Latirhinus uitstlani, a ‘broad-nosed’ saurolophine hadrosaurid (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda) from the late Campanian (Cretaceous) of northern Mexico

Abstract

We describe a new genus and species of hadrosaurid dinosaur, Latirhinus uitstlani, from upper Campanian strata of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation in northern Mexico. The new taxon differs from other hadrosaurids, except Gryposaurus, in possessing a deep and arcuate dorsal process of the nasal; it differs from Gryposaurus, as well as from all other saurolophines, in having a broader narial foramen, and an anterodorsally curved deltoid crest of the scapula (convergent with Lambeosaurinae within the context of Hadrosauridae). L. uitstlani appears to be allied to ‘kritosaurs’, particularly to species of Gryposaurus, and it represents one of the southernmost saurolophines of North America. Likewise, L. uitstlani adds to the diversity of saurolophines in the southern Western Interior Basin and its occurrence in northern Mexico is consistent with the apparent predominance of ‘kritosaurs’ in southern Laramidia during late Campanian times.

Keywords:

• Dinosauria
• Hadrosauridae
• Laramidia
• Cretaceous
• Coahuila
• Mexico

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to R. Hernández Rivera (IGM), the academic and administrative staff at the Instituto de Geología of the UNAM and the Museo de Geología of the UNAM, R. López, J. López, the people at Presa San Antonio and the group Antares for their assistance on various aspects of this study. We thank D. Eberth (TMP), D.C. Evans (ROM), J.R. Horner (MOR), P.J. Makovicky (FMNH), M.A. Norell (AMNH), R.D. Scheetz (BYU) and K. Shepherd (CMN) for allowing the reproduction of photographs taken by A.P.-M. of specimens under their care. We also thank L. Quintos and M. Flores for preparing the fossil material. This research was supported by an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers.