• Vertebrate palaeontology
• Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems
• Taxonomy and systematics
• Palaeoecology
• Reconstruction of biotic interactions 
• Taphonomy

Diversity and palaeoecology of the latest Cretaceous vertebrates from Transylvania
Post-doc project funded by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, German Research Foundation)

Duration: March 2024–February 2027 (36 months)
Principal investigator (PI): Dr. Felix Augustin 
Co-Investigators: Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Zoltán Csiki-Sava, Prof. Dr. Hervé Bocherens, Dr. Márton Rabi 
Grant-No. (Projektnummer): 533750820

The latest Cretaceous was a crucial time for the evolution of terrestrial life ending with one of the most severe mass extinctions of all time. However, the evidence contributing to our understanding of terrestrial ecosystem dynamics in the last few million years before the extinction is limited to a few fossil assemblages, with Europe being particularly poorly sampled. Even such iconic uppermost Cretaceous vertebrate faunas as that of Transylvania (western Romania) are left with fundamental questions to be answered related to taxonomic and ecological diversity. In particular, several recently collected spectacular fossil vertebrate specimens from Transylvania yield novel implications for species-level and ecological diversity and await detailed study. Moreover, palaeoecological analyses are yet to be rigorously applied to this fauna. The overarching goal of the proposed project is two-fold: first, a re-evaluation of taxonomic diversity of the terrestrial latest Cretaceous vertebrates from Transylvania based primarily on this new material and second, a partial aut- and synecological reconstruction of select vertebrate taxa. The new material includes several specimens of dinosaurs, crocodyliforms, turtles and with near-complete preservation that is unprecedented in the Upper Cretaceous of Transylvania for the respective taxa. Preliminary examination of these key specimens indicate that taxonomic diversity of the ornithopod dinosaurs and turtles was higher than previously thought, while the diversity of crocodyliforms has likely been overestimated. Key outcomes of this project include detailed taxonomic analysis through µCT-informed osteological description of these specimens in order to reassess species-level diversity. In addition, δ13C and δ18O stable isotope analysis of fossil teeth and bones together with bioerosional trace fossil analysis of bones will test for potential habitat niche partitioning between different turtle and crocodyliform taxa as well as for habitat and dietary niche partitioning between the different herbivorous dinosaurs in Transylvania. This project will contribute to a better understanding of European terrestrial ecosystems, shortly before the end of the Cretaceous.

https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/533750820
https://fit.uni-tuebingen.de/Project/Details?id=10620

Magyar, J., Csiki-Sava, Z., Ősi, A., Augustin, F.J., & Botfalvai, G. 2024. Rhabdodontid (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda) diversity suggested by the first documented occurrence of associated cranial and postcranial material at Vălioara (uppermost Cretaceous Densuş-Ciula Formation, Haţeg Basin, Romania). Cretaceous Research, 156: 105810 (1–35). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105810

Augustin, F. J., Ősi, A., & Csiki-Sava, Z. 2023. The Rhabdodontidae (Dinosauria, Ornithischia), an enigmatic dinosaur group endemic to the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago. Fossil Record, 26: 171–189. https://doi.org/10.3897/fr.26.108967 

Kampouridis, P., Hartung, J., Augustin, F. J., El Atfy, H., & Ferreira, G. S. 2023. Dental eruption and adult dentition of the enigmatic ptolemaiid Qarunavus meyeri from the Oligocene of the Fayum Depression (Egypt) revealed by micro-computed tomography clarifies its phylogenetic position. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad065 

Augustin, F. J., Rabi, M., Spindler, F., Kampouridis, P., Hartung, J., Albersdörfer, R., & Matzke, A. T. 2023. A new specimen of Solnhofia parsonsi from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Plattenkalk deposits of Painten (Bavaria, Germany) and comments on the relationship between limb taphonomy and habitat ecology in fossil turtles. PLOS ONE 18: e0287936 (1-17). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287936 

Massonne, T., Augustin, F. J., Matzke, A. T., & Böhme, M. 2023. A new cryptodire from the Eocene of the Na Duong Basin (northern Vietnam) sheds new light on Pan-Trionychidae from South East Asia. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 21: 2217505 (1-25). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2023.2217505 

Kampouridis, P., Hartung, J., & Augustin, F. J. 2023. The Eocene – Oligocene vertebrate assemblages of the Fayum Depression, Egypt. In: Z. Hamimi, H. Khozyem, T. Adatte, F. H. Nader, F. Oboh-Ikuenobe, M. K. Zobaa, H. El Atfy (Eds.), The Phanerozoic geology and natural resources of Egypt. Springer. pp. 373–405.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95637-0_14 

Augustin, F. J., Hartung, J., & Kampouridis, P. 2023. Dinosaur faunas of Egypt – the terrestrial Late Cretaceous vertebrate record. In: Z. Hamimi, H. Khozyem, T. Adatte, F. H. Nader, F. Oboh-Ikuenobe, M. K. Zobaa, H. El Atfy (Eds.), The Phanerozoic geology and natural resources of Egypt. Springer. pp. 253–284. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95637-0_9 

