Re: Pleurocoelus

["Timothy Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Jerry Harris wrote:

> But don't bother paying to track it down; you
> can get the English translation for free on the Polyglot Paleontologist web
> site:
>
> http://blackwidow.informatics.sunysb.edu/anatsci/thanks.cfm

Wow, what a find!  This site has translations of the papers that describe 
_Yandusaurus_, _Gongxianosaurus_, _Bellusaurus_... and Dollo's assertion 
that the hadrosaur _Aachenosaurus multidens_ is really just a lump of wood 
(first published 1888)!

Also, some interesting stuff on _Pleurocoelus_, from Salgado et al.'s 
abstract.  According to them:

(1) _Pleurocoelus nanus_ (type species, from the Arundel Formation of 
Maryland) is the possible sister-taxon to the Titanosauria; it shows a few 
titanosauriform synapomorphs (absence of phalangeal articular surfaces on 
the distal metacarpals; transversely expanded distal tibia), but its 
anterior caudal vertebrae are amphiplatyan, not procoelous.

(2) _P. altus_ (also from the Arundel Fm) is NOT an adult _P. nanus_; it 
probably does not even belong in the same genus.  _P. altus_ "exhibits an 
anteroposteriorly expanded distal tibia, a character which is plesiomorphic 
for sauropods."

(3) The _Pleurocoelus_ material from the Comanche Series of Texas, 
definitely does NOT belong in the genus _Pleurocoelus_.  Its anterior 
caudals are procoelous (albeit slightly).  Based on this and other features 
("dorsal vertebrae with the infradiapophyseal laminae bifurcated at their 
base, and the presence of a centro-parapophyseal lamina") the Comanche 
sauropod appears to be a basal titanosaur.

What a mess!  If Salgado and co are correct, no less than THREE sauropod 
genera are represented from among the Lower Cretaceous North American 
material named "Pleurocoelus".  So much for the sauropod hiatus!  I hope 
Salgado et al. follow this abstract up with a complete publication.


Tim


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com