Revision of Polycotylid Plesioaur Systematics (Sauropterygia
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Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar Theses, Dissertations and Capstones 2016 Revision of polycotylid plesioaur systematics (sauropterygia plesiosauria) and description of the axial osteology of a juvenile polycotylid Donald Joseph Morgan III [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://mds.marshall.edu/etd Part of the Paleontology Commons Recommended Citation Morgan, Donald Joseph III, "Revision of polycotylid plesioaur systematics (sauropterygia plesiosauria) and description of the axial osteology of a juvenile polycotylid" (2016). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. Paper 1015. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Marshall Digital Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Marshall Digital Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. REVISION OF POLYCOTYLID PLESIOAUR SYSTEMATICS (SAUROPTERYGIA PLESIOSAURIA) AND DESCRIPTION OF THE AXIAL OSTEOLOGY OF A JUVENILE POLYCOTYLID A thesis submitted to the Graduate College of Marshall University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biological Science by Donald Joseph Morgan III Dr. F. Robin O’Keefe, Committee Chairman Dr. Suzanne Strait Dr. Andrew Grass Marshall University May 2016 ii Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Robin O’Keefe for guidance, advice, and putting up with me for two years. I would also like to thank the rest of my committee Dr. Strait, Dr. Grass, and Dr. Spencer, for all of their help throughout the way. A special thanks goes to Theresa Houze for her constant encouragement, and for always believing in me. A special thanks to my mom, dad, and sister, for helping me pursue my dreams, and for all of their moral support. I would also like to thank the University of Nebraska for access to the UNSM 55180 and 51033, and the University of Kansas and the Field Museum for access to other polycotylid material. A special thanks to Ross Secord, Bill Simpson, and Akiko Shinya for access to specimens and for fossil preparation of the material used in this thesis. Thanks also to Marshall University and the Department of Biological Sciences travel fund for funding my research. Finally I would like to thank all the graduate students in the Biological Sciences department, especially, Theresa, Pop-Pop (Derk), Allorah, Tiffany, Corynn, Monica, Diana/Jerry, Tony, Jess, Matt, Berlynna, Robert, and Leah. iii Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. viii Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1 ..........................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 Purpose of Study ..................................................................................................................1 Sauropterygian Taxonomic Relationships ...........................................................................2 Plesiosauria Systematics ......................................................................................................6 Leptoclidida and Polycotylidae Systematics .........................................................11 Polycotylid Origin and Trends ...............................................................................15 Wallace Ranch Specimens .................................................................................................19 Geological Background of the Wallace Ranch ......................................................21 Dermal and Endochondral Ossification .............................................................................22 Ossification of the Skull.........................................................................................22 Ossification of the Postcranial Axial Skeleton ......................................................24 Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................................................26 New phylogenetic Analysis ...............................................................................................26 Taxonomic Units and Descriptions ....................................................................................28 Out-Group Taxa .....................................................................................................28 In-Group Taxa ........................................................................................................29 New Character List ............................................................................................................35 Results of the Phylogenetic Analysis .................................................................................36 iv UNSM Specimens ..................................................................................................42 Wildcard Taxa ........................................................................................................42 Basal Polycotylids ..................................................................................................43 Position of the African Polycotylids ......................................................................48 Non-Monophyletic Dolichorhynchops ..................................................................48 Monophyly of Polycotylus .....................................................................................52 Comparison with Other Contemporary Phylogenies of Polycotylidae ..............................52 Comparison with Schumacher and Martin (2015) .................................................53 Comparison with Otero (2016) ..............................................................................54 Future Studies ....................................................................................................................55 Proposed Formal Diagnoses for Polycotylidae Taxa .........................................................56 Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................................................68 General Polycotylid Cranial Anatomy ...............................................................................68 UNSM 55810 Skull............................................................................................................78 Rostrum and Orbit..................................................................................................79 Skull Roof ..............................................................................................................83 Palate ......................................................................................................................86 Braincase ................................................................................................................89 Mandible ................................................................................................................94 Postcranial Axial Skeleton .................................................................................................99 Discussion ........................................................................................................................105 Allometry of the Polycotylid Skull ..................................................................................109 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................115 v Appendix ......................................................................................................................................121 Sexual Dimorphism of the Ilium......................................................................................121 vi List of Tables Table 1 Character Comparisons .........................................................................................51 Table 2 Dolichorhynchops skulls.......................................................................................63 Table 3 Trinacromerum skulls ...........................................................................................65 Table 4 Linear Measurements and Skull Proportions for Specimens ..............................110 Table 5 Dolichorhynchops Growth Data .........................................................................112 vii List of Figures 1 Overview of Sauropterygian Systematics .........................................................................5 2 Plesiosauria Phylogeny ...................................................................................................10 3 Polycotylid Phylogeny ....................................................................................................14 4 Polycotylid Diversity Throughout Time .........................................................................18 5 Diversity of polycotylid fossil incidences.......................................................................19 6 Stratigraphy of the Pierre Shale ......................................................................................22