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Champsosaurus (Diapsida: Choristodera) from the Paleocene of west Texas: paleoclimatic implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Thomas M. Lehman  and
Ken Barnes
Thomas M. Lehman
Affiliation:
1Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409
Ken Barnes
Affiliation:
2HC-65, Box 300, Alpine, Texas 79830
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Abstract

A specimen of the aquatic reptile Champsosaurus sp. from the Paleocene Black Peaks Formation in southwestern Texas is the southernmost yet known. the fragmentary specimen exhibits some unusual features, such as a great anterior extent of the quadratojugal on the lower temporal arch, and cannot be attributed with confidence to any of the named species. Champsosaurus appears to have been tolerant of temperate climates and had a northern latitudinal range exceeding that of crocodylians. It seems likely that the brief southward extension in range of Champsosaurus during early Paleocene time resulted from a decrease in mean annual temperature, comparable to over 10° of paleolatitude.

Type
Paleontological Notes
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 84 , Issue 2 , March 2010 , pp. 341 - 345
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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