| Name: Olorotitan arharensis Etymology: From the Latin 'olor' (swan) and the Greek 'titan' (giant); and after the area of Arhara, where the holotype was discovered Distribution: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Far Eastern Russia Type Specimen: Partial skeleton Estimated size: 12 metres in length, and 2.54 tonnes based on femur length (PBDB, n.d.) First described by: Godefroit et al., 2003 |  Image courtesy of Wikipedia |
Interesting fact: Most (insert amazing adjective) lambeosaurine from Russia
When asked, "What's your favourite dinosaur?", I must admit that although I can't choose just one species or genus, I do often think of lambeosaurine dinosaurs. Their wonderful and puzzling nasal and cranial ornamentation has always been the draw card for me. So with great nostalgic pleasure, let me introduce a Late Cretaceous lambeosaurine, Olorotitan arharensis.
So, do you want to know the magical words that definitely help getting research published?
So, do you want to know the magical words that definitely help getting research published?
"This is the most complete dinosaur skeleton ever discovered in Russia and, with its finely preserved supracranial crest, the most complete lambeosaurine outside North America."
– Godefroit et al. (2003, pp 1)
I'm not saying that you're not allowed to advertise these qualities, just that it certainly helps to have the 'first', or 'longest', or 'tallest', or yes, 'most complete' fossil to write about. And that is exactly what Godefroit et al. (2003) had. Take a look!
Holotype fossil of O. arharensis as it was found in the field. From Godefroit et al., 2012.
Holotype skull and reconstruction of O.arharensis. From Godefroit et al., 2003.
Godefroit et al. (2012) suggested that the disarticulated nature of the O. arharensis holotype (including limbs and missing hands and feet) suggests partial decomposition before burial. Whether due to internal bacteria breaking down muscle and fat with loose elements washing away, or through hunting/ scavenging has not been vigorously examined: the authors did note what appeared to be tooth marks on the skull surface, and "tyrannosaurid" teeth have been found in the same formation, and so tentatively hypothesized that carnivorous dinosaurs had a role to play in either the death or decay of this O. arharensis.
Simplified cladogram of all non-avian dinosaurs. O. arharensis was a lambeosaurine, within Ornithopoda
References
Godefroit, P., Bolotsky, Y., Alifanov, V. 2003. A remarkable hollow-crested hadrosaur from Russia: an Asian origin for lambeosaurines. Comptes Rendus Palevol 2:143-151
Godefroit, P., Bolotsky, Y., Bolotsky, I. Y. 2012. Osteology and Relationships of Olorotitan arharensis, A Hollow-Crested Hadrosaurid Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 57(3): 527-560
PBDB, n.d. Olorotitan arharensis Godefroit et al. 2003 (lambeosurine). From the Paleobiology Database. Accessed 03/02/2013. URL: http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=72095&is_real_ user=1 and http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=72095&is_real_user=1
Godefroit, P., Bolotsky, Y., Alifanov, V. 2003. A remarkable hollow-crested hadrosaur from Russia: an Asian origin for lambeosaurines. Comptes Rendus Palevol 2:143-151
Godefroit, P., Bolotsky, Y., Bolotsky, I. Y. 2012. Osteology and Relationships of Olorotitan arharensis, A Hollow-Crested Hadrosaurid Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 57(3): 527-560
PBDB, n.d. Olorotitan arharensis Godefroit et al. 2003 (lambeosurine). From the Paleobiology Database. Accessed 03/02/2013. URL: http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=72095&is_real_ user=1 and http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=72095&is_real_user=1
