New data on the theropod diversity from the Middle to Late Jurassic of the Vaches Noires cliffs (Normandy, France)

ABSTRACT Dinosaur remains found at the Vaches Noires cliffs (Calvados, Normandy) have usually been discovered by amateur palaeontologists. The bones come from carcasses which drifted away from a nearby land (Armorican Massif) during the upper Callovian and lower Oxfordian. Most of these bones belong to private collections and are hardly accessible. Consequently, many of these bones were never described. Thus, and for the first time, private and public collections are gathered to obtain a global vision of theropod remains from the Vaches Noires cliffs. Most of the dinosaur remains from this locality belong to theropods. Some bones are from the same individual but have been isolated as a result of cliff erosion and tidal action which also mixed specimens from different stratigraphic levels. This over-representation of theropod remains is enigmatic because it is not found in other similar deposits. A specific way of life is likely to explain that fact, but it could also be a simple statistical effect due to a limited sample. At least 3 taxa are tentatively identified: Streptospondylus altdorfensis Meyer, 1832, another megalosauroid and an allosauroid.