As an Indeterminate Plesiochelyid Turtle

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Reinterpretation of the Spanish Late Jurassic “Hispaniachelys prebetica” as an indeterminate plesiochelyid turtle Adán Pérez-García Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59 (4), 2014: 879-885 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4202/app.2012.0115 A partial postcranial skeleton (carapace, plastron, and other poorly preserved elements) of a turtle, from the late Oxfordian of the Betic Range of Spain, has recently been assigned to a new taxon, Hispaniachelys prebetica. This is one of the few European turtle taxa reported from pre-Kimmeridgian levels, and the oldest turtle so far known from southern Europe. The character combination identified in that taxon (including the presence of cleithra, and single cervical scale) did not allow its assignment to Plesiochelyidae, a group of turtles very abundant and diverse in the Late Jurassic of Europe. The revision of the single specimen assigned to this taxon led to the reinterpretation of some of its elements, being reassigned to Plesiochelyidae. This study confirms the presence of Plesiochelyidae in the Oxfordian. However, because the Spanish taxon does not present a unique combination of characters, it is proposed as a nomen dubium. Key words: Testudines, Plesiochelyidae, “Hispaniachelys prebetica”, Oxfordian, Jurassic, Spain. Adán Pérez-García [[email protected]], Centro de Geologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (FCUL), Edificio C6, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal; Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, UNED, C/ Senda del Rey, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (for details please see creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Full text (322.7 kB) Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org).

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Marine Reptiles: Adaptations, Taxonomy, Distribution and Life Cycles - A
MARINE ECOLOGY – Marine Reptiles: Adaptations, Taxonomy, Distribution and Life Cycles - A. Bertolero, J. Donoyan, B. Weitzmann MARINE REPTILES: ADAPTATIONS, TAXONOMY, DISTRIBUTION AND LIFE CYCLES A. Bertolero Department of Animal Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain J. Donoyan Documentary Centre, Ebro Delta Natural Park, Tarragona, Spain B. Weitzmann DEPANA, Project of Sustainable Management of Punta de la Mora, Tarragona, Spain Keywords: Reptile, marine, sea adaptations, sea turtles, Marine Iguana, sea snakes, salt balance, diving adaptation, thermoregulation, life cycle, conservation. Contents 1. Introduction 2. The fossil marine reptiles 3. Physiological adaptations to sea life 3.1. Salt and water balance 3.2. Respiration and diving adaptations 3.3. Thermoregulation 3.4. Locomotion 4. Sea Turtles 4.1. Morphology and adaptations 4.2. Life cycle and behaviour 4.3. Feeding 4.4. Predators 4.5. Habitat and distribution 4.6. Conservation 5. Marine Iguana 5.1. Morphology and adaptations 5.2. Life cycle and behavior 5.3. Feeding 5.4. PredatorsUNESCO – EOLSS 5.5. Habitat and distribution 5.6. ConservationSAMPLE CHAPTERS 6. Sea Snakes 6.1. Morphology and adaptations 6.2. Life cycle and behaviour 6.3. Feeding 6.4. Predators 6.5. Habitat and distribution 6.6. Conservation Acknowledgements Glossary ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) MARINE ECOLOGY – Marine Reptiles: Adaptations, Taxonomy, Distribution and Life Cycles - A. Bertolero, J. Donoyan, B. Weitzmann Bibliography Biographical Sketches Summary The marine reptiles come from ancient terrestrial forms that eventually colonized the sea. The number of true marine species represents only 1% of all the reptile species that exist today. The true marine species are sea turtles, Marine Iguana and sea snakes.
