Latest Triassic Literature

This batch includes a few stragglers from 2009.

Abdala, F., and Ribeiro, A.M. 2010. Distribution and diversity patterns of Triassic cynodonts (Therapsida, Cynodontia) in Gondwana. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.01.011.

ABSTRACT: Cynodonts are an important component of Triassic tetrapod faunas and are frequently one of the dominant groups. A summary of their record during the Triassic of Gondwana is presented. Cynodonts are represented by 63 species/57 genera in Gondwana with diversification peaks occurring during the Late Anisian (particularly in Africa) and the Carnian of South America and India. Data on the number of faunas of each age and the duration (in millions of years) estimated for these faunas were integrated with cynodont generic diversity values. One of the most important turnovers in cynodonts occurred at the Late Olenekian-Anisian, involving changes in two directions: a) the record of complex bucco-lingually expanded (gomphodont) postcanines, with traversodontid cynodonts already representing an important group at the end of the Anisian; b) the record, particularly during the Anisian, of significantly large-sized cynodonts (e.g. Cynognathus and Diademodon with basal skull length between 30 to 40 cm). Considering that the global maximum peak of cynodont diversity is during the Norian-Rhaetian, the diversity of Gondwanan cynodonts for that time, eight taxa, is remarkably low.

Dalla Vecchia, D. M. 2009. The first Italian specimen of Austriadactylus cristatus (Diapsida, Pterosauria) from the Norian (Upper Triassic) of the Carnic Prealps. Revista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia 115:291-304.

Abstract: The Triassic pterosaur Austriadactylus cristatus is reported for the first time from the Norian (Upper Triassic) of north-eastern Italy. It is only the second specimen of this taxon and provides new information on the mandibular dentition, cranium and postcranium (cervical vertebrae and the forelimb), not available in the holotype. A cladistic analysis shows that Austriadactylus is phylogenetically closer to Preondactylus than to Eudimorphodon.

Petti, F. M., Avanzini, M., Nicosia, U., Girardi, S., Bernardi, M., Ferretti, P., Schirolli, P., and C. Dal Sasso. 2009. Late Triassic (Early-Middle Carnian) crurotarsan tracks from the Val Sabbia Sandstone (Eastern Lombardy, Brescian Prealps, Northern Italy). Revista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia 115:xxx-290.

Abstract: A new Late Triassic tetrapod tracksite was discovered north of the Zone village, on the north-eastern side of the Iseo Lake (Southern Alps, Brescia, Lombardy). The tracks are preserved on two distinct bedding planes, belonging to the lower/middle Carnian Val Sabbia Sandstone. The ichnoassemblage is composed of about seventy footprints, organized in six quadrupedal trackways exhibiting both wide and narrow gauge. All the trackways can be attributed to a crurotarsan archosaur trackmaker and at least three of them could be assigned with confidence to the ichnogenus Brachychirotherium Beurlen 1950. If we exclude a dubious Brachychirotherium specimen track from Mt. Pelmetto (Dolomites), the Zone material represents the first well documented report of this ichnogenus from the Upper Triassic of Northern Italy. The footprints have been analyzed both with traditional methods, and with 3D technologies, such as the terrestrial laser scanner. The ichnoassemblage, although not exceptionally preserved, adds new important data for the stratigraphic distribution of crurotarsan tracks in the Triassic of Southern Alps.