Polysphenodon
| Polysphenodon Temporal range:Late Triassic,
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| Reconstructed skull | |
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| Genus: | †Polysphenodon Jaeckel,1911
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| Type species | |
| †Polysphenodon mulleri Jaeckel, 1911
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Polysphenodonis an extinct genus ofsphenodontianreptilewith a single speciesPolysphenodon mullerifrom theLate TriassicKeuper GroupofGermany.[1]
History of discovery
[edit]The genus and only known speciesPolysphenodon mulleriwas described byOtto Jaekelin 1911.[2]Polysphenodon mulleriis known from a single partial skeleton recovered from aboreholesample at 775 metres (2,543 ft) depth, which includes parts of the skull, limbs and tail vertebrae.[2]This specimen has been lost since the 1930s, but is known from several casts.[1]
Description
[edit]The skull was around 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) long in life. The snout is relatively short, even when accounting for post-mortem distortion. The limbs ofPolysphenodon,particularly the tibia, are long relative to the size of the skull and are similar in proportions to some species ofHomoeosaurus.This resemblance is considered to be indicative of similar locomotory requirements rather than close evolutionary relationships.[1]
Taxonomy
[edit]Recent studies have placedPolysphenodonas a member ofEusphenodontia.[3]Some authors have placedPolysphenodonas part of the familyClevosauridaealongsideClevosaurusandBrachyrhinodon,[4]though other studies have recoveredPolysphenodonas unrelated to these taxa.[3]
Cladogram following Sues and Schoch, 2023:[5]
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References
[edit]- ^abcN. C. Fraser and M. J. Benton. (1989) The Triassic reptilesBrachyrhinodonandPolysphenodonand the relationships of the sphenodontids.Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society96:413-445
- ^abJaekel, O (1911) Die Wierbeltiere. Eine Übersicht über diefossilen und lebenden Formen.Borntraeger, Berlin,252p
- ^abRomo de Vivar, Paulo R.; Martinelli, Agustín G.; Schmaltz Hsiou, Annie; Soares, Marina Bento (2020-07-02)."A New Rhynchocephalian from the Late Triassic of Southern Brazil Enhances Eusphenodontian Diversity".Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.18(13): 1103–1126.Bibcode:2020JSPal..18.1103R.doi:10.1080/14772019.2020.1732488.ISSN1477-2019.
- ^Hsiou, Annie Schmaltz; De França, Marco Aurélio Gallo; Ferigolo, Jorge (2015-09-10). Beatty, Brian Lee (ed.)."New Data on the Clevosaurus (Sphenodontia: Clevosauridae) from the Upper Triassic of Southern Brazil".PLOS ONE.10(9): e0137523.Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1037523H.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0137523.ISSN1932-6203.PMC4565693.PMID26355294.
- ^Sues, Hans-Dieter; Schoch, Rainer R. (2023-11-07)."The oldest known rhynchocephalian reptile from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) of Germany and its phylogenetic position among Lepidosauromorpha".The Anatomical Record.307(4): 776–790.doi:10.1002/ar.25339.ISSN1932-8486.PMID37937325.S2CID265050255.
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