Augustin, F. J., Kampouridis, P., Hartung, J., Albersdörfer, R., & Matzke, A. T. 2022. The geologically oldest specimen of Pterodactylus: a new exquisitely preserved skeleton from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Plattenkalk deposits of Painten (Bavaria, Germany). Fossil Record, 25: 331–343. https://doi.org/10.3897/fr.25.90692 

Augustin, F. J., Bastiaans, D., Dumbravă, M. D., & Csiki-Sava, Z.  2022. A new ornithopod dinosaur, Transylvanosaurus platycephalus gen. et sp. nov. (Dinosauria: Ornithischia), from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin, Romania. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 42: e2133610 (1–23). https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2022.2133610 

Augustin, F.J., Dumbravă, M.D., Bastiaans, D., Csiki-Sava, Z. 2022. Reappraisal of the braincase anatomy of the ornithopod dinosaurs Telmatosaurus and Zalmoxes from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin (Romania) and the taxonomic reassessment of some previously referred specimens. PalZ, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-022-00621-x

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Kampouridis, P., Csiki-Sava, Z. 2022. The first record of pterosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous Hutubei Formation (lower Tugulu Group) of the southern Junggar Basin (NW China) – A glimpse into an unusual ecosystem. Cretaceous Research 130: 105066.  
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105066

Massonne, T., Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Weber, E., Böhme, M. 2021. A new species of Maomingosuchus from the Eocene of the Na Duong Basin (northern Vietnam) sheds new light on the phylogenetic relationship of tomistomine crocodylians and their dispersal from Europe to Asia. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 19, 1551–1585. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2022.2054372

Augustin, F.J., Csiki-Sava, Z., Matzke, A.T., Botfalvai, B., Rabi, M. 2021. A new latest Cretaceous pleurodiran turtle (Testudinata: Dortokidae) from the Haţeg Basin (Romania) documents end-Cretaceous faunal provinciality and selective survival during the K-Pg extinction. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 19:1059–1081. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2021.2009583

Hartung, J., Augustin, F.J., Kampouridis, P., Chure, D.J. 2021. A unique notostracan trace fossil assemblage from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation (northeastern Utah, USA) and its paleoecological and paleoenvironmental implications. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 583: 110667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110667

Kampouridis, P., Svorligkou, G., Kargopoulos, N., Augustin, F.J. 2021. Reassessment of ‘Chilotherium wegneri’ (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) from the late Miocene of Samos (Greece) and the European record of Chilotherium. Historical Biology, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2021.1920939

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Csiki-Sava, Z. 2021. Pterosaur remains from the Lower Cretaceous Lianmuxin Formation (upper Tugulu Group) of the southern Junggar Basin (NW China). Historical Biology, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2021.1910819 

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2021. Dinosaur taphonomy of the Jurassic Shishugou Formation (Northern Junggar Basin, NW China) – insights from bioerosional trace fossils on bone. Ichnos: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/10420940.2021.1890590 

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2021. New information on Lonchognathosaurus (Pterosauria: Dsungaripteridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of the southern Junggar Basin (NW China). Cretaceous Research 124: 104808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104808 

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2020. A theropod dinosaur feeding site from the Upper Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, NW China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 560: 109999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109999 

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Hinz, J.K., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2020. The smallest eating the largest: the oldest mammalian feeding traces on dinosaur bone from the Late Jurassic of the Junggar Basin (northwestern China). The Science of Nature, 107 (32): 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-020-01688-9 

Hinz, J.K., Matzke, A.T., Augustin, F.J., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2020. A Nothosaurus (Sauropterygia) skull from Kupferzell (Triassic, late Ladinian; SW Germany). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie – Abhandlungen 297: 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1127/njgpa/2020/0915 

Augustin, F.J., Matzke, A.T., Maisch, M.W., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2020. First evidence of an ankylosaur (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Jurassic Qigu Formation (Junggar Basin, NW China) and the early fossil record of Ankylosauria. Geobios 61: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geobios.2020.06.005 

Augustin, F. J., Matzke, A.T., Csiki-Sava, Z., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2019. Bioerosion on vertebrate remains from the Upper Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin, Romania and its taphonomic implications. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 534:109318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.109318 

2023 DFG grant for the project ‘Diversity and palaeoecology of the latest Cretaceous vertebrates from Transylvania’ funded by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, German Research Foundation); Principal investigator (PI): Dr. Felix Augustin, Co-Investigators: Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Zoltán Csiki-Sava, Prof. Dr. Hervé Bocherens, Dr. Márton Rabi; Duration: March 2024–February 2027 (36 months); Grant-No. (Projektnummer): 533750820
https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/533750820
​​​​​​​https://fit.uni-tuebingen.de/Project/Details?id=10620

2023 Bernd Rendel Preis, awarded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) in recognition of early-career success in the geosciences prior to obtaining a doctorate, €2,000 intended to enable academic activities
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