A nearly complete theropod from the Valanginian of France and other dinosaurs and marine reptiles found by amateur paleontologist

[Mare Nostrum]

Hi,

 

Since several years the amateur paleontologist Luc Ebbo has discovered new dinosaurs and marine reptiles in southeastern France. The specimens (all undescribed) have been found in marine deposits of various ages from the Lower Cretaceous. Marines reptiles are represented by small and several large relatively complete ichthyosaurs from the Aptian and Albian of the Blue Marls Formation. Among dinosaurs the last discovery is ‘’Ernest’’, a late juvenile or subadult theropod 70% complete (including 90% of the skull found disarticulated in the middle of the articulated postcranial skeleton) from the Valanginian of the Hautes-Alpes department. Other dinosaurs are represented by a nodosaur known by four skeletons found in several sites (I do not know their precise geological ages but I believe they come from levels more recent than Ernest). Only one skeleton from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department was prepared, 70% complete (the skull is missing) and includes almost complete armor. Some remains of abelisaurians (this region had already yielded the fragmentary remains of the abelisaurid Genusaurus from the Albian) and a titanosaur skull (for which there is not much information at the moment) were also found by Luc.

 

Below is a video from a YouTuber on Luc’s discoveries. It is mainly in French (English subtitles are available) but there are also several passages in English with the speakers Christian Foth (who will study Ernest), Attila Ősi (who will study the nodosaur), Peter Larson and David Martill. In the video the small theropod is long called by Luc the little t-rex (even though of course Luc knows very well that it is not the t-rex species). The study of the specimen will clarify whether it is a Tyrannosauroidea or an Allosauroidea. The video also addresses the issue of private collections and the impossibility of currently publishing all of these specimens. All these fossils are located at Luc's private museum in Salignac (Paléogalerie) but all of them are available to researchers. Luc and his team, who want these fossils to remain in the region where they were found, and professional paleontologists are looking for a way to make all these specimens publishable.

 

Ps. the video contains a post-credits scene about the discovery in the same area of a giant pterosaur humerus (more than 60 cm in length), possibly the largest known pterosaur.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW8MRI3iNJE

 

 

‘’Ernest’’ :

 

The nodosaur from Salignac :

 

Albian ichthyosaur from Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department :

 

Late Aptian ichthyosaur from Drôme department :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rocket]

Luc is one of these guys with "golden hands" and a gooooooooooooood eye. A great guy and an incredible good preparator.

I am still waiting for the paper about Ernest, to find a fossil like this is top of you can find in your life....