A new eosauropterygian, Largocephalosaurus polycarpon gen. et sp. nov., was described based on a skeleton from the Middle Triassic of Luoping (罗平), Ynnnan (云南) Province, southwestern China. The new taxon is ch...A new eosauropterygian, Largocephalosaurus polycarpon gen. et sp. nov., was described based on a skeleton from the Middle Triassic of Luoping (罗平), Ynnnan (云南) Province, southwestern China. The new taxon is characterized by a big skull, paired frontal, laterally expanded upper temporal fossa, anterior process of squamosal entering orbit, robust teeth with basally expanded crown and blunt tip, short cervical region, distinctly elongated transverse process of the dorsal vertebrae, short and broad dorsal ribs, stout gastralia, scapula with distinctly posterodorsally extending blade, distinctly robust humerus, eleven carpal ossifications, and a manual fomula of 2-3-4-5-5. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that Largocephalosaurus is the basal-most member of a clade including Wumengosaurus, European pachypleurosaurs, and Nothosauroidea.展开更多
基金supported by China Geological Survey (Nos. 1212010611603 and 1212011120148)
文摘A new eosauropterygian, Largocephalosaurus polycarpon gen. et sp. nov., was described based on a skeleton from the Middle Triassic of Luoping (罗平), Ynnnan (云南) Province, southwestern China. The new taxon is characterized by a big skull, paired frontal, laterally expanded upper temporal fossa, anterior process of squamosal entering orbit, robust teeth with basally expanded crown and blunt tip, short cervical region, distinctly elongated transverse process of the dorsal vertebrae, short and broad dorsal ribs, stout gastralia, scapula with distinctly posterodorsally extending blade, distinctly robust humerus, eleven carpal ossifications, and a manual fomula of 2-3-4-5-5. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that Largocephalosaurus is the basal-most member of a clade including Wumengosaurus, European pachypleurosaurs, and Nothosauroidea.