S. Publs Field Mus. nat. Hist., Geol. Ser. 2, 229–247 (1904).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lull, R. S. Mem. Conn. Acad. Arts Sci. 6, 1–42 (1919).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Janensch, W. Palaeontographica, Suppl. 7 1st Reihe I, 1–99 (1925).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Galton, P. M. Lethaia (in the press).

  13. Galton, P. M. & Jensen, J. A. Brigham Young Univ. geol. Stud. 20, 137–157 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Janensch, W. Palaeontographica, Suppl. 7 1st Reihe III, 105–176 (1956); 237–240 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Galton, P. M. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. 25, 1–152c (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Galton, P. M. Palaeontology 18, 741–752 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Arkell, W. J. Jurassic Geology of the World (Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1956).

    Google Scholar 

  18. De Lapparent, A. F. & Zbyszewski, G. Mems Servs Geol. Port. (N.S.) 2, 1–63 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Dewey, J. F., Pitman, W. C., Ryan, W. B. F. & Bonnin, J. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 84, 3134–3180 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Buffetaut, E. & Taquet, P. Palaeontology 20, 203–208 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Gordon, W. A. Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Palaeont. Miner., Tulsa 21, 136–147 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Dietz, R. S. & Holden, J. C. J. geophys. Res. 75, 4939–4956 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Berggren, W. A. & Hollister, C. D. Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Palaeont. Miner., Tulsa 20, 126–186 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ager, D. V. in Jurassic Northern North Sea Symposium 1–43 (Norwegian Petroleum Society, Stavanger, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Enay, R. Geobios 5, 355–407 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Freeland, G. L. & Dietz, R. S. Nature 232, 20–23 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Owen, H. G. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 281, 223–291 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hallam, A. J. Paleont. 52, 12–13 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Galton, P. M. Palaeontology 19, 587–589 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Madsen, J. H. Jr., Utah Geol. 3, 51–60 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  31. McIntosh, J. S. & Berman, D. S. J. Paleont. 49, 187–199 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Marsh, O. C. Am. J. Sci. 14, 514–516 (1877).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Marsh, O. C. Am. J. Sci. 15, 241–244 (1878).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Marsh, O. C. Am. J. Sci. 48, 85–90 (1894).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Shepherd, J. D., Galton, P. M. & Jensen, J. A. Brigham Young Univ. geol. Stud. (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

GALTON, P. The ornithopod dinosaur Dryosaurus and a Laurasia–Gondwanaland connection in the Upper Jurassic. Nature 268, 230–232 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268230a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/268230a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing