DOCSLIB.ORG

This Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation Has Been Downloaded from Explore Bristol Research

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
This Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation Has Been Downloaded from Explore Bristol Research This electronic thesis or dissertation has been downloaded from Explore Bristol Research, http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk Author: Hungerbuhler, Axel Title: Cranial anatomy and diversity of the Norian phytosaurs of southwestern Germany. General rights Access to the thesis is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International Public License. A copy of this may be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode This license sets out your rights and the restrictions that apply to your access to the thesis so it is important you read this before proceeding. Take down policy Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions prior to having it been deposited in Explore Bristol Research. However, if you have discovered material within the thesis that you consider to be unlawful e.g. breaches of copyright (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please contact [email protected] and include the following information in your message: •Your contact details •Bibliographic details for the item, including a URL •An outline nature of the complaint Your claim will be investigated and, where appropriate, the item in question will be removed from public view as soon as possible. Cranial anatomy and diversity of the Norian phytosaurs of Southwestern Germany Volume 2 Appendices and Figures by Axel Hungerbiihler A thesis submitted to the University of Bristol in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Science (Department of Earth Sciences), May 1998. Appendix A Data matrix Appendix A Data matrix 361 Table A.l: Data matrix nJa =character not applicable; 1 =missing data; (1) =score questionable because of preservational state; 0-1, 1-2, 2-3 =polymorphic character states. Abbrev.: A., Angistorhinus; E., Ebrachosuchus; F., Francosuchus; M., Mesorhinosuchus; P., Paleorhinus; "Pa.", "Parasuchus"; Pr., Promystriosuchus. character Eu· Proto· E. F. M. P. P. magna· P. P. scurri· ·Pa. Pro A. A. parkeria champsa neukLlmi broili jraasi bransoni culus sawini ensis hislopi" ehlersi grandis taJainti 1 snout length 0 1 3 '1 '1 2 1 1 '1 2 3 2 1 2 ventral rim of m 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 I 3 pm and internasal septum nJa nJa 1 1 '1 '1 1 '1 0 1 1 1 1 4 lateral rim of m 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 nature of dentition 0 0 '1 '1 1 1 1 '1 1 1 '1 1 1 6 number of teeth 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 7 anterior extent of sm nJa nJa 1 0 1 1(1) 0 '1 1 0 ? 0 0 8 posterior extent of sm nJa nJa 1 1 '1 1 1 '1 1 1 '1 0 0 9 elevation of naris 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 naris position 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 11 infranasal recess 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 preorbitaI depression 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Vl 13 length of prf 0 nJa 1 1 0 0 0 ? '1 1 '1 1 1 ~ 14 SCUlpture of skull roof 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 pre·infratemporal shelf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 size of infratemporal fen. 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 17 anterior process of j 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 18 height of j 0 1 1 1 '1 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 19 j-qj Suture 0 0 1 1 0(1) 1 '1 1 1 0 1 1 1 20 length I width of po·sq bar 0 2 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 211ength of par 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 22 posterior extent of par 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 23 par·soc complex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 i....0- 24 overhang of par 0 1 0 0 1 1 '1 1 1 1 1 2 2 >< 25 border supratemporal fen. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 > tj e Pl 3 ....~ >< Table A.1: Data matrix (continued) nla = character not applicable (0, 1); ? =missing data; (?) =score questionable because of preservational state; 0-1, 1-2,2-3 =polymorphic character states. Abbrev.: A., Angistorhinus; E., Ebrachosuchus; F., Francosuchus; M., Mesorhinosuchus; P., Paleorhinus; "Pa.", "Parasuchus"; Pr., Promystriosuchus. character Eu- Proto- E. F. M. P. P. magna- P. P. scurri- "Pa. Pro A. A. parkeria chilmpsa neukami broili fraasi bransoni culus sawini ensis his/opi" ehlersi grandis talainti 26 dorsal groove of sq 0 0 1 1 ? I 1 1 I 1 1 0 0 27 lateral ridge of sq 0 1 I 1 I I 1 I I 1 I 0 1 28 medial lamella of sq 0 0 ? ? ? 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 2 29 vertical part of sq 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I I 30 posterior process of sq 1 0 0 1 ? I 1 (7) 0 0 0 0 2 2 31 extent of sq 0 0 0(7) I (7) 7 I 1 0 I 0 I I 1 32 shape of tip of sq 0 1 1 0 ? 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 33 depression of par-sq bar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(7) 1 0 0 0 0 34 shape of par-sq bar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 1 1 35 quadratojugal process of sq 0 0 1 1 7 I 0 7 1 1 0 1 1 36 paroccipital process of sq 0 0 0 0 ? I 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 37 soc shelf 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 I 0 0 w 38 soc I posttemporal fenestra 0 nla ? 0 ? ? 7 7 0 0 1(7) 1 0 ~ 39 paroccipital process of opo 0 0 0 0 0 ? 7 7 0 0 0 1 1 40 size of quadrate foramen 0 nla 0 0 ? 0 7 0 1 1 1 (7) 1 1 41 location of quadate foramen 0 nla 1 1 ? 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 42 height of posttempora! fen. 0 nla 0 0 1 (7) 0 7 ? 0 0 1 (7) 0 1 43 pm reaching choana 0 7 0 7 1 1 1 7 0 1 I 1 0 44 anterior extent of pal 0 0 1 1 1 3 (7) 3 7 1 3 3 (7) 3 (7) 2 45 medial extension of pal nla nla 0 0 7 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 46 pal meet in midline 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 47 suborbital fenestra 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 7 1 0 2 1 2 48 interpterygoid vacuity 0 0 0 0 1 2 7 7 2 2 0 0 2 ie: >< 49 position of nervus XU 0 7 7 0 7 ? 7 7 7 0 7 7 7 > o S g Ei- >< Table A.l: Data matrix (continued) ? =missing data; (?) =score questionable because of preservational state; 0-1, 1-2,2-3 = polymorphic character states. Abbrev.: Ar., Arribasuchus; B., Brachysuchus; L., Leptosuchus; My., Mystriosuchus; N., Nicrosaurus; Ps., Pseudopalatus; R., Rutiodon; S., Smilosuchus. character B. L L s. R. N. N. Ar. Ps. My. My. megalodon crosbiensis adamanensis gregorii carolinensis kapjJi species B buceros pristinus planirostris species B I snout length I 1 1 1 2 1 2 1-2 2 3 2 2 ventral rim of m 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 pm and internasal septum 1 1 1 1 ? 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 lateral rim of m 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 5 nature of dentition 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 6 number of teeth 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1-2 2 2 2 7 anterior extent of sm 0 1 0 1 ? 1 0 1 1 0 0 8 posterior extent of sm 0 0 0 0 ? 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 elevation of naris 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 10 naris position 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 I 11 infranasal recess 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 12 preorbital depression 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 VJ 13 length of prf 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ~ 14 sculpture of skull roof 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 15 pre-infratemporal shelf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 16 size of infratemporal fen. 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 17 anterior process of j 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 height of j 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 19 j-qj suture 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 length I width of po-sq bar 0 I 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 length of par 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 posterior extent of par 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 :g o 23 par-soc complex 0 0 0 0 ? 0 0 1 1 1 1 ::l ~ 24 overhang of par 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 >= 25 border supratemporal fen.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • First Record of Mesozoic Terrestrial Vertebrates from Lithuania
    Edinburgh Research Explorer First record of Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrates from Lithuania Citation for published version: Brusatte, SL, Butler, RJ, Niedwiedzki, G, Sulej, T, Bronowicz, R & Nas, JS 2013, 'First record of Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrates from Lithuania: Phytosaurs (Diapsida: Archosauriformes) of probable Late Triassic age, with a review of phytosaur biogeography', Geological Magazine, vol. 150, no. 1, pp. 110-122. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756812000428 Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.1017/S0016756812000428 Link: Link to publication record in Edinburgh Research Explorer Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Published In: Geological Magazine Publisher Rights Statement: Final Published Version by Cambridge University Press (2013) can be made available on Institutional Repository 12 months after publication date. General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Edinburgh Research Explorer is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The University of Edinburgh has made every reasonable effort to ensure that Edinburgh Research Explorer content complies with UK legislation. If you believe that the public display of this file breaches copyright please contact [email protected] providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 23. Sep. 2021 Geol. Mag. 150 (1), 2013, pp. 110–122. c Cambridge University Press 2012 110 doi:10.1017/S0016756812000428 First record of Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrates from Lithuania: phytosaurs (Diapsida: Archosauriformes) of probable Late Triassic age, with a review of phytosaur biogeography ∗ STEPHEN L.
