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DrPolaris β€” Bucinarhinus complexus

#dinosaur #hadrosaur #speculativeevolution #speculativebiology #speculativezoology
Published: 2018-04-12 21:45:58 +0000 UTC; Views: 5608; Favourites: 101; Downloads: 12
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Description We are all familiar with the two Late Cretaceous Hadrosaurid subfamilies Saurolophinae and Lambeosaurinae. Both of these lineages survived into the Paleogene and begat a whole host of descendants before going extinct at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. In North America at least, the most important and long lasting of these were the Caenolophines. Although their phylogenetic position is unclear, it has been suggested that they were derived from Saurolophine ancestors and are frequently in the clade Saurolophoidea. Members of this lineage were endemic to North America from the Middle Eocene until their eventual extinction during the Late Miocene. While extremely common and diverse during the Oligocene and Early Miocene, Caenolophines first appeared as small, rare animals during the Eocene.

Bucinarhinus was an early member of this group and displays two of the most definitive characteristics of Caenolophinae: a highly complex nasal anatomy and a backward curving crest. It has been assumed by paleontologists that Caenolophines used their highly derived nasal structure to amplify their calls, possibly through the use of a brightly colored, inflatable skin flap. Bucinarhinus was a rare animal in an environment dominated by Saurolophine Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsids. It is known from two specimens from the Reeves Bonebed, one of which was roughly 60% complete. The second specimen consisted of a partial upper maxilla with the nasal structure thankfully well preserved. The whole animal reached a length of 6-7m as an adult.

Artwork illustrated by Sheather888. Check out his art!
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Comments: 3

buried-legacy [2018-12-25 01:56:49 +0000 UTC]

Nicely done.

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asari13 [2018-04-14 10:13:08 +0000 UTC]

cool

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DrPolaris In reply to asari13 [2018-04-14 10:30:05 +0000 UTC]

ThanksΒ 

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