Dactylosaurus
| Dactylosaurus |
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|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Nothosauroidea |
| Family: | †Pachypleurosauridae |
| Genus: | †Dactylosaurus Gürich, 1884 |
| Type species | |
| <templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>†Dactylosaurus gracilis Gürich, 1884
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| Synonyms | |
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Dactylosaurus is a genus of nothosaur in the family Pachypleurosauridae. Along with Anarosaurus, Dactylosaurus was one of the earliest known pachypleurosaurs to come from Europe.[1]
Etymology
Dactylosaurus comes from the Greek daktulos (δακτυλος), "finger" and sauros (σαυρος), meaning "lizard" or "reptile."
Description
The nasal bones of Dactylosaurus meet and are broadly structured.[2] The upper temporal fenestra is large and kidney-shaped.[2] There are 17 cervical vertebrae[2] and the cervical ribs have anterior processes.[2] The maxillae of Dactylosaurus extended broadly up the side of the snout.[1]
D. gracilis
The holotype specimen (MGUWR WR 3871s) of D. gracilis was only a partial skeleton, consisting of the anterior end alone.[1] Because it differed slightly from the fossils of D. gracilis, it was first thought to belong to the species D. schroederi,[1] which is now considered a junior synonym for juvenile D. gracilis.[2] Once this was established, the juvenile fossil, which was found before the adult fossils, became the holotype. The one limb that was found (a left forelimb), was noted to have a slimmer radius and ulna than Neusticosaurus,[1] a similar nothosaur from Europe.[1] D. gracilis is the smallest known species in its family,[1] which includes the much more recognized Keichousaurus, a nothosaur often remembered for its small size.[3] The original holotype of D. gracilis is considered a juvenile,[2] however the size of a nothosaur when its bones harden is used to show size, making the estimate as smallest member of its family still valid.[1]
Distribution
Dactylosaurus lived in the Lower and Middle Triassic period during the Late Olenekian and Anisian [2] faunal stage, of central Europe.[4]
In terms of geology, they are found: 1) in the uppermost Röt (uppermost Buntsandstein; Lower Triassic): e.g. Michałkowice (Siemianowice Śląskie) and Kamień Śląski, S Poland,[2] (the second location is not sure because Röt is not exposed there), 2) in the lowermost Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic), inter alia in the Gogolin Formation - Gogolin and its vicinity, S Poland.[4][5]
In 2012, the new Röt site (~ 247 Ma; Lower Triassic) with abundant disarticulated remains of Dactylosaurus was found in Gogolin.[6][7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Lepidosauromorpha: Pachypleurosauridae: Dactylosaurus & Anarosaurus Palaeos.com. Last accessed 2008-07-04. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "paleos" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Rieppel, O & L Kebang (1995), "Pachypleurosaurs (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Lower Muschelkalk, and a review of the Pachypleurosauroidea." Fieldiana Geol. N.S. 32: 1-44.
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- ↑ Sues H-D., Carroll R.L. 1985. The pachypleurosaurid Dactylosaurus schroederi (Diapsida: Sauropterygia). Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 22(11): 1602-1608
- ↑ Kowal-Linka M., Bodzioch A. 2012a. Warstwy kościonośne z Dactylosaurus (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) z retu (trias dolny, olenek) Opolszczyzny (Bonebeds with Dactylosaurus (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Röt (Lower Triassic, Olenekian) in the Opole Silesia region (S Poland). Przegląd Geologiczny 60 (12): 646–649
- ↑ Kowal-Linka M., Bodzioch A. 2012b. New findings of vertebrate remains from the Röt (Lower Triassic, Olenekian) in the vicinity of Gogolin (Opole Silesia, S Poland). [W:] Krasiejów - inspiracje paleontologiczne / Krasiejów - paleontological inspirations. E. Jagt-Yazykova, J. Jagt, A. Bodzioch, D. Konietzko-Meier (red.). Zakład Poligraficzno-Wydawniczy "Plik", Bytom: 70-80. ISBN 978-83-916841-8-4
External links
- Pachypleurosauridae from Palaeos.com (technical)
- Dactylosaurus from the Plesiosaur Directory
- http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/e85-169
- Kowal-Linka & Bodzioch 2012a
- Kowal-Linka & Bodzioch 2012b
