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Current Taxonomic Status of the Plesiosaur Pantasaurus Striatus from the Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation, Wyoming F

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Current Taxonomic Status of the Plesiosaur Pantasaurus Striatus from the Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation, Wyoming F Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar Biological Sciences Faculty Research Biological Sciences 7-2003 Current Taxonomic Status of the Plesiosaur Pantasaurus Striatus from the Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation, Wyoming F. Robin O’Keefe Marshall University, [email protected] William Wahl Jr. Follow this and additional works at: http://mds.marshall.edu/bio_sciences_faculty Part of the Animal Sciences Commons Recommended Citation O'Keefe, F. R., and W. Wahl, Jr. 2003. Current taxonomic status of the plesiosaur Pantasaurus striatus from the Upper Jurassic Sundance Formation, Wyoming. Paludicola 4(2):37–46. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Biological Sciences at Marshall Digital Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biological Sciences Faculty Research by an authorized administrator of Marshall Digital Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Paludicola 4(2):37-46 July 2003 @ 2003 by the Rochester Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology CURRENT TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE PLESIOSAURPANTOSAURUS STRIATUS FROM THE UPPER JURASSIC SUNDANCE FORMATION, WYOMING F. Robin O'K.eefe1and William Wahl, JR.2 !-Department of Anatomy, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York I 1568 <[email protected]> 2-Wyoming Dinosaur Center, 110 Carter Ranch Road, Thermopolis, WY 82443 <[email protected]> ..... ~.... ABSTRACT Plesiosaur material has been known from the Redwater Shale member of the Sundance Formation (JuniSSic: Oxfordian) of Wyoming for over I 00 years, but has received little research attention. Here we report on the taxonomic status of a long-necked cryptocleidoid plesiosaur from the Redwater Shale, the correct identity of which is Pantosaurus striatus Marsh 1893. The taxon MuraenQSOUrus reedii Mebl 1912 is shown to be a junior synonym of Pantowurus striatus. Pantosaurus is described on the basis of the holotype and referred specimens, and found to be a cryptocleidoid plesiosaur possessing between 35 and 40 cervical vertebrae. These vertebrae are very similar in proportion and anatomical detail to those of Muraerw:saurus leedsii from the Oxford Clay of England. However, the forelimb of Pantosaurus is diagnostic and differs from that of MuraenQSOUrus in several particulars, the most important being the relatively large size of the radius and its corresponding humeral articulation. Although no cranial material is available at this time, we believe that Panlosaurus striatus is a valid taxon. INTRODUCTION Sundance is the Redwater Shale member identified by Pipiringos, who describes it as: "Redwater shale This paper concerns the current taxonomic status member: 94' Greenish-black calcareous shale and of a long-necked cryptocleidoid plesiosaur from the siltstone; contains thin sandy limestone interbeds and Upper Jurassic Sundance formation of Wyoming. smooth dense septarian limestone concretions; is Jurassic plesiosaur material from Wyoming has been conspicuously glauconitic, oolitic and fossiliferous known since the 19th century, but has received throughout; contains Cardioceras sp. at the base. comparatively little research attention. Recent field Pachyteuthis "densus" is common, especially in the work by teams from the Tate Museum in Casper, lower half. Makes ledgy slope." (Pipiringos 1957 p. Wyoming has succeeded in gathering significant new l I). The Redwater shale member is believed to be plesiosaur material from this formation that sheds light Oxfordian in age, and is therefore slightly younger than on the taxonomy and relationships of Sundance the mostly Callovian Oxford Clay. The Redwater Shale plesiosaurs. Analysis of this material supports Mehl's member yields disarticulated elements and articulated (1912) conclusion that there are two small skeletons (in concretions) of marine reptiles, and was cryptocleidoid taxa in the Sundance Formation: originally termed the 'Baptanodon beds' by Marsh Pantosaurus striatus Marsh I 893, and a new taxon that (1891 , 1893). is described in a following paper. (O'Keefe and Wahl Taxonomic History-Plesiosaur material 2003). This report will review the taxonomjc history of (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Redwater Shale the plesiosaur Pantosaurus striatus, establish that Member of the Sundance Formation was first noted by Muraenosaurus reedii is a junior synonym of 0 . C. Mai-sh in 1891 _ Marsh first mentioned a Pantosaurus striatus, discuss new material referable to plesiosaur specuneri- during his discussion of the this taxon, and offer observations on its possible ichthyosaur Baptanodon (Marsh 