Mike Keesey  

Anachronism Schmanachronism

September 20th, 2005 by Mike Keesey :: see related comic

When I originally drew this strip, Carnotaurus sastrei was supposed to be from the Gorro Frigio Formation, which is Albian-Cenomanian (Early Cretaceous). Thus I drew a Troodon formosus, from the Campanian-Maastrichtian of North America, as a suitably anachronistic (and brainy) antagonist.

Later, it turned out there had been a mistake. The holotype of C. sastrei is actually from the La Colonia Formation, which is Campanian-Maastrichtian. So much for anachronism! T. formosus is still from another continent (and supercontinent), but I decided to change it to Sinornithoides youngi to maximize the contrast. (Hey, at this resolution, who can tell the difference?)

References:

  • Lamanna, M. C., R. D. Martínez, and J. B. Smith. 2002. A definitive abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the early Late Cretaceous of Patagonia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(1):58-69.

2 Responses to “Anachronism Schmanachronism”
Jeff (Dandy) wrote:

1) Jehol maniraptorans look the sameish to me…if I’d been a boyscout, maybe I would have learned bird watching.
2) You include references? My hero.

Mike Keesey wrote:

1) Well, Sinornithoides is nonvolant, lacks hindlimb “wings”, and doesn’t have the oviraptorosaurian head of, e.g., Caudipteryx, so that helps narrow it down. (Of course, you can’t see the legs here….)
2) That’s the plan! Glad you like.


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