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Article: Morphological disparity in the evolution of the ophthalmosaurid forefin: new clues from the Upper Jurassic of Argentina

Papers in Palaeontology - Volume 7 Issue 1 - Cover
Publication: Papers in Palaeontology
Volume: 7
Part: 4
Publication Date: November 2021
Page(s): 1995 2020
Author(s): Lisandro Campos, Marta S. Fernández, Yanina Herrera, and Alberto Garrido
DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1374
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How to Cite

CAMPOS, L., FERNáNDEZ, M.S., HERRERA, Y., GARRIDO, A. 2021. . Papers in Palaeontology, 7, 4, 1995-2020. DOI: /doi/10.1002/spp2.1374

Author Information

  • Lisandro Campos - División Paleontología Vertebrados Unidades de Investigación Anexo Museo Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo UNLP Av. 60 y 122 B1900 La Plata Argentina
  • Lisandro Campos - CONICET Argentina
  • Marta S. Fernández - División Paleontología Vertebrados Unidades de Investigación Anexo Museo Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo UNLP Av. 60 y 122 B1900 La Plata Argentina
  • Marta S. Fernández - CONICET Argentina
  • Yanina Herrera - División Paleontología Vertebrados Unidades de Investigación Anexo Museo Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo UNLP Av. 60 y 122 B1900 La Plata Argentina
  • Yanina Herrera - CONICET Argentina
  • Alberto Garrido - Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales ‘Dr. Prof. Juan A. Olsacher’, Dirección Provincial de Minería Etcheluz y Ejército Argentino, 8340 Zapala Neuquén Argentina
  • Alberto Garrido - Centro de Investigación en Geociencias de la Patagonia – CIGPat Departamento de Geología y Petróleo Facultad de Ingeniería Universidad Nacional del Comahue Buenos Aires 1400 Q8300IBX Neuquén Argentina

Publication History

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    Abstract

    Jurassic and Cretaceous marine deposits worldwide show that ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs are major components of marine tetrapod communities for almost 76 myr. One of the major features characterizing this clade is the complexity and diversity of their stylopodium–zeugopodium morphology. Upper Jurassic deposits of the Vaca Muerta Formation in north-west Patagonia (Argentina) have yielded the richest Tithonian ophthalmosaurid records from Gondwana. Here, we present a new ophthalmosaurid from this lithostratigraphic unit, Sumapalla argentina gen. et sp. nov., recognized based on several unique features of the skull roof, forefin, scapular, and pelvic girdles. On phylogenetic analysis it was recovered as a basal member of Platypterygiinae. The peculiar morphology of the forefin of the new taxon indicates a previously unnoticed morphological diversity in the ophthalmosaurid appendicular skeleton and provides an excellent opportunity to test its range of variation. For this purpose, we implemented a holistic approach, using 2D geometric morphometric analysis focused on the humerus, and disparity analysis of the zeugopodium. Our results reveal a long duration of one humeral morphotype characterizing Arthropterygius spp. and closely related taxa. Furthermore, we found a peak of zeugopodial disparity during the Kimmeridgian, followed by a decrease by the end of the Jurassic, and then a recovery by the Early Cretaceous.

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