A Scansorial Varanopid Eupelycosaur from the Pennsylvanian of New Mexico

Lucas, Spencer G.; Rinehart, Larry F.; Celeskey, Matthew D.; Berman, David S.; Henrici, Amy C.

doi:10.2992/007.087.0301

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Although the role of this posture in the lifestyle of Lagerpeton is uncertain, some authors have hypothesized based on manual ungual anatomy that the forelimbs of lagerpetids had functions other than ground-dwelling locomotion (Ezcurra, Nesbitt, Bronzati, et al, 2020;Müller et al, 2023). In fact, claws with strong curvature and large flexor tubercles observed in lagerpetids are usually associated with scansoriality within tetrapods (Lucas et al, 2022). Moreover, sprawled hindlimbs and a short pubis are features that align the center of mass to the substrate (e.g., tree trunk).…”

Section: Hindlimb Posture In L Chanarensismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It should be mentioned that there are some anatomical aspects in which Lagerpeton differs from scansorial reptiles. The dorsal vertebrae of Lagerpeton are proportionally small when compared to non-pterosaurian ornithodirans, which differ from extant climbing lizards that have an elongated trunk (Lucas et al, 2022). A similarly short vertebral column was retained in Pterosauria (Dalla Vecchia, 2014;Müller et al, 2023).…”

Section: Hindlimb Posture In L Chanarensismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comments on the pelvic girdle anatomy of Lagerpeton chanarensis Romer, 1971 (Archosauria) and its implications on the posture and gait of early pterosauromorphs

Agnolín,

Novas,

Ezcurra

et al. 2024

The Anatomical Record

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Lagerpeton chanarensis is an early avemetatarsalian from the lower Carnian (lowermost Upper Triassic) levels of the Chañares Formation, La Rioja Province, Argentina. Lagerpeton and its kin were traditionally interpreted as dinosaur precursors of cursorial habits, with a bipedal posture and parasagittal gait. Some authors also speculated saltatorial capabilities for this genus. Recent analyses indicate that lagerpetids are early‐diverging pterosauromorphs, a hypothesis that invites a review of most aspects of their anatomy and function. A revision of available specimens and additional preparation of previously known individuals indicate that Lagerpeton lacked a parasagittal gait and was probably a sprawling archosaur. This latter inference is based on the femoral head articulation with the acetabulum. The acetabular rim has a strongly laterally projected posteroventral antitrochanteric corner, which results in a position of the legs that recalls that of sprawling living reptiles, such as lizards, and departs from the parasagittally positioned limbs of dinosaurs. This may indicate that early pterosauromorphs had a sprawling posture of their hindlegs, casting doubts on the significance of bipedal posture and parasagittal gait for the radiation of early ornithodirans, given that both traits have been regarded as key features that triggered the ecological and evolutionary success of the clade. Our results bolster recent claims of a high ecomorphological diversity among early avemetatarsalians.

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Section: Hindlimb Posture In L Chanarensismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Hindlimb Posture In L Chanarensismentioning

confidence: 99%

Comments on the pelvic girdle anatomy of Lagerpeton chanarensis Romer, 1971 (Archosauria) and its implications on the posture and gait of early pterosauromorphs

Agnolín,

Novas,

Ezcurra

et al. 2024

The Anatomical Record

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Middle to Late Pennsylvanian tetrapod evolution: the Kasimovian bottleneck

Lucas

2023

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The Late Pennsylvanian was a critical juncture in tetrapod evolution when many terrestrially-adapted taxa first appeared. The Middle Pennsylvanian (Moscovian) tetrapod record reflects a taphonomic megabias that favored preservation, discovery and collection of aquatic tetrapods that lived in wetland paleoenvironments (“coal swamps”). The Kasimovian tetrapod record is limited to seven localities, all but one in the USA, and two of which are singleton records, so it is less abundant, diverse or widespread than earlier Moscovian and later Gzhelian tetrapod records. This “Kasimovian bottleneck” hinders interpretation of tetrapod evolutionary events across the Middle-Late Pennsylvanian boundary. Significant changes did take place across that boundary, but they were spread out over Moscovian through Gzhelian time. Many of the perceived changes in tetrapods across the Middle-Late Pennsylvanian boundary are largely artifacts of facies changes and the Moscovian tetrapod taphonomic megabias and of the limited fossil record of Kasimovian tetrapods. Therefore, there is no simple link between Late Pennsylvanian tetrapod evolutionary events and changes in climate and vegetation.

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A Scansorial Varanopid Eupelycosaur from the Pennsylvanian of New Mexico

Cited by 2 publications

References 52 publications

Comments on the pelvic girdle anatomy of Lagerpeton chanarensis Romer, 1971 (Archosauria) and its implications on the posture and gait of early pterosauromorphs

Comments on the pelvic girdle anatomy of Lagerpeton chanarensis Romer, 1971 (Archosauria) and its implications on the posture and gait of early pterosauromorphs

Middle to Late Pennsylvanian tetrapod evolution: the Kasimovian bottleneck

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