Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T02:43:11.277Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Owenettids and procolophonids from the lower Keuper shed new light on the diversity of parareptiles in the German Middle Triassic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2016

Agustín G. Martinelli ,
Marina Bento Soares  and
Rainer R. Schoch
Agustín G. Martinelli
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Paleontologia e Estratigrafia, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, 91540-000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 〈[email protected]〉, 〈[email protected]〉
Marina Bento Soares
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Paleontologia e Estratigrafia, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, 91540-000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 〈[email protected]〉, 〈[email protected]〉
Rainer R. Schoch
Affiliation:
Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1, D-70191 Stuttgart, Germany. 〈rainer.schoch@smns–bw.de〉
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We report three isolated humeri of small-sized parareptiles, which represent two different taxa, from the lower Keuper (Erfurt Formation) of Germany. They constitute the first definitive evidence of parareptiles in the lower Keuper. The specimens represent the first records of an owenettid procolophonian (aff. Barasaurus) from Europe and of a putative gracile-built procolophonid. This indicates the coexistence in the Middle Triassic of Germany of two procolophonian lineages that first appeared in the fossil record in the late Permian and survived the Permian–Triassic extinction. Although based on isolated limb bones, they highlight the taxonomic diversity of the still poorly known tetrapod assemblage of the lower Keuper in southwestern Germany.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 90 , Issue 1 , January 2016 , pp. 92 - 101
Copyright
Copyright © 2016, The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abdala, F., 1999, Elementos postcraneanos de Cynognathus (Synapsida-Cynodontia) del Triásico Inferior de la Provincia de Mendoza, Argentina. Consideraciones sobre la morfología del húmero en cinodontes: Revista Española de Paleontología, v. 14, p. 13–24.Google Scholar
Abdala, F., Martinelli, A.G., Soares, M.B., de la Fuente, M., and Ribeiro, A.M., 2009, South American Middle Triassic continental faunas with amniotes: biostratigraphic and correlation: Palaeontologia Africana, v. 44, p. 83–87.Google Scholar
Angielczyk, K.D., Sidor, C.A., Nesbitt, S.J., Smith, R.M.H., and Tsuji, L.A., 2009, Taxonomic revision and new observations on the postcranial skeleton, biogeography, and biostratigraphy of the dicynodont genus Dicynodontoides, the senior subjective synonym of Kingoria (Therapsida, Anomodontia): Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 29, p. 1174–1187.Google Scholar
Battail, B., Beltan, L., and Dutuit, J.-M., 1987, Africa and Madagascar during Permo-Triassic time: the evidence of the vertebrate faunas. In MacKenzie, G.D., ed., Gondwana Six: Stratigraphy, Sedimentology and Paleontology: Geophysical Monograph, v. 41, p. 147–155.Google Scholar
Bonaparte, J.F., 1963, Descripción del esqueleto postcraneano de Exaeretodon (Cynodontia-Traversodontidae): Acta Geológica Lilloana, v. 4, p. 5–54.Google Scholar
Borsuk–Białynicka, M., and Evans, S.E., 2009, A long-necked archosauromorph from the Early Triassic of Poland: Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, v. 65, p. 203–234.Google Scholar
Broom, R., 1939, A new type of cotylosaurian, Owenetta rubidgei: Annals of the Transvaal Museum, v. 19, p. 319–321.Google Scholar
Case, E.C., 1928, A cotylosaur from the Upper Triassic of western Texas: Journal of the Washington Academy of Science, v. 18, p. 177–178.Google Scholar
Cisneros, J.C., 2008, Phylogenetic relationships of procolophonid parareptiles with remarks on their geological record: Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, v. 6, p. 345–366.Google Scholar
Cisneros, J.C., Damiani, R., Schultz, C.L., da Rosa, A.A.S., Schwanke, C., Neto, L.W., and Aurélio, P.L.P., 2004, A procolophonoid reptile with temporal fenestration from the Middle Triassic of Brazil: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Biological Sciences, v. 271, p. 1541–1546.Google Scholar
Cluver, M.A., 1978, The skeleton of the mammal-like reptile Cistecephalus with evidence for a fossorial mode of life: Annals of the South African Museum, v. 76(5), p. 213–246.Google Scholar
Cox, C.B., 1965, New Triassic dicynodonts from South America, their origin and relationships: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (B), v. 248(753), p. 57–514.Google Scholar
Cys, J.M., 1967, Osteology of the pristerognathid Cynariognathus platyrhinus (Reptilia: Theriodontia): Journal of Paleontology, v. 41(3), p. 776–790.Google Scholar
Deutsche Stratigraphische Kommission, ed., 2005, Stratigraphie von Deutschland. IV – Keuper: Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, v. 253, p. 1–296.Google Scholar
deBraga, M., 2003, The postcranial skeleton, phylogenetic position, and probable lifestyle of the Early Triassic reptile Procolophon trigoniceps: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 40, p. 527–556.Google Scholar
