Herpetofaunal diversity changes with climate: evidence from the Quaternary of McEachern’s Deathtrap Cave, southeastern Australia

Ramm, Till; Thorn, Kailah M.; Hipsley, Christy A.; Müller, Johannes; Hocknull, Scott; Melville, Jane

doi:10.1080/02724634.2021.2009844

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Although higher-level fossil identifications using apomorphies can make paleoecological and paleoenvironmental interpretation less precise, it is still possible to glean insights from these identifications (e.g., Mead et al 2008;Ramm et al 2021;Scarpetta 2021). For example, here we used apomorphies to provide additional support for the presence of an extirpated clade of shorthorned lizards (Phrynosoma douglasii species complex) on the Edwards Plateau during the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Late Pleistocene and Holocene fossil lizards from Hall’s Cave and a primer on morphological variation in North American lizard skulls

Ledesma

Scarpetta

Jacisin

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Fossil identification practices have a profound effect on our interpretation of the past because these identifications form the basis for downstream analyses. Therefore, well-supported fossil identifications are paramount for examining the impact of past environmental changes on populations and communities. Here we apply an apomorphic identification framework in a case study identifying fossil lizard remains from Hall's Cave, a late Quaternary fossil site located in Central Texas, USA. We present images and descriptions of a broad comparative sample of North American lizard cranial elements and compile new and previously reported apomorphic characters for identifying fossil lizards. Our fossil identifications from Hall's Cave resulted in a minimum of 11 lizard taxa, including five lizard taxa previously unknown from the site. Most of the identified fossil lizard taxa inhabit the area around Hall's Cave today, but we reinforce the presence of an extirpated species complex of horned lizard. A main goal of this work is to establish a procedure for making well-supported fossil lizard identifications across North America. The data from this study will assist researchers endeavoring to identify fossil lizards, increasing the potential for novel discoveries related to North American lizards and facilitating more holistic views of ancient faunal assemblages.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%