Abstract:[en] Mesosaurus Broom, 1913, from the Early Permian, is the first aquatic reptile known ... more Abstract:[en] Mesosaurus Broom, 1913, from the Early Permian, is the first aquatic reptile known in the fossil record. Its co-occurrence in both South Africa (South Africa) and South America (Brazil, Uruguay) made it one of the key-fossils-with the pteridospermatophyta plant Glossopteris-used by the German meteorologist/geophysician Alfred Wegener to support his theory of the Continental Drift (Kontinentalverschiebung), first published in 1912.
Three durophagous mosasaur species are represented by isolated teeth in the Upper Cretaceous (Maa... more Three durophagous mosasaur species are represented by isolated teeth in the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) phosphatic beds of Morocco.Globidens phosphaticusnov. sp. is characterised mainly by a strong heterodonty, with mid-posterior teeth being bulbous, irregularly oval in crosssection, and having an inflated posterior surface, a large eccentric located and recurved apical nubbin, vertical sulci on medial and lateral faces, no carinae and an enamel surface covered by anastomosing ridges. Teeth ofPrognathodon curriiare broad and tall, straight cones, slightly swollen at the base, and with two serrated carinae. These two taxa have been collected from all the phosphatic series (lower to upper Maastrichtian) in the Ganntour Basin (Morocco).Globidens phosphaticusnov. sp. is probably also represented at other Maastrichtian phosphatic sites along the southern margin of the Mediterranean Tethys.Prognathodon curriiwas previously known only from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Negev. Of ...
Since the publication of “European Titanosaurs” by J. Le Loeuff in 1993 no detailed analysis of t... more Since the publication of “European Titanosaurs” by J. Le Loeuff in 1993 no detailed analysis of the European fossil-sites of these sauropods has been made. In the last years, new localities have been found in Spain, France, Great Britain and Romania. The number of fossil-sites has almost been triplicate since 1993 - from 25 to approximately 70 -. Most of the titanosaurian fossil-sites of Europe are assigned to the Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian), although a few Early Cretaceous fossil-sites are known in Spain and Britain. In fact, the earliest titanosaurian remains from Europe are from the Valanginian of Sussex (England) (Upchurch, 1995; Upchurch et al., 2004). Up to now, three titanosaurian species are well-known in Europe: Lirainosaurus astibiae (Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian of Laño, Treviño, Spain), Ampelosaurus atacis (Early Maastrichtian of Campagne-sur-Aude, Aude, France), and Magyarosaurus dacus (Maastrichtian of Sânpetru, Transylvania, Romania), although they...
A dorsal vertebra from the late Turonien “Tuffeau jaune” of Ferrière-sur- Beaulieu, near Loches, ... more A dorsal vertebra from the late Turonien “Tuffeau jaune” of Ferrière-sur- Beaulieu, near Loches, Indre-et-Loire Department, is described and attributed to an aquatic varanoid lizard within the Mosasauroidea. The specimen displays some characters that are different from those of Dolichosauridae and Mosasauridae, previously reported from the Turonian of Touraine. It resembles the vertebrae of aigialosaur-like mosasauroidsmosasauroids. The Touraine discoveries undicate a rapid diversification of aquatic varanoid lizards during the Late Cretaceous.
Lirainosaurus astibiae, first described by Sanz et al. in 1999, is the only titanosaurian genus a... more Lirainosaurus astibiae, first described by Sanz et al. in 1999, is the only titanosaurian genus and species described in the Iberian Peninsula until now. The type material from the site of Laño (Condado de Treviño, northern Spain) preserves both cranial (basicrania, teeth) and postcranial material, comprising vertebrae, appendicular remains and dermal armour. Recently, postcranial remains from two localities in Valencia and Guadalajara have been referred to Lirainosaurus (Company, 2011; Company et al., 2009; Ortega and Pérez-García, 2009). Lirainosaurus astibiae presents a unique combination of characters within the titanosaurs (Díez Díaz, 2013; Díez Díaz et al., 2011; in press; under review): the presence of a foramen in the distal surface of the basal tubera; absence of medial subcondylar depressions or foramina in the basicranium (although this could be due to the ontogeny); presence of a postzygadiapophyseal lamina (podl) in the proximal caudal vertebrae, which separates the pos...
During the Cenomanian-Turonian interval, marine squamates display a spectacular radiation in part... more During the Cenomanian-Turonian interval, marine squamates display a spectacular radiation in particular on the margins of the Mediterranean Tethys and, to a lesser extent, in the Interior Seaway of North America. In this span of time, three major groups diversified: the “hind-limbed” snakes (“pachyophiids”), the “dolichosaurids”, and the mosasauroids. “Hind-limbed” snakes, exhibiting all a pachyostotic bony structure, were small tropical inhabitants, known exclusively from the Cenomanian of the Mediterranean Tethys. “Dolichosaurids” and mosasauroids were rather mid latitude distributed groups, found in a wide range of palaeoenvironments of both the Mediterranean Tethys and the Western Interior Seaway. Whereas “dolichosaurids” remain of small size and become rare after the Cenomanian/Turonian (C/T) boundary, mosasauroids exhibit a notable size-increase and develop since the mid Turonian to become highly diversified and cosmopolitan large predators of the end of the Cretaceous. This i...
ABSTRACT Up to now, three titanosaurs are well-known in the Ibero-Armorican Island (Table 1): Lir... more ABSTRACT Up to now, three titanosaurs are well-known in the Ibero-Armorican Island (Table 1): Lirainosaurus astibiae, Ampelosaurus atacis, and Atsinganosaurus velauciensis. Since the publication of L. astibiae in 1999 more material has been found and is being studied by one of the authors (V.D.D.); a detailed description of all the remains is planned as well as a phylogenetic analysis of its relationships within Titanosauria. Only a few phylogenetic analyses include A. atacis, but most of them place it as a basal taxon within Titanosauria. A. velauciensis has not yet been included in any phylogenetic analysis. Given the fragmentary nature of sauropod remains at many localities of southwestern Europe, it is still very difficult to assess their real biodiversity, although several authors have suspected that it was higher than previously thought (Le Loeuff, 1993, 1998; Díez Díaz and Pereda Suberbiola, 2010; Vila et al., in press). The discovery of new fossil-sites in southern France and central Spain seems to confirm this hypothesis. The new members of this “big” family Two localities are of special interest, as their study seems to confirm the hypothesis of the presence of at least five titanosaurs. In Cruzy, in southern France, a rich vertebrate assemblage has been recovered since the 1990s (Buffetaut et al., 1999). Although the sauropod material from Cruzy was originally referred to A. atacis, a recent research based on teeth morphology shows that it represents indeed a fourth genus whose description is in progress. On the other hand, the locality of Lo Hueco (Cuenca, Central Spain) has yielded some thousands of isolated bones and more than twenty sets representing partial skeletons of several titanosaur individuals (Ortega et al., 2008). A preliminary analysis of the diversity based on isolated elements (cranial bones, teeth, vertebrae, appendicular elements) indicates the presence of, at least, three morphotypes of titanosaurs, probably belonging to two different taxa. They would represent new forms of European Titanosauria whose relationships with the still undeterminated forms from other localities have yet to be evaluated. A higher diversity than previously thought? This new material confirms the high sauropod diversity in the Late Cretaceous of the Ibero-Armorican Island. This includes both small forms by sauropod standards, such as Lirainosaurus astibiae – whose biggest femur is 80 cm long –, and giant animals with femora reaching 150 cm. We cannot yet ascertain that these forms were strictly contemporaneous or whether they replaced each other during the Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian, however significative differences in size as well as in tooth shape strongly suggest that the various titanosaurs from Southern Europe were adapted to different ecological niches.