Dilkes, D.W., 1998, The Early Triassic rhynchosaur Mesosuchus browni and the interrelationships of basal archosauromorph reptiles: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (B), v. 353, p. 501–541.Google Scholar
Ezcurra, M.D., Scheyer, T., and Butler, R.J., 2014, The origin and early evolution of Sauria: reassessing the Permian saurian fossil record and the timing of the crocodile-lizard divergence: PLoS ONE, v. 9, e89165.Google Scholar
Fraser, N.C., and Henderson, D., 2006, Dawn of the Dinosaurs: Life in the Triassic: Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 328 p.Google Scholar
Gow, C.E., 1972, The osteology and relationships of the Millerettidae (Reptilia: Cotylosauria): Journal of Zoology, v. 167, p. 219–264.Google Scholar
Gower, D.J., and Schoch, R.R., 2009, Postcranial anatomy of the rauisuchian archosaur Batrachotomus kupferzellensis: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 29(1), p. 103–122.Google Scholar
Hildebrand, M., 1988, Analysis of Vertebrate Structure, 3rd ed., New York, J. Wiley & Sons, 701 p.Google Scholar
Holmes, R., 1977, The osteology and musculature of the pectoral limb of small captorhinids: Journal of Morphology, v. 152, p. 101–140.Google Scholar
Horn, B.L.D., Melo, T.M., Schultz, C.L., Philipp, R.P., Kloss, H.P., and Goldberg, K., 2014, A new third order sequence stratigraphic framework applied to the Triassic of the Paraná Basin, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, based on structural, stratigraphical and paleontological data: Journal of South American Earth Sciences, v. 55, p. 123–132.Google Scholar
Huene, F. von, 1939, Ein neuer Procolophonide aus dem deutschen Buntsandstein [A new procolophonid from the German Buntsandstein]: Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie, Beilage Band, v. 81, p. 501–511.Google Scholar
Hunt, A.P., and Lucas, S.G., 1991, A new rhynchosaur from the Upper Triassic of West Texas, and the biochronology of Late Triassic rhynchosaurs: Palaeontology, v. 34, p. 927–938.Google Scholar
Jenkins, F.A., 1971, The postcranial skeleton of African cynodonts: Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, v. 36, p. 1–216.Google Scholar
Kennedy, N.K., 2010, Redescription of the postcranial skeleton of Limnoscelis paludis Williston Diadectomorpha, Limnoscelidae from the Upper Pennsylvanian of El Cobre Canyon, northern New Mexico: Bulletin New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, v. 49, p. 211–220.Google Scholar
Ketchum, H.F., and Barrett, P.M., 2004, New reptile material from the Lower Triassic of Madagascar: implications for the Permian–Triassic extinction event: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 41, p. 1–8.Google Scholar
Langer, M.C., Ribeiro, A.M., Schultz, C.L., and Ferigolo, J., 2007, The continental tetrapod bearing Triassic of south Brazil: Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, v. 41, p. 201–218.Google Scholar
Laurin, M., and Reisz, R.R., 1995, A reevaluation of early amniote phylogeny: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 113(2), p. 165–223.Google Scholar
Martinelli, A.G., Bonaparte, J.F., Shultz, C.L., and Rubert, R., 2005, A new tritheledontid (Therapsida, Eucynodontia) from the Late Triassic of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), and its phylogenetic relationships among carnivorous non-mammalian eucynodonts: Ameghiniana, v. 42(1), p. 191–208.Google Scholar
Modesto, S.P., and Damiani, R.J., 2007, The procolophonoid reptile Sauropareion anoplus from the lowermost Triassic of South Africa: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 27, p. 337–349.Google Scholar
Modesto, S.P., Sues, H.-D., and Damiani, R.J., 2001, A new Triassic procolophonoid reptile and its implications for procolophonoid survivorship during the Permo-Triassic extinction event: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, v. 268, p. 2047–2052.Google Scholar
Modesto, S.P., Damiani, R.J., Neveling, J., and Yates, A.M., 2003, A new Triassic owenettid reptile and the mother of mass extinctions: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 23, p. 715–719.Google Scholar
Modesto, S.P., Damiani, R.J., Neveling, J., and Yates, A.M., 2004, Saurodektes Gen. Nov., a new generic name for the owenettid parareptile Saurodectes Modesto et al., 2003: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 24, p. 970.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nesbitt, S.J., 2011, The early evolution of archosaurs: relationships and the origin of major clades: Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, v. 352, p. 1–292.Google Scholar
Nicholson, H.A., and Lydekker, R., 1889, A Manual of Palaeontology for the Use of Students, Volume 2 (third edition): Edinburgh, Blackwood, 735 p.Google Scholar
Olson, E.C., 1947, The Family Diadectidae and its bearing on the classification of reptiles: Fieldiana Geology, v. 11(1), p. 1–53.Google Scholar
Owen, R., 1876, Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia of South Africa in the Collection of the British Museum: London, British Museum (Natural History).Google Scholar
Piveteau, J., 1955, Existence d’un reptile du groupe Procolophonides á Madagascar. Conséquences stratigraphiques et paléontologiques: Comptes Rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l’Académie des Sciences, v. 241, p. 1325–1327.Google Scholar
Price, L.I., 1947, Um procolofonídeo do Triássico do Rio Grande do Sul: Boletim da Divisao de Geologia e Mineralogia, v. 122, p. 7–27.Google Scholar
Reisz, R.R., and Laurin, M., 1991, Owenetta and the origin of turtles: Nature, v. 349, p. 324–326.Google Scholar
Reisz, R.R., and Laurin, M., 2004, A reevaluation of the enigmatic Permian synapsid Watongia and of its stratigraphic significance: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 41, p. 377–386.Google Scholar
Reisz, R.R., and Scott, D., 2002, Owenetta kitchingorum, sp. nov., a small parareptile (Procolophonia: Owenettidae) from the Lower Triassic of South Africa: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 22, p. 244–256.Google Scholar
Romer, A.S., 1922, The locomotor apparatus of certain primitive and mammal-like reptiles: Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, v. 46, p. 517–606.Google Scholar
Romer, A.S., 1956, Osteology of the Reptiles: Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 772 p.Google Scholar
Romer, A.S., and Price, L.I., 1940, Review of the Pelycosauria: Geological Society of America, Special Paper, v. 28, p. 1–538.Google Scholar
Säilä, L.K., 2008, The osteology and affinities of Anomoiodon liliensterni, a procolophonid reptile from the Lower Triassic Buntsandstein of Germany: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 28(4), p. 1199–1205.Google Scholar
Schoch, R.R., 1999, Comparative osteology of Mastodonsaurus giganteus (Jaeger, 1828) from the Middle Triassic (Lettenkeuper: Longobardian) of Germany (Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Thüringen): Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde B, v. 278, p. 1–175.Google Scholar
Schoch, R.R., 2002, Stratigraphie und taphonomie wirbeltierreicher Schichten im Unterkeuper (Mitteltrias) von Vellberg (SW-Deutschland): Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde B, v. 318, p. 1–30.Google Scholar
Schoch, R.R., 2011, A procolophonid-like tetrapod from the German Middle Triassic: Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen, v. 259, p. 251–255.Google Scholar
Schoch, R.R., 2015, Reptilien, in Hagdorn, H., Schoch, R.R., and Schweigert, G., eds., Der Lettenkeuper—Ein Fenster in die Zeit vor den Dinosauriern: Palaeodiversity Sonderband 2015, p. 231–264.Google Scholar
Schoch, R.R., and Sues, H.-D., 2014, A new archosauriform reptile from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) of Germany: Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, v. 12, p. 113–131.Google Scholar
Schoch, R.R., and Sues, H.-D., 2015, A Middle Triassic stem-turtle and the evolution of the turtle body plan: Nature, v. 523, p. 584–587, doi:10.1038/nature14472.Google Scholar
Seeley, H.G., 1888, Researches on the structure, organization, and classification of the fossil Reptilia. VI. On the anomodont Reptilia and their allies: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, v. 44, p. 381–383.Google Scholar
Soares, M.B., Schultz, C.L., and Horn, B.L.D., 2011, New information on Riograndia guaibensis Bonaparte, Ferigolo & Ribeiro, 2001 (Eucynodontia, Tritheledontidae) from the Late Triassic of southern Brazil: anatomical and biostratigraphic implications: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, v. 83, p. 329–354.Google Scholar
Spielmann, J.A., Heckert, A.B., and Lucas, S.G., 2005, The Late Triassic archosauromorph Trilophosaurusas as an arboreal climber: Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, v. 111, p. 395–412.Google Scholar
Spielmann, J.A., Lucas, S.G., Rinehart, L.F., and Heckert, A.B., 2008, The Late Triassic archosauromorph Trilophosaurus: Bulletin New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, v. 43, p. 1–177.Google Scholar
Sterli, J., de La Fuente, M.S., and Rougier, G.W., 2007, Anatomy and relationships of Palaeochersis talampayensis, a Late Triassic turtle from Argentina: Palaeontographica Abt. A, v. 281, p. 1–61.Google Scholar
Sues, H.-D., and Fraser, N.R., 2010, Triassic Life on Land: The Great Transition, New York, Columbia University Press, 280 p.Google Scholar
Sues, H.-D., and Schoch, R.R., 2013, First record of Colognathus (Amniota) from the Middle Triassic of Europe: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 33, p. 998–1002.Google Scholar
Tsuji, L.A., Sobral, G., and Müller, J., 2013, Ruhuhuaria reiszi, a new procolophonoid reptile from the Triassic Ruhuhu Basin of Tanzania: Comptes Rendus Palevol, v. 12(7), p. 487–494.Google Scholar
Walker, W.F., and Liem, K.F., 1994, Functional Anatomy of the Vertebrates: An Evolutionary Perspective: Philadelphia, Saunders College Publishing, 841 p.Google Scholar
Watson, D.M.S., 1957, On Millerosaurus and the early history of the sauropsid reptiles: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences, v. 240, p. 325–400.Google Scholar
Weinbaum, J.C., 2013, Postcranial skeleton of Postosuchus kirkpatricki (Archosauria: Paracrocodylomorpha), from the upper Triassic of the United States: Geological Society, London, Special Publications, v. 379(1), p. 525–553.Google Scholar