Stratigraphy, paleontology and age of the Fruitland and Kirtland Formations (upper Cretaceous), San Juan Basin, New Mexico
Author
Hunt, A. P.
Author
Lucas, S. G.
text
1992
New Mexico Geological Society 43 rd Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook
Editor
Lucas, S. G.
Editor
Kues, B. S.
Editor
Williamson, T. E.
Editor
Hunt, A. P.
New Mexico Geological Society
217
239
book chapter
24289
10.5281/zenodo.3614972
c026b052-b7ca-498d-b55b-5b3c092d0c84
3614972
Ankylosaurs —
Several
localities
in
the
Fruitland and Kirtland yield nodosaurid scutes. Keeled scutes
of
nodosaurids
can
be distinguished from ankylosaurids in that
ankylosaurid
scutes
are commonly
excavated on their medial surface and
thus
are
thin
(
Coombs and Maryanska, 1990
). In contrast, nodosaurid scutes tend to be
flat
or
only slightly
cupped on their medial surface (
Coombs and Maryanska, 1990
).
NMMNH P-20880
(
Fig
. 8
K-L) represents the first
specimens of
a nodosaurid reported
from
the
Fruitland Formation.
These specimens
are thick,
keeled
plates
with
only slightly
concave medial
surfaces
.
NMMNH
P-
1078
(
Fig
. 8
I-J) is two large keeled plates
of a
nodosaur from
the
Naashoibito Member
of the
Kirtland Formation. These plates are similar to dorsal
scutes of
Edmontia (
Coombs
and
Maryanska
. 1990, fig. 22.13 upper).