    [Show full text]
  • A Beaked Herbivorous Archosaur with Dinosaur Affinities from the Early Late Triassic of Poland
    Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(3):556±574, September 2003 q 2003 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology A BEAKED HERBIVOROUS ARCHOSAUR WITH DINOSAUR AFFINITIES FROM THE EARLY LATE TRIASSIC OF POLAND JERZY DZIK Instytut Paleobiologii PAN, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland, [email protected] ABSTRACTÐAn accumulation of skeletons of the pre-dinosaur Silesaurus opolensis, gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Keuper (Late Triassic) claystone of KrasiejoÂw in southern Poland. The strata are correlated with the late Carnian Lehrberg Beds and contain a diverse assemblage of tetrapods, including the phytosaur Paleorhinus, which in other regions of the world co-occurs with the oldest dinosaurs. A narrow pelvis with long pubes and the extensive development of laminae in the cervical vertebrae place S. opolensis close to the origin of the clade Dinosauria above Pseudolagosuchus, which agrees with its geological age. Among the advanced characters is the beak on the dentaries, and the relatively low tooth count. The teeth have low crowns and wear facets, which are suggestive of herbivory. The elongate, but weak, front limbs are probably a derived feature. INTRODUCTION oped nutrient foramina in its maxilla. It is closely related to Azendohsaurus from the Argana Formation of Morocco (Gauf- As is usual in paleontology, with an increase in knowledge fre, 1993). The Argana Formation also has Paleorhinus, along of the fossil record of early archosaurian reptiles, more and with other phytosaurs more advanced than those from Krasie- more lineages emerge or extend their ranges back in time. It is joÂw (see Dutuit, 1977), and it is likely to be somewhat younger.
    [Show full text]
  • An Early Late Triassic Long-Necked Reptile with a Bony Pectoral Shield and Gracile Appendages
    An early Late Triassic long-necked reptile with a bony pectoral shield and gracile appendages JERZY DZIK and TOMASZ SULEJ Dzik, J. and Sulej, T. 2016. An early Late Triassic long-necked reptile with a bony pectoral shield and gracile appendages. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 61 (4): 805–823. Several partially articulated specimens and numerous isolated bones of Ozimek volans gen. et sp. nov., from the late Carnian lacustrine deposits exposed at Krasiejów in southern Poland, enable a reconstruction of most of the skeleton. The unique character of the animal is its enlarged plate-like coracoids presumably fused with sterna. Other aspects of the skeleton seem to be comparable to those of the only known specimen of Sharovipteryx mirabilis from the latest Middle Triassic of Kyrgyzstan, which supports interpretation of both forms as protorosaurians. One may expect that the pectoral girdle of S. mirabilis, probably covered by the rock matrix in its only specimen, was similar to that of O. volans gen. et sp. nov. The Krasiejów material shows sharp teeth, low crescent scapula, three sacrals in a generalized pelvis (two of the sacrals being in contact with the ilium) and curved robust metatarsal of the fifth digit in the pes, which are unknown in Sharovipteryx. Other traits are plesiomorphic and, except for the pelvic girdle and extreme elongation of appendages, do not allow to identify any close connection of the sharovipterygids within the Triassic protorosaurians. Key words: Archosauromorpha, Sharovipteryx, protorosaurs, gliding, evolution, Carnian, Poland. Jerzy Dzik [[email protected]], Instytut Paleobiologii PAN, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland and Wydział Biologii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, Centrum Nauk Biologiczno-Chemicznych, ul.