[Show full text]
Comparative Bone Histology of the Turtle Shell (Carapace and Plastron)
Comparative bone histology of the turtle shell (carapace and plastron): implications for turtle systematics, functional morphology and turtle origins Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades (Dr. rer. nat.) der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Bonn Vorgelegt von Dipl. Geol. Torsten Michael Scheyer aus Mannheim-Neckarau Bonn, 2007 Angefertigt mit Genehmigung der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn 1 Referent: PD Dr. P. Martin Sander 2 Referent: Prof. Dr. Thomas Martin Tag der Promotion: 14. August 2007 Diese Dissertation ist 2007 auf dem Hochschulschriftenserver der ULB Bonn http://hss.ulb.uni-bonn.de/diss_online elektronisch publiziert. Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Januar 2007 Institut für Paläontologie Nussallee 8 53115 Bonn Dipl.-Geol. Torsten M. Scheyer Erklärung Hiermit erkläre ich an Eides statt, dass ich für meine Promotion keine anderen als die angegebenen Hilfsmittel benutzt habe, und dass die inhaltlich und wörtlich aus anderen Werken entnommenen Stellen und Zitate als solche gekennzeichnet sind. Torsten Scheyer Zusammenfassung—Die Knochenhistologie von Schildkrötenpanzern liefert wertvolle Ergebnisse zur Osteoderm- und Panzergenese, zur Rekonstruktion von fossilen Weichgeweben, zu phylogenetischen Hypothesen und zu funktionellen Aspekten des Schildkrötenpanzers, wobei Carapax und das Plastron generell ähnliche Ergebnisse zeigen. Neben intrinsischen, physiologischen Faktoren wird die
[Show full text]
THE GENERA of REPTILES. By
T he Genera of Re pt il e s. By BARON FRANCIS NOPCSA (Budapest). (Eingelangt am 11. Mai 1927.) Among all the Paleontologists living none has dealt with the recent and fossil reptiles with a wider grasp than Prof. L. D o l l o and at his anniversary it seems quite appropriate to review their whole array. The classification used in the following enumeration of all genera of reptiles is much the same as in my hook „Die Familien der Reptilien“; at this instance however an effort has been made to give a precise definition of every systematic unit. Alteration of the classification became necessary among the Dino- cephalians, the Nothosaurians, the Lacertilians (called here Sauroidea), the Coelurosauroidea and the Crocodilia. The new classification of the Sauroidea is intermediate between the classifications proposed by B o u l e n g e r and C a m p . Naturally as a rule only those fossil genera are referred to, that are more than simple catalogue numbers that facilitate the finding of the respective piece in a collection; indeterminable problematic genera of small interest have mostly been omitted. Extinct units and genera are marked in the lists with a cross ("j*). Difficulties of classification have been encountered in the Lacertilia and Ophidia, for in the new system the conventional families of recent Lizards and Serpents has been given subfamily rank and conse quently the different recent subfamilies had to be dropped. Instead of these subfamilies the minor units were separated by greek letters. — The tedious and complicated revision of the genera of recent Lizards and Snakes was done by Prof.
[Show full text]
The Origin of Marine Turtles
NOTES AND FIELD REPORTS c h e t o n 'u:i: 7 3 -7 8 ;u ; $;fi I ilx'-'.1;fi .1fi ffi [ I growth patterns which may be uniqne to rapidly growing marine species (Rhodin, 1985), and a nearly or cornpletely The Origin of Marine Turtles: roofed skull which may be associated with the streamlining A Pluralistic View of Evolution effect of a nonretractible neck (Pritchard and Trebbau, 1984). The correlation of rnorphological change with adapta- JosBpH J. KINxBrtRyl tion to marine life is not always justified. Carettochelys insculpta ts a relatively large turtle with marine-type flippers I Cin'' of' IVevv York, Depurtntent of' Ent,irotunental Protection, and mode of locomotion. Although it can apparently with- Marine Section, Wctrcls Islund, New York 10035 USA stand brackish conditions, it is found primarily in freshwater habitats throughout its range in New Guinea and northern Turtles, an ecologically diverse group, are found through- Australia (Ernst and Barbour, 1989; Georges and Rose, out the tropics and most of the world's temperate regions. 1993). Wood (1916) has speculated that Stupendernys Their distribution appears to be limited primarily by climatic geographicus, a large fossil pelomedusid turtle, may have conditions of higher latitudes and altitudes (obsr, 1986). been a freshwater form in which one or both pairs of limbs Although turtles have apparently evolved from terrestrial were modified into flippers. Other fossil pelomedusid turtles stem groups (Carroll, 1988; Reisz and Laurin, I99l; Lee, (Taphrosphys) are generally presumed to be marine prima- 1993), most of the 251 living species can be found in aquatic rily because of their deposition in near-shore marine envi- ( freshwater) habitats (Ernst and Barbour, I 989).
