A New and Unusual Aquatic Reptile from the Lockatong Formation of New Jersey (Late Triassic, Newark Supergroup)

Colbert, Edwin H.; Olsen, Paul E.

doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2001)334<0001:anauar>2.0.co;2

Cited by 57 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Pterosaurs are also absent from the lacustrine formations of the Newark Supergroup of northeastern USA, which span the whole Norian through basal Jurassic interval. In particular, the Lockatong Formation (early Norian, Olsen et al 2011) has yielded the articulated and delicate skeletons of the gliding diapsid Icarosaurus siefkeri, the protorosaurian Tanytrachelos ahynis (which had a size comparable to that of a small Triassic pterosaur; Olsen 1979) and the small drepanosaurid Hypuronector limnaios Colbert & Olsen 2001, but no specimen of a pterosaur (as seen above, Rhabdopelix longispinis is a nomen dubium). The Cow Branch Formation (also early Norian in age, Sues & Fraser 2010) has also yielded articulated skeletons of a gliding diapsid (Mecistotrachelos apeoros; Fraser et al 2007) and Tanytrachelos ahynis (see Olsen 1979), as well as a rich fish and insect assemblage, but no pterosaurs.…”

Section: Early Evolutionary Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Triassic pterosaurs

Vecchia

2013

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Pterosaurs are a clade of highly specialized, volant archosauromorphs recorded from the Upper Triassic to the uppermost Cretaceous. Problematic remains referred to the Pterosauria are reported from the Triassic of Europe and both North and South America, but unequivocal pterosaur specimens are only known from the Alps (Italy, Austria and Switzerland: Preondactylus buffarinii, Austriadactylus cristatus, Peteinosaurus zambellii, Eudimorphodon ranzii, Carniadactylus rosenfeldi, Caviramus schesaplanensis and Raeticodactylus filisurensis) and Greenland (‘Eudimorphodon’ cromptonellus). Pterosaurs are diagnosed mostly by features associated with the advent of powered flight. They are generally considered to be archosaurians more closely related to dinosaurs than to crocodilians, but non-archosaurian positions have also been proposed. There is a lack of general agreement about ingroup relationships, particularly among the basal pterosaurs. Triassic pterosaurs differ from other non-pterodactyloid pterosaurs in features of the dentition and caudal vertebral column. A ‘Big Bang’ model for their early history fits better with the fossil record: the earliest unequivocal pterosaurs show a sudden and geographically limited appearance in the fossil record, as well as a relatively high burst of diversity and considerable morphologic disparity. Absence of pterosaur remains from deposits where they are expected to be found suggests that they had not yet evolved in pre-Norian times.

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Section: Early Evolutionary Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Triassic pterosaurs

Vecchia

2013

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“…Ten years later Colbert (2) described Amphipithecus mogaungensis from near Mogaung village in the Pondaung Formation. No other primates were reported from the Pondaung Formation over the next 42 years until four new specimens were discovered at Mogaung in 1978 (3)(4)(5).…”

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confidence: 99%

Primate postcrania from the late middle Eocene of Myanmar

Ciochon

Gingerich

Gunnell

et al. 2001

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Fossil primates have been known from the late middle to late Eocene Pondaung Formation of Myanmar since the description of Pondaungia cotteri in 1927. Three additional primate taxa, Amphipithecus mogaungensis, Bahinia pondaungensis and Myanmarpithecus yarshensis, were subsequently described. These primates are represented mostly by fragmentary dental and cranial remains. Here we describe the first primate postcrania from Myanmar, including a complete left humerus, a fragmentary right humerus, parts of left and right ulnae, and the distal half of a left calcaneum, all representing one individual. We assign this specimen to a large species of Pondaungia based on body size and the known geographic distribution and diversity of Myanmar primates. Body weight estimates of Pondaungia range from 4,000 to 9,000 g, based on humeral length, humeral midshaft diameter, and tooth area by using extant primate regressions. The humerus and ulna indicate that Pondaungia was capable of a wide variety of forelimb movements, with great mobility at the shoulder joint. Morphology of the distal calcaneus indicates that the hind feet were mobile at the transverse tarsal joint. Postcrania of Pondaungia present a mosaic of features, some shared in common with notharctine and adapine adapiforms, some shared with extant lorises and cebids, some shared with fossil anthropoids, and some unique. Overall, Pondaungia humeral and calcaneal morphology is most consistent with that of other known adapiforms. It does not support the inclusion of Pondaungia in Anthropoidea.

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“…Originally erected by OLSEN & SUES (1986) and first diagnosed by BERMAN & REISZ (1992), the Drepanosauridae are a family of diapsid reptiles with highly modified postcrania and are interpreted as arboreal (RENESTO 1994a(RENESTO , b, 2000RENESTO & BINELLI 2006; though see COLBERT &OLSEN 2001 andBERMAN &REISZ 1992 for differing interpretations). Drepanosaurus (PINNA, 1980) and Megalancosaurus (CALZAVARA et al, 1980) from the Calcare di Zorzino (Zorzino Limestone, Norian, Late Triassic) of Northern Italy were the first taxa of this family to be described.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Drepanosaurus (PINNA, 1980) and Megalancosaurus (CALZAVARA et al, 1980) from the Calcare di Zorzino (Zorzino Limestone, Norian, Late Triassic) of Northern Italy were the first taxa of this family to be described. Dolabrosaurus from the Petrified Forest Formation, Chinle Group, New Mexico (BERMAN & REISZ 1992), and Hypuronector, from the Newark Supergroup (COLBERT & OLSEN 2001) ("deep-tailed swimmer" of OLSEN 1980), were for many years the only two named drepanosaurid taxa from North America. Recently, Vallesaurus, also from the Italian Calcare di Zorzino, was described (RENESTO & BINELLI 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The oldest record of drepanosaurids (Reptilia, Diapsida) from the Late Triassic (Adamanian Placerias Quarry, Arizona, USA) and the stratigraphic range of the Drepanosauridae

Renesto¹,

Spielmann²,

Lucas³

2009

njgpa

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Previous detailed descriptions of relatively complete drepanosaurid material make it possible to recognize isolated drepanosaurid elements from other localities. The identification of isolated elements from the USA and Great Britain extended the geographical distribution of the group and encouraged a review of Triassic collections for characteristic elements of this family. In this paper, isolated vertebrae previously described as problematic reptiles from the famous Placerias Quarry, near St. Johns, Arizona, USA are re-identified as drepanosaurids. These specimens represent the oldest occurrence of this family, which is earliest Adamanian.

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A New and Unusual Aquatic Reptile from the Lockatong Formation of New Jersey (Late Triassic, Newark Supergroup)

Cited by 57 publications

References 17 publications

Triassic pterosaurs

Triassic pterosaurs

Primate postcrania from the late middle Eocene of Myanmar

The oldest record of drepanosaurids (Reptilia, Diapsida) from the Late Triassic (Adamanian Placerias Quarry, Arizona, USA) and the stratigraphic range of the Drepanosauridae

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