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An update of the spinosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) fossil record from the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula: distribution, diversity, and evolutionary history

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Abstract

The fossil record of spinosaurid theropods from the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula is relatively abundant, but not very informative. This record, as generally occurs in other geographic areas, is mainly represented by isolated teeth, probably due to the distinctive features of the dentition of these theropods. However, cranial and postcranial elements attributed to spinosaurids have been described and reported from different Iberian fossil sites. The currently known record of these theropods spans from the upper Hauterivian to the lower Aptian of the Cameros and Maestrazgo basins in Eastern Spain whereas it is early Barremian in age in the Lusitanian Basin of Western Portugal. Spinosaurid remains from the Iberian fossil record were traditionally attributed to Baryonyx, firstly described in the upper Barremian–lower Aptian of United Kingdom. However, the recent description of a specimen collected in the locality of Santa Águeda (Vallibona, Castellón), from sediments of the Morella Formation, implies the presence of a new taxon with a combination of derived features more closely related with some Gondwanan spinosaurines than with Baryonyx. Therefore, the currently known Iberian spinosaurid record would be made up of at least three taxa: Baryonyx (or a closely related baryonychine), the spinosaurine Vallibonavenatrix cani, and possibly Camarillasaurus cirugedae, which was recently re-interpreted as belonging to a megalosauroid tentatively related with spinosaurids. This faunal diversity is also compatible with the assortment of spinosaurid tooth morphotypes (distinguished mostly by the presence or absence of serrated mesial carina) that has been described in the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula.

Resumen

El registro fósil de terópodos espinosáuridos del Cretácico Inferior de la península ibérica es relativamente abundante pero habitualmente poco informativo. En general, este registro está representado por dientes aislados, que debido a sus características particulares se distinguen con cierta facilidad de la dentición del resto de los terópodos. Aunque son menos abundantes, también se han atribuido a espinosáuridos otros elementos craneales y postcraneales en diferentes yacimientos ibéricos. Temporalmente, el registro de estos terópodos conocido actualmente se extiende desde el Hauteriviense superior hasta el Aptiense inferior en las cuencas de Cameros y del Maestrazgo (este de España), mientras que en la Cuenca Lusitánica (centro-oeste de Portugal) este registro está restringido al Barremiense inferior. Los restos de espinosáuridos del registro ibérico se han atribuido tradicionalmente al género Baryonyx, descrito en el Barremiense superior–Aptiense inferior del Reino Unido. La descripción de un ejemplar hallado en la localidad de Santa Águeda (Vallibona, Castellón), en sedimentos de la Formación Morella, supone la presencia en el registro de la península de un nuevo espinosáurido que se caracteriza por presentar una combinación de caracteres que lo relacionan más con algunos espinosaurinos gondwánicos que con Baryonyx. Por otra parte, Caramillasaurus cirugedae, originalmente interpretado como un ceratosaurio, ha sido recientemente reinterpretado como un megalosauroideo relacionado de forma provisional con los espinosáuridos. De este modo, el registro ibérico conocido actualmente de espinosáuridos se compone al menos de tres taxones: Baryonyx (o una forma de barionicino cercanamente emparentado), el espinosaurino Vallibonavenatrix cani y, posiblemente, Camarillasaurus cirugedae. Esta diversidad es compatible con la colección de morfotipos dentales de espinosáuridos (diferenciados principalmente por la presencia o ausencia de dentículos en la carena mesial) que se ha descrito en el Cretácico Inferior de la península ibérica.

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Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank Juan Cano Forner and family for the facilities to study some materials here referred, Victor Beltrán, María José Adelantado, Municipal Corporation of Vallibona, and Vega del Moll S.A. Company for their involvement and support in fieldworks. We also thank Carlos Sangüesa (Museu Temps de Dinosaures, Morella, Castellón), Josep Casabó (Museo de la Valltorta, Tirig, Castellón), Miguel Ramalho (Museu Geológico, Lisbon, Portugal), Ronan Allain (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France), Rui Castanhinha and Carla Tomás (Museu da Lourinhã, Lourinhã, Portugal) and Sandra Chapman (Natural History Museum, London, UK) for providing access to the collections. Finally, we thank the editors of the JIG, Xabier Pereda Suberbiola, and an anonymous reviewer for the comments and suggestions that helped to improve the manuscript.

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  1. Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Dom Luiz, Edifício C6, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    E. Malafaia

  2. Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Paseo Senda del Rey 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    E. Malafaia, J. M. Gasulla, F. Escaso, I. Narvaéz & F. Ortega

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  1. E. Malafaia
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All authors had equally contributed on the development of the research, the writing of the manuscript, and preparation of the images.

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Malafaia, E., Gasulla, J.M., Escaso, F. et al. An update of the spinosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) fossil record from the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula: distribution, diversity, and evolutionary history. J Iber Geol 46, 431–444 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-020-00138-9

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