1891), where he relationships. devoted a single sentence to a small plesiosaur from the Stratigraphic Context-The Sundance Formation 'Baptanodon beds' and bestowed the name is a heterogeneous group of Upper Jurassic marine "Parasaurus" on the specimen. Marsh later realized sediments found widely in Wyoming, Montana, and this name was preoccupied, however, and suggested South Dakota. The Sundance Formation is underlain by the name Pantosaurus for the specimen in 1983 (Marsh the Lower Jurassic Nugget Sandstone Formation, and 1893). Io 1895 Marsh described and figured his overlain by the Morrison Formation (Pipiringos 1957). Wyoming plesiosaur for the first time: "In 1885, a new The most fossiliferous of the seven members of the outcrop of the Baptanodon beds was found in the 37 38 PALUDJCOLA, VOL. 4, NO.2, 2003 Freeze Out mountains in Wyoming, and here several figure any of it, we are forced to accept Mehl's skeletons of Baptanodon were obtained, all in conclusion that Plesiosaurus shirleyensis is a nomen concretions of limestone, as in the original locality. dubium. Also, if we hypothesize that this specimen One concretion from this new locality enclosed the represents the longer-necked of the two Sundance skeleton of a small Plesiosaur of much interest, being cryptocleidoids, 'P/esiosaurus shirleyensis' would be a the first Jurassic form observed from this country. This junior synonym of Marsh's Pantosaurus striatus in any specimen was named by the writer Parasaurus striatus, case. the specific term denoting a characteristic feature of the Mehl (1912) bad access to additional plesiosaur vertebrae, which are all strongly grooved, as indicated material from the Freeze Outs (UW 5544, locality UW in the one shown in Figure 4, below. This generic name V -1800 1), and this material still resides in the also proved preoccupied, and was replaced by collections of the University of Wyoming. Mehl Pantosaurus, the name of the species now being concurred with Knight in believing that there were Pantosaurus striatus. ...... ..._... probably two valid taxa of small plesiosaurs present in The skull in this genus was provided with teeth. the Sundance Formation (for information oo the second The neck was long and slender. The vertebrae taxon see O'Keefe and Wahl 2003). Mehl based this preserved, resemble most nearly in form and size those conclusion primarily on humerus morphology (Figures ofPlesiosaurus plicatus Phillips." (Marsh 1895). l ,2); one of Mehl's new specimens was a partial Marsh's holotype of Pantosaurus striatus still exists forelimb possessing humerus, epi- and metapodials, and resides in the collections of the Peabody Museum and some phalanges, while Mehl accepted the forelimb at Yale (specimen YPM 543); however, no trace of of Knight's holotype material of 'Cimoliosaurus' teeth or other cranial material is currently with the laramiensis as diagnostic. Both forelimbs were derived specimen. and showed undoubted affinities to Oxford Clay taxa The next worker to deal with Sundance such as Muraenosaurus, Cryptoclidus, and Tric/eidus. plesiosaurs was W. C. Knight, who described the large Mehl's specimen still exists in the collections of the pliosaur Mega/neusaurus rex from the Sundance University of Wyoming, and was examined in the Formation in 1898. This taxon remains the only large course of this study (UW 5544). Tbjs specimen was Jurassic pliosaur known from North America, and has given the name Muraenosauros reedii by Mehl, the use received almost no research attention since its original of the genus name Muraenosaurus indicating description despite its potential relevance to the similarities between this humerus and that of anatomy and biogeography of the well-known large Muraenosaurus leedsii. Mehl also provided a line pliosaurs from the Jurassic Oxford Clay of England drawing of a partial propodial from the Yale (Andrews 1913). The holotype material of Pantosaurus holotype taken from a photograph, and Megalneusaurus rex still resides at the University of maintained that the humeri were not similar. However, Wyoming (UW 4602). In a later publication, Knight the similarities between this humerus and that of ( 1900) also briefly described two other taxa from the Muraenosaurus are questionable, and comparison with same formation, naming one 'Plesiosaurus shirleyensis' the Pantosaurus material was enlightening. and the other 'Cimoliosaurus' /aramiensis. In summary, the taxa erected on potentially The matter rested here until 1912, when M. G. diagnostic material and in need of clarification here Mebl attempted to rationalize the Wyoming material are: Pantosaurus striatus Marsh 1893, bolotype YPM with regard to the then-recent publication of Andrew's 543; Muraenosaurus reedii Mebl 1912, holotype UW seminal first volume on Oxford Clay plesiosaurs 5544; and Tricleidus? Laramiensis Knight (Mehl (Andrews 1910). Mebl (1912) determined that the 1912), holotype lost, but figured in Knight (1900) and taxon 'Piesiosaurus
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