    [Show full text]
  • Heptasuchus Clarki, from the ?Mid-Upper Triassic, Southeastern Big Horn Mountains, Central Wyoming (USA)
    The osteology and phylogenetic position of the loricatan (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) Heptasuchus clarki, from the ?Mid-Upper Triassic, southeastern Big Horn Mountains, Central Wyoming (USA) † Sterling J. Nesbitt1, John M. Zawiskie2,3, Robert M. Dawley4 1 Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA 2 Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA 3 Department of Geology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA 4 Department of Biology, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, USA † Deceased author. ABSTRACT Loricatan pseudosuchians (known as “rauisuchians”) typically consist of poorly understood fragmentary remains known worldwide from the Middle Triassic to the end of the Triassic Period. Renewed interest and the discovery of more complete specimens recently revolutionized our understanding of the relationships of archosaurs, the origin of Crocodylomorpha, and the paleobiology of these animals. However, there are still few loricatans known from the Middle to early portion of the Late Triassic and the forms that occur during this time are largely known from southern Pangea or Europe. Heptasuchus clarki was the first formally recognized North American “rauisuchian” and was collected from a poorly sampled and disparately fossiliferous sequence of Triassic strata in North America. Exposed along the trend of the Casper Arch flanking the southeastern Big Horn Mountains, the type locality of Heptasuchus clarki occurs within a sequence of red beds above the Alcova Limestone and Crow Mountain formations within the Chugwater Group. The age of the type locality is poorly constrained to the Middle—early Late Triassic and is Submitted 17 June 2020 Accepted 14 September 2020 likely similar to or just older than that of the Popo Agie Formation assemblage from Published 27 October 2020 the western portion of Wyoming.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Phylogenetic Analysis of Phytosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) with the Application of Continuous and Geometric Morphometric Character Coding
    A new phylogenetic analysis of Phytosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) with the application of continuous and geometric morphometric character coding Andrew S. Jones and Richard J. Butler School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK ABSTRACT Phytosauria is a clade of large, carnivorous, semi-aquatic archosauromorphs which reached its peak diversity and an almost global distribution in the Late Triassic (c. 230–201 Mya). Previous phylogenetic analyses of Phytosauria have either focused primarily on the relationships of specific subclades, or were limited in taxonomic scope, and no taxonomically comprehensive dataset is currently available. We here present the most taxonomically comprehensive cladistic dataset of phytosaurs to date, based on extensive first-hand study, identification of novel characters and synthesis of previous matrices. This results in an almost twofold increase in phylogenetic information scored per taxon over previous analyses. Alongside a traditional discrete character matrix, three variant matrices were analysed in which selected characters were coded using continuous and landmarking methods, to more rigorously explore phytosaur relationships. Based on these four data matrices, four tree topologies were recovered. Relationships among non-leptosuchomorph phytosaurs are largely consistent between these four topologies, whereas those of more derived taxa are more variable. Rutiodon carolinensis consistently forms a sister relationship with Angistorhinus. In three topologies Nicrosaurus nests deeply within a group of traditionally Submitted 24 April 2018 non-Mystriosuchini taxa, leading us to redefine Mystriosuchini by excluding 9 October 2018 Accepted Nicrosaurus as an internal specifier. Two distinct patterns of relationships within Published 10 December 2018 Mystriosuchini are present in the four topologies, distinguished largely by the Corresponding author Andrew S.
