Abstract
The nearly complete, disarticulated skull of AMNH FARB 6810, a specimen of the basal sauropodomorph Plateosaurus collected in 1925 from the Norian (Late Triassic) strata of the Knollenmergel beds of Trossingen (Germany), is redescribed. This study supports referral of AMNH FARB 6810 to P. erlenbergiensis on the basis of the following characters: occipital condyle above level of parasphenoid; basisphenoid with transverse, subvertical lamina extending between basipterygoid processes, with ventrally projecting median process; and peglike process projecting medially from the middle of the palatine. Furthermore, P. longiceps is regarded a junior synonym of P. erlenbergiensis because the type specimen of the latter is diagnostic (displaying the above-noted apomorphies of the braincase and palatine) and, chronologically, P. erlenbergiensis has priority over P. longiceps.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-58 |
Number of pages | 58 |
Journal | American Museum Novitates |
Issue number | 3727 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 21 Nov 2011 |
Keywords
- SOUTH-AFRICA
- PROSAUROPOD DINOSAUR
- BASAL SAUROPODOMORPHA
- EVOLUTION
- ANATOMY
- ELLIOT
- CADUCUS
- ORIGIN
- YUNNAN
- MARSH