INVESTIGADORES
FERNANDEZ Marta Susana
artículos
Título:
Description and phylogenetic relationships of Taniwhasaurus antarcticus
Autor/es:
FERNÁNDEZ M. ; MARTIN. J.
Revista:
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH (PRINT)
Editorial:
Elsevier
Referencias:
Año: 2009 p. 717 - 726
ISSN:
0195-6671
Resumen:
The Antarctic tylosaurine mosasaur Taniwhasaurus antarcticus (Upper Cretaceous, Campanian) is redescribed
and rediagnosed based on the holotype. The reexamination of this specimen reveals that T.
antarcticus is clearly distinguishable by a set of skull features from other species of the genus, including
an almost straight fronto-parietal suture, the extreme reduction of the infrastapedial process of the
quadrate, and the L-shaped coronoid. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that T. antarcticus and T. oweni are
sister taxa, confirming their assignment to the same generic entity. The most striking feature of T. antarcticusTaniwhasaurus antarcticus (Upper Cretaceous, Campanian) is redescribed
and rediagnosed based on the holotype. The reexamination of this specimen reveals that T.
antarcticus is clearly distinguishable by a set of skull features from other species of the genus, including
an almost straight fronto-parietal suture, the extreme reduction of the infrastapedial process of the
quadrate, and the L-shaped coronoid. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that T. antarcticus and T. oweni are
sister taxa, confirming their assignment to the same generic entity. The most striking feature of T. antarcticusT.
antarcticus is clearly distinguishable by a set of skull features from other species of the genus, including
an almost straight fronto-parietal suture, the extreme reduction of the infrastapedial process of the
quadrate, and the L-shaped coronoid. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that T. antarcticus and T. oweni are
sister taxa, confirming their assignment to the same generic entity. The most striking feature of T. antarcticusis clearly distinguishable by a set of skull features from other species of the genus, including
an almost straight fronto-parietal suture, the extreme reduction of the infrastapedial process of the
quadrate, and the L-shaped coronoid. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that T. antarcticus and T. oweni are
sister taxa, confirming their assignment to the same generic entity. The most striking feature of T. antarcticusT. antarcticus and T. oweni are
sister taxa, confirming their assignment to the same generic entity. The most striking feature of T. antarcticusT. antarcticus
is the configuration of the posterior terminus of the skull and its articulation with the quadrate.
The posteroventral expansion of the supratemporal embraces medially the ventral half of the posterior
border of the paroccipital process, preventing the quadrate head from extended posterior displacement.
Although in T. oweni this region of the skull has not been preserved in natural position, the same
configuration of the quadrate-supratemporal-squamosal and paroccipital process complex can be
inferred based on the quadrate morphology.T. oweni this region of the skull has not been preserved in natural position, the same
configuration of the quadrate-supratemporal-squamosal and paroccipital process complex can be
inferred based on the quadrate morphology.