    [Show full text]
  • Extant Taxa Stem Frogs Stem Turtles Stem Lepidosaurs Stem Squamates
    Stem Taxa - Peters 2016 851 taxa, 228 characters 100 Eldeceeon 1990.7.1 91 Eldeceeon holotype 100 Romeriscus Ichthyostega Gephyrostegus watsoni Pederpes 85 Eryops 67 Solenodonsaurus 87 Proterogyrinus 100 Chroniosaurus Eoherpeton 94 72 Chroniosaurus PIN3585/124 98 Seymouria Chroniosuchus Kotlassia Stem 58 94 Westlothiana Utegenia Casineria 84 81 Amphibamus Brouffia 95 72 Cacops 93 77 Coelostegus Paleothyris 98 Doleserpeton 84 91 78 100 Gerobatrachus Hylonomus Rana Archosauromorphs Protorothyris MCZ1532 95 66 98 Adelospondylus 85 Protorothyris CM 8617 89 Brachydectes Protorothyris MCZ 2149 Eocaecilia 87 86 Microbrachis Vaughnictis Pantylus 80 89 75 94 Anthracodromeus Elliotsmithia 90 Utaherpeton 51 Apsisaurus Kirktonecta 95 90 86 Aerosaurus 96 Tuditanus 67 90 Varanops Stem Frogs 59 94 Eoserpeton Varanodon Diplocaulus Varanosaurus FMNH PR 1760 100 Sauropleura 62 84 Varanosaurus BSPHM 1901 XV20 88 Ptyonius 89 Archaeothyris 70 Scincosaurus Euryodus primus Ophiacodon 74 82 84 Micraroter Haptodus 91 Rhynchonkos 97 82 Secodontosaurus Batropetes 85 76 100 Dimetrodon 97 Sphenacodon Silvanerpeton Ianthodon 85 Edaphosaurus Gephyrostegeus bohemicus 99 Stem100 Reptiles 80 82 Ianthasaurus Glaucosaurus 94 Cutleria 100 Urumqia Bruktererpeton Stenocybus Stem Mammals 63 97 Thuringothyris MNG 7729 62 IVPP V18117 82 Thuringothyris MNG 10183 87 62 71 Kenyasaurus 82 Galechirus 52 Suminia Saurorictus Venjukovia 99 99 97 83 70 Cephalerpeton Opisthodontosaurus 94 Eodicynodon 80 98 Reiszorhinus 100 Dicynodon 75 Concordia KUVP 8702a Hipposaurus 100 98 96 Concordia
    [Show full text]
  • (Diapsida, Archosauriformes) from the Late Triassic of the Iberian Peninsula
    Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology ISSN: 0272-4634 (Print) 1937-2809 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ujvp20 The first phytosaur (Diapsida, Archosauriformes) from the Late Triassic of the Iberian Peninsula Octávio Mateus, Richard J. Butler, Stephen L. Brusatte, Jessica H. Whiteside & J. Sébastien Steyer To cite this article: Octávio Mateus, Richard J. Butler, Stephen L. Brusatte, Jessica H. Whiteside & J. Sébastien Steyer (2014) The first phytosaur (Diapsida, Archosauriformes) from the Late Triassic of the Iberian Peninsula, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 34:4, 970-975, DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2014.840310 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2014.840310 Published online: 08 Jul 2014. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 229 View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 7 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ujvp20 Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34(4):970–975, July 2014 © 2014 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology SHORT COMMUNICATION THE FIRST PHYTOSAUR (DIAPSIDA, ARCHOSAURIFORMES) FROM THE LATE TRIASSIC OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA OCTAVIO´ MATEUS,*,1,2 RICHARD J. BUTLER,3,4 STEPHEN L. BRUSATTE,5 JESSICA H. WHITESIDE,6 and J. SEBASTIEN´ STEYER7; 1GeoBioTec, DCT, Faculdade de Cienciasˆ e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal, [email protected]; 2Museu da Lourinha,˜ 2530-157 Lourinha,˜ Portugal; 3GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat¨
    [Show full text]
  • Dinosaurs! Pdf, Epub, Ebook
    DINOSAURS! PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Gail Gibbons | 32 pages | 05 Mar 2009 | Holiday House | 9780823421978 | English | New York, NY, United States Dinosaurs! PDF Book Comment and Reply. There is general agreement that some behaviors that are common in birds, as well as in crocodiles birds' closest living relatives , were also common among extinct dinosaur groups. Anchiornis - A four-winged dino-bird that resembled Microraptor. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article requires login. Dinosaur legs extend directly beneath the body, whereas the legs of lizards and crocodilians sprawl out to either side. November—December It has been suggested that because small mammals, squamata and birds occupied the ecological niches suited for small body size, non-avian dinosaurs never evolved a diverse fauna of small-bodied species, which led to their downfall when large-bodied terrestrial tetrapods were hit by the mass extinction event. They were wrong. New York: W. This dinosaur was likely resting in a burrow before it was abruptly buried alive. The earliest part of this time saw the spread of ankylosaurians, iguanodontians , and brachiosaurids through Europe , North America, and northern Africa. Edward Drinker Cope. Sinoceratops - A rare ceratopsian from late Cretaceous China. The battle of the sourpusses! Denisovans are an extinct species of hominid and a close relative to modern humans. Dutton , ; London : Evans Brothers Ltd , ]. Anatosaurus - This dinosaur is now known as either Anatotitan or Edmontosaurus. One of the best examples of soft-tissue impressions in a fossil dinosaur was discovered in the Pietraroia Plattenkalk in southern Italy. Neanderthals are an extinct species of hominids that were the closest relatives to modern human beings.