Abstract:[en] Mesosaurus Broom, 1913, from the Early Permian, is the first aquatic reptile known ... more Abstract:[en] Mesosaurus Broom, 1913, from the Early Permian, is the first aquatic reptile known in the fossil record. Its co-occurrence in both South Africa (South Africa) and South America (Brazil, Uruguay) made it one of the key-fossils-with the pteridospermatophyta plant Glossopteris-used by the German meteorologist/geophysician Alfred Wegener to support his theory of the Continental Drift (Kontinentalverschiebung), first published in 1912.
Three durophagous mosasaur species are represented by isolated teeth in the Upper Cretaceous (Maa... more Three durophagous mosasaur species are represented by isolated teeth in the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) phosphatic beds of Morocco.Globidens phosphaticusnov. sp. is characterised mainly by a strong heterodonty, with mid-posterior teeth being bulbous, irregularly oval in crosssection, and having an inflated posterior surface, a large eccentric located and recurved apical nubbin, vertical sulci on medial and lateral faces, no carinae and an enamel surface covered by anastomosing ridges. Teeth ofPrognathodon curriiare broad and tall, straight cones, slightly swollen at the base, and with two serrated carinae. These two taxa have been collected from all the phosphatic series (lower to upper Maastrichtian) in the Ganntour Basin (Morocco).Globidens phosphaticusnov. sp. is probably also represented at other Maastrichtian phosphatic sites along the southern margin of the Mediterranean Tethys.Prognathodon curriiwas previously known only from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Negev. Of ...
Since the publication of “European Titanosaurs” by J. Le Loeuff in 1993 no detailed analysis of t... more Since the publication of “European Titanosaurs” by J. Le Loeuff in 1993 no detailed analysis of the European fossil-sites of these sauropods has been made. In the last years, new localities have been found in Spain, France, Great Britain and Romania. The number of fossil-sites has almost been triplicate since 1993 - from 25 to approximately 70 -. Most of the titanosaurian fossil-sites of Europe are assigned to the Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian), although a few Early Cretaceous fossil-sites are known in Spain and Britain. In fact, the earliest titanosaurian remains from Europe are from the Valanginian of Sussex (England) (Upchurch, 1995; Upchurch et al., 2004). Up to now, three titanosaurian species are well-known in Europe: Lirainosaurus astibiae (Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian of Laño, Treviño, Spain), Ampelosaurus atacis (Early Maastrichtian of Campagne-sur-Aude, Aude, France), and Magyarosaurus dacus (Maastrichtian of Sânpetru, Transylvania, Romania), although they...
A dorsal vertebra from the late Turonien “Tuffeau jaune” of Ferrière-sur- Beaulieu, near Loches, ... more A dorsal vertebra from the late Turonien “Tuffeau jaune” of Ferrière-sur- Beaulieu, near Loches, Indre-et-Loire Department, is described and attributed to an aquatic varanoid lizard within the Mosasauroidea. The specimen displays some characters that are different from those of Dolichosauridae and Mosasauridae, previously reported from the Turonian of Touraine. It resembles the vertebrae of aigialosaur-like mosasauroidsmosasauroids. The Touraine discoveries undicate a rapid diversification of aquatic varanoid lizards during the Late Cretaceous.
Lirainosaurus astibiae, first described by Sanz et al. in 1999, is the only titanosaurian genus a... more Lirainosaurus astibiae, first described by Sanz et al. in 1999, is the only titanosaurian genus and species described in the Iberian Peninsula until now. The type material from the site of Laño (Condado de Treviño, northern Spain) preserves both cranial (basicrania, teeth) and postcranial material, comprising vertebrae, appendicular remains and dermal armour. Recently, postcranial remains from two localities in Valencia and Guadalajara have been referred to Lirainosaurus (Company, 2011; Company et al., 2009; Ortega and Pérez-García, 2009). Lirainosaurus astibiae presents a unique combination of characters within the titanosaurs (Díez Díaz, 2013; Díez Díaz et al., 2011; in press; under review): the presence of a foramen in the distal surface of the basal tubera; absence of medial subcondylar depressions or foramina in the basicranium (although this could be due to the ontogeny); presence of a postzygadiapophyseal lamina (podl) in the proximal caudal vertebrae, which separates the pos...
