Osteology of a Near-Complete Skeleton of Tenontosaurus tilletti (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from the Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA

Abstract

The character diagnosis of Tenontosaurus tilletti has been revised and redefined into a more robust and quantifiable state. Significant emphasis is placed on constructing phylogenetic definition in such a method, as it prevents occlusion of true character states by alleviating potential individual interpretational bias. Previous placement within the Iguanodontia is refuted based on the lack of character affinity with the defining synapomorphies of the clade. The clade Hypsilophodontidae (=Hypsilophodontia), along with Iguanodontia, however is deemed to be in critical need of refinement to account for recent discoveries and re-classifications of certain euornithopods. Several of the synapomorphies are out-dated and deemed redundant in favour of a more quantifiable approach. Re- definition of these clades is critical if the current state of basal euornithopodan relationships is to be resolved. Phylogenetic studies must be approached from a multidisciplinary perspective; integration of tectonostratigraphical, ontogenetic, palaeoecological, and biomechanical data with sets of well-defined primary homologies are essential in increasing phylogenetic resolution and generating stratigraphically feasible ancestor-descendant relationships. Material attributed to Tenontosaurus tilletti is in need of strict re-analysis; the significant quantity of specimens attributed to this species is potentially the result of poor stratigraphic constraints and the vast spatiotemporal span occupied. Future revision of this material is expected to reveal temporal variations on the species -level inherently linked to environmental evolution, as well as possibly provide clues to sexual dimorphism in contemporaneous, yet morphologically distinct tenontosaurs.