    [Show full text]
  • Triassic Vertebrate Fossils in Arizona
    Heckert, A.B., and Lucas, S.G., eds., 2005, Vertebrate Paleontology in Arizona. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin No. 29. 16 TRIASSIC VERTEBRATE FOSSILS IN ARIZONA ANDREW B. HECKERT1, SPENCER G. LUCAS2 and ADRIAN P. HUNT2 1Department of Geology, Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32067, Boone, NC 28608-2607; [email protected]; 2New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104-1375 Abstract—The Triassic System in Arizona has yielded numerous world-class fossil specimens, includ- ing numerous type specimens. The oldest Triassic vertebrates from Arizona are footprints and (largely) temnospondyl bones from the Nonesian (Early Triassic: Spathian) Wupatki Member of the Moenkopi Formation. The Perovkan (early Anisian) faunas of the Holbrook Member of the Moenkopi Formation are exceptional in that they yield both body- and trace fossils of Middle Triassic vertebrates and are almost certainly the best-known faunas of this age in the Americas. Vertebrate fossils of Late Triassic age in Arizona are overwhelmingly body fossils of temnospondyl amphibians and archosaurian reptiles, with trace fossils largely restricted to coprolites. Late Triassic faunas in Arizona include rich assemblages of Adamanian (Carnian) and Revueltian (early-mid Norian) age, with less noteworthy older (Otischalkian) assemblages. The Adamanian records of Arizona are spectacular, and include the “type” Adamanian assemblage in the Petrified Forest National Park, the world’s most diverse Late Triassic vertebrate fauna (that of the Placerias/Downs’ quarries), and other world-class records such as at Ward’s Terrace, the Blue Hills, and Stinking Springs Mountain. The late Adamanian (Lamyan) assemblage of the Sonsela Member promises to yield new and important information on the Adamanian-Revueltian transition.
    [Show full text]
  • A Short-Snouted, Middle Triassic Phytosaur and Its Implications For
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN A Short-Snouted, Middle Triassic Phytosaur and its Implications for the Morphological Evolution and Received: 28 September 2016 Accepted: 08 March 2017 Biogeography of Phytosauria Published: 10 April 2017 Michelle R. Stocker1, Li-Jun Zhao2, Sterling J. Nesbitt1, Xiao-Chun Wu3 & Chun Li4 Following the end-Permian extinction, terrestrial vertebrate diversity recovered by the Middle Triassic, and that diversity was now dominated by reptiles. However, those reptilian clades, including archosaurs and their closest relatives, are not commonly found until ~30 million years post-extinction in Late Triassic deposits despite time-calibrated phylogenetic analyses predicting an Early Triassic divergence for those clades. One of these groups from the Late Triassic, Phytosauria, is well known from a near-Pangean distribution, and this easily recognized clade bears an elongated rostrum with posteriorly retracted nares and numerous postcranial synapomorphies that are unique compared with all other contemporary reptiles. Here, we recognize the exquisitely preserved, nearly complete skeleton of Diandongosuchus fuyuanensis from the Middle Triassic of China as the oldest and basalmost phytosaur. The Middle Triassic age and lack of the characteristically-elongated rostrum fill a critical morphological and temporal gap in phytosaur evolution, indicating that the characteristic elongated rostrum of phytosaurs appeared subsequent to cranial and postcranial modifications associated with enhanced prey capture, predating that general trend of morphological evolution observed within Crocodyliformes. Additionally, Diandongosuchus supports that the clade was present across Pangea, suggesting early ecosystem exploration for Archosauriformes through nearshore environments and leading to ease of dispersal across the Tethys. The Permian-Triassic mass extinction resulted in a colossal change in global vertebrate community structure1,2.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Occurrence of the Late Triassic Archosaur Smok in Southern Poland
