220 
J.A. Long, A.R.I. Cruickshank 
et al. 1981, 1985), an ornithomimid, Timimus 
hermani (Rich and Rich 1994), a possible 
caenagnathid (Currie et al. 1996) and isolated teeth 
and bones of dromaeosaurids (P.V.Rich and 
T.H.Rich., pers. comm. 1996). Other early 
Cretaceous Australian theropods are Kakuru kujani 
and other isolated theropod bones from the opal 
fields of Andamooka, and Coober Pedy, South 
Australia (Molnar and Pledge 1980) as well as from 
Lightning Ridge in New South Wales 
(Walgettosuchus, Rapator; Long 1993). The Birdrong 
bone precludes comparison with these forms as all 
are known from very scant remains, often from 
only one bone, and all of the above mentioned taxa 
C 
Figure 1 A, theropod mid caudal vertebra seen in 
right lateral view, and B, anterior view, 
natural size. C, Sketch of theropod mid 
caudal vertebra in left lateral view, showing 
main features, with restoration of suggested 
outline. Scale bar is 5 cm. Abbreviations: po, 
basal section of posterior zygapophysis; tr.p, 
transverse process. 
do not have the caudal vertebrae preserved (except 
Walgettosuchus, which is undiagnostic as to family. 
Long 1993). The Birdrong specimen compares well 
with mid-posterior caudal vertebrae of Allosaurus 
fragilis. The bone probably represents a small 
tetanuran theropod of indeterminate family. 
The specimen demonstrates the further potential 
for future discoveries of dinosaurs from this unit 
which outcrops extensively to the north as far as 
Cardabia Station (McLaughlin et al. 1995). To date, 
wherever the Birdrong Sandstone has been 
identified, it has yielded abundant fossilised wood 
and scant marine reptile remains, including the 
first partially articulated remains of ichthyosaurs 
from Western Australia, found in the northernmost 
exposures of the emit, collected by a WA Museum 
field party in July 1994. Cruickshank and Long (in 
press) note that the other known occurrences of the 
pliosaur Leptocleidus, which occurs in the Birdrong 
Sandstone, are always with an associated dinosaur 
fauna (e.g., eastern Cape Province, South Africa; 
Wealden Beds, U.K.; Coober Pedy, South 
Australia), further reinforcing the suggestion that 
the Birdrong Sandstone has great potential for 
future dinosaur discoveries. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
We thank the financial sponsors of the 1993-1994 
Birdrong expeditions, Mr John Clema of 
Forrestfield, and Forrestania Gold Pty Ltd, and 
extend thanks to various colleagues who helped in 
the field (Alex Baynes, Kris Brimmell, Greg Milner, 
Mikael Siverson, Alex Ritchie), and to the owner 
and managers of Murchison House Station for 
kindly permitting us to work on their property. We 
thank Kris Brimmell for photography and Danielle 
Hendricks for drafting Fig. 1, and also we thank Dr 
Ralph Molnar (Queensland Museum) and Dr Tom 
Rich (Museum of Victoria) for their helpful 
comments on the manuscript. 
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