[Show full text]
Phylogenetic Relationships Among Extinct and Extant Turtles: the Position of Pleurodira and the Effects of the Fossils on Rooting Crown-Group Turtles
Contributions to Zoology, 79 (3) 93-106 (2010) Phylogenetic relationships among extinct and extant turtles: the position of Pleurodira and the effects of the fossils on rooting crown-group turtles Juliana Sterli1, 2 1 CONICET - Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Av. Fontana 140, 9100 Trelew, Chubut, Argentina 2 E-mail: [email protected] Key words: molecules, morphology, phylogeny, Testudinata, Testudines Abstract Taxonomic nomenclature ........................................................ 94 Taxonomic sampling ................................................................ 94 The origin and evolution of the crown-group of turtles (Crypto- Character sampling ................................................................. 95 dira + Pleurodira) is one of the most interesting topics in turtle Phylogenetic analyses ............................................................. 95 evolution, second perhaps only to the phylogenetic position of Results ............................................................................................... 97 turtles among amniotes. The present contribution focuses on Morphological analysis with extinct taxa .......................... 97 the former problem, exploring the phylogenetic relationships Molecular analyses .................................................................. 97 of extant and extinct turtles based on the most comprehensive Morphological and molecular analysis excluding phylogenetic dataset of morphological and molecular data ana- extinct taxa ................................................................................
[Show full text]
A NEW LATE JURASSIC TURTLE from SPAIN: PHYLOGENETIC IMPLICATIONS, TAPHONOMY and PALAEOECOLOGY by BEN J
[Palaeontology, Vol. 54, Part 6, 2011, pp. 1393–1414] A NEW LATE JURASSIC TURTLE FROM SPAIN: PHYLOGENETIC IMPLICATIONS, TAPHONOMY AND PALAEOECOLOGY by BEN J. SLATER1, MATIÁS REOLID2, REMMERT SCHOUTEN3 and MICHAEL J. BENTON3 1School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; e-mail: [email protected] 2Departmento de Geologıá, Universidad de Jaeń, Campus Las Lagunillas sn, 23071 Jaeń, Spain; e-mail: [email protected] 3School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK; e-mails: [email protected], [email protected] Typescript received 26 October 2010; accepted in revised form 27 May 2011 Abstract: The Jurassic was an important period in the evo- of the new taxon is hard to resolve, and it might be either a lution of Testudinata and encompasses the origin of many paracryptodire or a basal testudine, but it is distinct from clades, and this is especially true of Jurassic turtles from Wes- Plesiochelys. A complex taphonomic history is shown by a tern Europe. A new genus and species of Late Jurassic turtle, range of overlying grazing traces and bioerosion on the cara- Hispaniachelys prebetica gen. et sp. nov. from the upper Ox- pace. The carapace was subsequently overturned and buried fordian of the Prebetic (Southern Spain), is described on the ventrally up, terminating grazing activity, and was then bored basis of postcranial material. The specimen is the only known by sponges before final burial. Scanning electron microscopy tetrapod from the Mesozoic of the Prebetic and the oldest reveals phosphatic microspheroids associated with bacterial turtle from southern Europe.
[Show full text]
Reinterpretation of the Spanish Late Jurassic “Hispaniachelys Prebetica” As an Indeterminate Plesiochelyid Turtle
Reinterpretation of the Spanish Late Jurassic “Hispaniachelys prebetica” as an indeterminate plesiochelyid turtle ADÁN PÉREZ-GARCÍA Pérez-García, A. 2014. Reinterpretation of the Spanish Late Jurassic “Hispaniachelys prebetica” as an indeterminate plesiochelyid turtle. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59 (4): 879–885. A partial postcranial skeleton (carapace, plastron, and other poorly preserved elements) of a turtle, from the late Ox- fordian of the Betic Range of Spain, has recently been assigned to a new taxon, Hispaniachelys prebetica. This is one of the few European turtle taxa reported from pre-Kimmeridgian levels, and the oldest turtle so far known from southern Europe. The character combination identified in that taxon (including the presence of cleithra, and single cervical scale) did not allow its assignment to Plesiochelyidae, a group of turtles very abundant and diverse in the Late Jurassic of Eu- rope. The revision of the single specimen assigned to this taxon led to the reinterpretation of some of its elements, being reassigned to Plesiochelyidae. This study confirms the presence of Plesiochelyidae in the Oxfordian. However, because the Spanish taxon does not present a unique combination of characters, it is proposed as a nomen dubium. Key words: Testudines, Plesiochelyidae, Hispaniachelys prebetica, Oxfordian, Jurassic, Spain. Adán Pérez-García [[email protected]], Centro de Geologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (FCUL), Edificio C6, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal; Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, UNED, C/ Senda del Rey, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Received 9 October 2012, accepted 29 May 2013, available online 5 June 2013. Copyright © 2014 A. Pérez-García. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
[Show full text]
Patterns of Morphological Evolution in the Skull of Turtles: Contributions from Digital Paleontology, Neuroanatomy and Biomechanics
Patterns of morphological evolution in the skull of turtles: contributions from digital paleontology, neuroanatomy and biomechanics Dissertation der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) vorgelegt von M.Sc. Gabriel S. Ferreira aus Santa Bárbara d’Oeste/ Brasilien Tübingen 2019 Gedruckt mit Genehmigung der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. Tag der mündlichen Qualifikation: 27.05.2019 Dekan: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Rosenstiel 1. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Madelaine Böhme 2. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Max C. Langer In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it and over it Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd François Voltaire i Ferreira – Patterns of morphological evolution in the skull of turtles Acknowledgements I am very grateful to my supervisor Max Langer, who offered me a space in his lab for the past ten years and immensily contributed to shape my career path until now. Max not only helped me think through paleo-problems, but also about career options and personal matters, always being present and giving support when I needed. I also thank my PhD co- supervisor in Tübingen, Prof. Dr. Madelaine Böhme, who accepted and welcomed me at the Senckenberg Institute and Universität Tübingen for a whole year, offering me not only a space to work, but also interesting discussions on various subjects. I am very grateful to my “unofficial” co-supervisor, PD Dr. Ingmar Werneburg, who has supported me from the beginning of my PhD, helping already when I was writing my doctoral research project and now, during this agitated last year.
[Show full text]
Paleoneuroanatomy of the European Lambeosaurine Dinosaur
Paleoneuroanatomy of the European lambeosaurine dinosaur Arenysaurus ardevoli P Cruzado-Caballero1,2 , J Fortuny3,4 , S Llacer3 and JI Canudo2 1 CONICET—Instituto de Investigacion´ en Paleobiolog´ıa y Geolog´ıa, Universidad Nacional de R´ıo Negro, Roca, R´ıo Negro, Argentina 2 Area´ de Paleontolog´ıa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna, Zaragoza, Spain 3 Institut Catala` de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, C/Escola Industrial, Sabadell, Spain 4 Departament de Resistencia` de Materials i Estructures a l’Enginyeria, Universitat Politecnica` de Catalunya, Terrassa, Spain ABSTRACT The neuroanatomy of hadrosaurid dinosaurs is well known from North America and Asia. In Europe only a few cranial remains have been recovered that include the braincase. Arenysaurus is the first European endocast for which the paleoneu- roanatomy has been studied. The resulting data have enabled us to draw ontogenetic, phylogenetic and functional inferences. Arenysaurus preserves the endocast and the inner ear. This cranial material was CT scanned, and a 3D-model was gener- ated. The endocast morphology supports a general pattern for hadrosaurids with some characters that distinguish it to a subfamily level, such as a brain cavity that is anteroposteriorly shorter or the angle of the major axis of the cerebral hemisphere to the horizontal in lambeosaurines. Both these characters are present in the endocast of Arenysaurus. Osteological features indicate an adult ontogenetic stage, while some paleoneuroanatomical features are indicative of a subadult ontogenetic stage. It is hypothesized that the presence of puzzling mixture of characters that suggest diVerent ontogenetic stages for this specimen may reflect some degree of dwarfism in Arenysaurus.