    A new occurrence of the Late Triassic archosaur Smok in southern Poland GRZEGORZ NIEDŹWIEDZKI and EWA BUDZISZEWSKA-KARWOWSKA Niedźwiedzki, G. and Budziszewska-Karwowska, E. 2018. A new occurrence of the Late Triassic archosaur Smok in southern Poland. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 68 (4): 703–712. Two isolated teeth, a dorsal vertebra, fragments of a humerus and femur, a fragmentary pubic “boot” and part of an ischium shaft, identified here as belonging to a large predatory archosaur were discovered in the Upper Triassic site at Marciszów near Zawiercie (southern Poland). Comparisons of the new fossils from Marciszów with the dorsal vertebrae, pubic “boot”, ischium and femur of the theropod-like Smok wawelski from Lisowice (Silesia) reveal that the two taxa are very similar. Nevertheless, due to the lack of more diagnostic elements (e.g., braincase or cranial elements), we prefer to consider all described specimens from Marciszów as Smok sp. Smok sp. shares a low mound-like, anterior trochanter with trochanteric shelf on the femur, a massive pubic “boot” with a distinct depression (= bevelled area), and a transversely lenticular ischium shaft in cross-section with S. wawelski. Some observed characters of the dorsal vertebra (e.g., lack of some lamina, shape and position of zygapophyses), however, are different from S. wawelski and may also suggest that the new findings represent a second species of the genus in the Upper Triassic of Poland. The discovery of Smok sp. at Marciszów is significant because it is the second example of the co-occurrence of this genus with: (i) bones of a large dicynodont; and (ii) record of gnawed tetrapod bones.
    [Show full text]
  • (South Ern Po Land)? a Crit I Cal Over View of Stra Tig Ra Phy and Fa Cies
    Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae (2015), vol. 85: 587–626. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14241/asgp.2015.037 HOW MANY UPPER TRIAS SIC BONE-BEARING LEVELS ARE THERE IN UP PER SILESIA (SOUTHERN POLAND)? A CRIT I CAL OVER VIEW OF STRA TIG RA PHY AND FACIES Joachim SZULC1, Grzegorz RACKI2, 3, Karol JEWU£A1 & Jan ŒRODOÑ2 1 Insti tute of Geolog i cal Sciences, Jagiellonian Uni ver sity, Oleandry 2a, 30-063 Kraków, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] 2 In stitute of Geolog i cal Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Re search Centre in Kraków, Senacka 1, Kraków, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] 3 Faculty of Earth Sciences, Uni versity of Silesia, Bêdziñska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Po land; e-mail: [email protected] Szulc, J., Racki, G., Jewu³a, K. & Œrodoñ, J., 2015. How many Upper Tri as sic bone-bear ing lev els are there in Up per Silesia (south ern Po land)? A crit i cal over view of stra tig ra phy and fa cies. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae, 85: 587–626. Ab stract: At least three widely sep a rated bone-bear ing in ter vals in the Up per Tri as sic suc ces sion of Upper Silesia, ranging in age from the Carnian to Rhaetian (i.e., in the in ter val of 25 Ma), are pre sented in pa pers by the Warsaw re search group, led mainly by Jerzy Dzik and/or Grzegorz NiedŸwiedzki. The strati graphic ar guments are re viewed for the ver te brate lo cal i ties stud ied so far, in par tic u lar for the well-known middle Keuper sites at Krasiejów and Lipie Œl¹skie, to show that the pre vi ously pro posed age as sign ments are still in ad e quately doc u mented and ques tion able.
    [Show full text]