During the Cenomanian-Turonian interval, marine squamates display a spectacular radiation in part... more During the Cenomanian-Turonian interval, marine squamates display a spectacular radiation in particular on the margins of the Mediterranean Tethys and, to a lesser extent, in the Interior Seaway of North America. In this span of time, three major groups diversified: the “hind-limbed” snakes (“pachyophiids”), the “dolichosaurids”, and the mosasauroids. “Hind-limbed” snakes, exhibiting all a pachyostotic bony structure, were small tropical inhabitants, known exclusively from the Cenomanian of the Mediterranean Tethys. “Dolichosaurids” and mosasauroids were rather mid latitude distributed groups, found in a wide range of palaeoenvironments of both the Mediterranean Tethys and the Western Interior Seaway. Whereas “dolichosaurids” remain of small size and become rare after the Cenomanian/Turonian (C/T) boundary, mosasauroids exhibit a notable size-increase and develop since the mid Turonian to become highly diversified and cosmopolitan large predators of the end of the Cretaceous. This i...
ABSTRACT Up to now, three titanosaurs are well-known in the Ibero-Armorican Island (Table 1): Lir... more ABSTRACT Up to now, three titanosaurs are well-known in the Ibero-Armorican Island (Table 1): Lirainosaurus astibiae, Ampelosaurus atacis, and Atsinganosaurus velauciensis. Since the publication of L. astibiae in 1999 more material has been found and is being studied by one of the authors (V.D.D.); a detailed description of all the remains is planned as well as a phylogenetic analysis of its relationships within Titanosauria. Only a few phylogenetic analyses include A. atacis, but most of them place it as a basal taxon within Titanosauria. A. velauciensis has not yet been included in any phylogenetic analysis. Given the fragmentary nature of sauropod remains at many localities of southwestern Europe, it is still very difficult to assess their real biodiversity, although several authors have suspected that it was higher than previously thought (Le Loeuff, 1993, 1998; Díez Díaz and Pereda Suberbiola, 2010; Vila et al., in press). The discovery of new fossil-sites in southern France and central Spain seems to confirm this hypothesis. The new members of this “big” family Two localities are of special interest, as their study seems to confirm the hypothesis of the presence of at least five titanosaurs. In Cruzy, in southern France, a rich vertebrate assemblage has been recovered since the 1990s (Buffetaut et al., 1999). Although the sauropod material from Cruzy was originally referred to A. atacis, a recent research based on teeth morphology shows that it represents indeed a fourth genus whose description is in progress. On the other hand, the locality of Lo Hueco (Cuenca, Central Spain) has yielded some thousands of isolated bones and more than twenty sets representing partial skeletons of several titanosaur individuals (Ortega et al., 2008). A preliminary analysis of the diversity based on isolated elements (cranial bones, teeth, vertebrae, appendicular elements) indicates the presence of, at least, three morphotypes of titanosaurs, probably belonging to two different taxa. They would represent new forms of European Titanosauria whose relationships with the still undeterminated forms from other localities have yet to be evaluated. A higher diversity than previously thought? This new material confirms the high sauropod diversity in the Late Cretaceous of the Ibero-Armorican Island. This includes both small forms by sauropod standards, such as Lirainosaurus astibiae – whose biggest femur is 80 cm long –, and giant animals with femora reaching 150 cm. We cannot yet ascertain that these forms were strictly contemporaneous or whether they replaced each other during the Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian, however significative differences in size as well as in tooth shape strongly suggest that the various titanosaurs from Southern Europe were adapted to different ecological niches.
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