[Show full text]
A New Species of the Large-Headed Coastal Marine Turtle Solnhofia
A new species of the large-headed coastal marine turtle Solnhofia (Testudinata, Thalassochelydia) from the Late Jurassic of NW Switzerland Jérémy Anquetin1,2 and Christian Püntener3,4 1 JURASSICA Museum, Porrentruy, Switzerland 2 Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland 3 Naturmuseum Solothurn, Solothurn, Switzerland 4 Section d’archéologie et paléontologie, Office de la culture, République et Canton du Jura, Porrentruy, Switzerland ABSTRACT Background: The large-headed turtle Solnhofia parsonsi is known by a handful of specimens from the Late Jurassic of Germany and Switzerland (maybe also France). Solnhofia parsonsi is traditionally regarded as a “eurysternid” Thalassochelydia, a group of small to medium sized, mostly lagoonal or marginal turtles found almost exclusively in the Late Jurassic of Europe. More recently, Solnhofia parsonsi has been proposed to be a close relative of Sandownidae, an enigmatic group of Cretaceous to Paleogene turtles characterized by a derived cranial anatomy and a wider geographical distribution. Sandownids may therefore have evolved from thalassochelydian ancestors such as Solnhofia parsonsi. Methods: We herein describe new material of Solnhofia from the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) of Porrentruy, NW Switzerland. The bulk of the material consists of an association of a cranium and over 180 shell bones found together in a block of marly limestone. A second cranium and a mandible from slightly younger, but nearby localities are also described. Results: We refer the new material to
[Show full text]
Pleurodira: Chelidae, Matamata Turtle) from the Early Miocene of Colombia
Palaeontologia Electronica palaeo-electronica.org The first fossil skull of Chelus (Pleurodira: Chelidae, Matamata turtle) from the early Miocene of Colombia Edwin A. Cadena and Carlos A. Jaramillo ABSTRACT Here we describe the first fossil skull so far known for the turtle genus Chelus from the early Miocene (~ 16 m.y.), Castilletes Formation, Alta Guajira Peninsula, Cocinetas basin, Colombia. The skull is partially preserved, including most of the basicranium (pteygoid-bassioccipital bones) and the roof elements including the parietal, pterygoid and portions of the squamosal, supraoccipital and the most dorsal quadrate. The skull is preserved in three dimensions, without evidence of crushing, allowing the observa- tion of the internal braincase morphology using microcomputer tomography. Compari- sons with the skull of the only extant species for the genus Chelus fimbriata (Matamata turtle) allow us to conclude that for the last 16 million years the morphology of the skull for this genus has remained almost unvarying, with only a slightly higher compression of the most anterior braincase exhibited by the extant species. Due to its fragmentary condition, a more refined identification beyond the genus (Chelus sp.) is not possible; however, the overall skull design indicates that the fossil species could also have had the same ecological and dietary adaptations as its extant relative. Edwin A. Cadena. Center for Tropical Paleoecology and Archaeology, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Panama, and Senckenberg Museum, Department of Paleoanthropology and Messel research, 603025 Frankfurt, Germany [email protected] Carlos A. Jaramillo. Center for Tropical Paleoecology and Archaeology, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Panama [email protected] Keywords: Chelidae; Testudines; Colombia; South America; La Guajira INTRODUCTION characterized by a very flat skull with a rugose dor- sal bone surface among pleurodiran turtles, and a The extant freshwater turtle species Chelus carapace with three lines of almost parallel knobs.
[Show full text]
RESEARCH ARTICLE Pleated Turtle Escapes the Box – Shape Changes in Dermochelys Coriacea
3474 The Journal of Experimental Biology 214, 3474-3479 © 2011. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd doi:10.1242/jeb.057182 RESEARCH ARTICLE Pleated turtle escapes the box – shape changes in Dermochelys coriacea John Davenport1,2,*, Virginie Plot3,4, Jean-Yves Georges3,4, Thomas K. Doyle1,2 and Michael C. James5 1School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, Cork, Ireland, 2Coastal and Marine Research Centre, ERI, University College Cork, Naval Base, Haulbowline Island, Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland, 3Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, France, 4CNRS, UMR7178, 67037 Strasbourg, France and 5Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4J1, Canada *Author for correspondence ([email protected]) Accepted 16 July 2011 SUMMARY Typical chelonians have a rigid carapace and plastron that form a box-like structure that constrains several aspects of their physiology and ecology. The leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, has a flexible bony carapace strengthened by seven longitudinal ridges, whereas the plastron is reduced to an elliptical outer bony structure, so that the ventrum has no bony support. Measurements of the shell were made on adult female leatherbacks studied on the feeding grounds of waters off Nova Scotia (NS) and on breeding beaches of French Guiana (FG) to examine whether foraging and/or breeding turtles alter carapace size and/or shape. NS turtles exhibited greater mass and girth for a given curved carapace length (CCL) than FG turtles. Girth:CCL ratios rose during the feeding season, indicating increased girth. Measurements were made of the direct (straight) and surface (curved) distances between the medial longitudinal ridge and first right-hand longitudinal ridge (at 50% CCL).
[Show full text]