Fraser, N. C., Rieppel, O., and L. Chun. 2013. A long-snouted protorosaur from the Middle Triassic of southern China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 33:1120-1126 DOI:10.1080/02724634.2013.764310
Abstract - A new protorosaur is described on the basis of a single specimen from the Ladinian of southern China. Although it has been greatly crushed, it still preserves clear details of the skull and axial skeleton. It possesses a neck that is longer than the trunk and is similar to tanystropheids in having 12 or 13 cervicals. Unusual among protorosaurs, the new form has an elongate snout. It also lacks a clear thyroid fenestra, although there is a slight separation of the pubis and ischium close to the pubic symphysis. The new form adds to the growing diversity and disparity of protorosaur taxa from the Middle Triassic of southern China.
Showing posts with label Protorosauria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Protorosauria. Show all posts
New information on the Protorosaurian Reptile Macrocnemus fuyuanensis from the Triassic of China
The new issue of JVP is out:
Jiang, D.-Y., Rieppel, O., Fraser, N. C., Motani, R., Hao, W.-C., Tintori, A., Sun, Y.-L., and Z.-Y. Sun. 2011. New information on the protorosaurian reptile Macrocnemus fuyuanensis Li et al., 2007, from the Middle/Upper Triassic of Yunnan, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31: 2011-1237, DOI:10.1080/02724634.2011.610853
Abstract - A new specimen of the protorosaur Macrocnemus fuyuanensis, from the Zhuganpo Member of the Falang Formation at Fuyuan (Yunnan Province, southwestern China), is described and compared with Macrocnemus bassanii. The new specimen is the first in the genus Macrocnemus that clearly shows details of the preorbital region of the skull. A large, plate-like lacrimal is located in front of the tall, columnar prefrontal that defines the anterior margin of the orbit. A longitudinally oriented nasal groove extends along the anterior two-thirds of the snout, accommodating the external naris at its anterior part. A similar preorbital depression has previously been described for Dinocephalosaurus and it is also reported here for the first time in Tanystropheus. The new specimen confirms the status of Macrocnemus fuyuanensis as a species distinct from Macrocnemus bassanii on the basis of a humerus that significantly exceeds the radius in length. The occurrence of both Macrocnemus and Tanystropheus in southwestern China further underscores the close faunal affinities of the eastern and western Tethyan realms during the Middle and early Late Triassic.
Jiang, D.-Y., Rieppel, O., Fraser, N. C., Motani, R., Hao, W.-C., Tintori, A., Sun, Y.-L., and Z.-Y. Sun. 2011. New information on the protorosaurian reptile Macrocnemus fuyuanensis Li et al., 2007, from the Middle/Upper Triassic of Yunnan, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31: 2011-1237, DOI:10.1080/02724634.2011.610853
Abstract - A new specimen of the protorosaur Macrocnemus fuyuanensis, from the Zhuganpo Member of the Falang Formation at Fuyuan (Yunnan Province, southwestern China), is described and compared with Macrocnemus bassanii. The new specimen is the first in the genus Macrocnemus that clearly shows details of the preorbital region of the skull. A large, plate-like lacrimal is located in front of the tall, columnar prefrontal that defines the anterior margin of the orbit. A longitudinally oriented nasal groove extends along the anterior two-thirds of the snout, accommodating the external naris at its anterior part. A similar preorbital depression has previously been described for Dinocephalosaurus and it is also reported here for the first time in Tanystropheus. The new specimen confirms the status of Macrocnemus fuyuanensis as a species distinct from Macrocnemus bassanii on the basis of a humerus that significantly exceeds the radius in length. The occurrence of both Macrocnemus and Tanystropheus in southwestern China further underscores the close faunal affinities of the eastern and western Tethyan realms during the Middle and early Late Triassic.
First Adult Record of Tanystropheus from China
Rieppel, O., Jiang, D.-Y., Fraser, N. C., Hao, W.-C., Motani, R., Sun, Y.-L., and Z.-Y., Sun. 2010. Tanystropheus cf. T. longobardicus from the early Late Triassic of Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30:1082 - 1089. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2010.483548
Abstract - The protorosaur Tanystropheus longobardicus is well known from the Middle Triassic of alpine Europe. It has been described on the basis of a number of specimens that apparently range from juvenile to adult. The largest specimens have a total body length of approximately 3 m. Here we report on the first occurrence of a large tanystropheid from the Middle or early Late Triassic of southwestern China. The new specimen is indistinguishable from the largest specimens of T. longobardicus from Europe, although it lacks a skull. Both the Chinese specimen here described and the European specimens of T. longobardicus are characterized by 13 cervical vertebrae (not 12 as had previously been assumed). The new find, together with a recent specimen of Macrocnemus from Yunnan Province, highlight shared elements of the vertebrate fauna around the coastline of western and eastern Tethys during Middle to Late Triassic times.
Abstract - The protorosaur Tanystropheus longobardicus is well known from the Middle Triassic of alpine Europe. It has been described on the basis of a number of specimens that apparently range from juvenile to adult. The largest specimens have a total body length of approximately 3 m. Here we report on the first occurrence of a large tanystropheid from the Middle or early Late Triassic of southwestern China. The new specimen is indistinguishable from the largest specimens of T. longobardicus from Europe, although it lacks a skull. Both the Chinese specimen here described and the European specimens of T. longobardicus are characterized by 13 cervical vertebrae (not 12 as had previously been assumed). The new find, together with a recent specimen of Macrocnemus from Yunnan Province, highlight shared elements of the vertebrate fauna around the coastline of western and eastern Tethys during Middle to Late Triassic times.
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