A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation
Abstract Pachypleurosaurs (Pachypleurosauroidea) are a group of small to medium-sized, lizard-like marine reptiles in the Early to Middle Triassic, including Pachypleurosauridae, Keichousauridae and closely related taxa. The group is generally considered as a sauropterygian radiation, but its phylog...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-05-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11309-2 |
| _version_ | 1818250660007641088 |
|---|---|
| author | Guang-Hui Xu Yi Ren Li-Jun Zhao Jun-Ling Liao Dong-Hao Feng |
| author_facet | Guang-Hui Xu Yi Ren Li-Jun Zhao Jun-Ling Liao Dong-Hao Feng |
| author_sort | Guang-Hui Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Pachypleurosaurs (Pachypleurosauroidea) are a group of small to medium-sized, lizard-like marine reptiles in the Early to Middle Triassic, including Pachypleurosauridae, Keichousauridae and closely related taxa. The group is generally considered as a sauropterygian radiation, but its phylogenetic interrelationships remain highly debated. Here, we present a new pachypleurosaurid, Honghesaurus longicaudalis gen. et sp. nov., from the early Middle Triassic (Anisian, ~ 244 Ma) marine deposits in Luxi, Yunnan, China. The discovery documents the first really long-tailed pachypleurosaur with totally 121 (69 caudal) vertebrae, providing new evidence for the vertebral multiplication and ecological adaption of this group. The long trunk associated with an incredibly long tail could provide Honghesaurus the advantage of maneuverability and energy efficiency for lateral undulatory swimming. Honghesaurus, although possessing a series of autapomorphies, fills the morphological gap between Qianxisaurus from the Ladinian Xingyi Biota and Wumengosaurus from the Anisian Panxian Biota. Phylogenetic studies unite these three pachypleurosaurids as a monophyletic clade above European pachypleurosaurid clades and provide new insights into the interrelationships of this group. Our scenario of pachypleurosaurian phylogeny combined with the stratigraphic data imply that the Tethys Ocean was a west–east corridor for dispersal of pachypleurosaurids from Europe into South China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:55:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-831583ec18ae4025a79f8b8f8754faf1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:55:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-831583ec18ae4025a79f8b8f8754faf12022-12-22T00:19:29ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-05-0112111210.1038/s41598-022-11309-2A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiationGuang-Hui Xu0Yi Ren1Li-Jun Zhao2Jun-Ling Liao3Dong-Hao Feng4Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of SciencesZhejiang Museum of Natural HistoryCollege of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou UniversityKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Pachypleurosaurs (Pachypleurosauroidea) are a group of small to medium-sized, lizard-like marine reptiles in the Early to Middle Triassic, including Pachypleurosauridae, Keichousauridae and closely related taxa. The group is generally considered as a sauropterygian radiation, but its phylogenetic interrelationships remain highly debated. Here, we present a new pachypleurosaurid, Honghesaurus longicaudalis gen. et sp. nov., from the early Middle Triassic (Anisian, ~ 244 Ma) marine deposits in Luxi, Yunnan, China. The discovery documents the first really long-tailed pachypleurosaur with totally 121 (69 caudal) vertebrae, providing new evidence for the vertebral multiplication and ecological adaption of this group. The long trunk associated with an incredibly long tail could provide Honghesaurus the advantage of maneuverability and energy efficiency for lateral undulatory swimming. Honghesaurus, although possessing a series of autapomorphies, fills the morphological gap between Qianxisaurus from the Ladinian Xingyi Biota and Wumengosaurus from the Anisian Panxian Biota. Phylogenetic studies unite these three pachypleurosaurids as a monophyletic clade above European pachypleurosaurid clades and provide new insights into the interrelationships of this group. Our scenario of pachypleurosaurian phylogeny combined with the stratigraphic data imply that the Tethys Ocean was a west–east corridor for dispersal of pachypleurosaurids from Europe into South China.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11309-2 |
| spellingShingle | Guang-Hui Xu Yi Ren Li-Jun Zhao Jun-Ling Liao Dong-Hao Feng A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation Scientific Reports |
| title | A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation |
| title_full | A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation |
| title_fullStr | A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation |
| title_full_unstemmed | A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation |
| title_short | A long-tailed marine reptile from China provides new insights into the Middle Triassic pachypleurosaur radiation |
| title_sort | long tailed marine reptile from china provides new insights into the middle triassic pachypleurosaur radiation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11309-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guanghuixu alongtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT yiren alongtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT lijunzhao alongtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT junlingliao alongtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT donghaofeng alongtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT guanghuixu longtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT yiren longtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT lijunzhao longtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT junlingliao longtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation AT donghaofeng longtailedmarinereptilefromchinaprovidesnewinsightsintothemiddletriassicpachypleurosaurradiation |