Re: Buccal soft anatomy in Lesothosaurus

[jigruiz@unizar.es]

And two more papers on mesozoic reptiles in the same issue:

Maisch, Michael W.; Jiang, Da-Yong; Hao, Wei-Cheng; Sun, Yuan-Lin;  
Sun, Zuo-Yu; Stöhr, Henrik. 2008. A well-preserved skull of  
Qianichthyosaurus zhoui LI, 1999 (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria) from the  
Upper Triassic of China and the phylogenetic position of the  
Toretocnemidae. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie -  
Abhandlungen, Volume 248, Number 3, June 2008 , pp. 257-266.

Abstract:
A well-preserved skull and mandible of the toretocnemid ichthyosaur  
Qianichthyosaurus zhoui LI, 1999 is described from the Upper Triassic  
Wayao Member of the Falang Formation (Carnian) of Guanling County,  
Guizhou Province, southwestern China. It allows substantial additions  
to the knowledge of the cranial osteology of this taxon and the  
rectification of previous misinterpretations, particularly of the  
temporal region. Qianichthyosaurus shows numerous similarities to the  
mixosaurids in its cranial skeleton, particularly with regard to the  
temporal region, skull proportions and dentition, although it lacks  
some key features of the family, such as continuous supranarial and  
supraorbital crests or a high saggital crest on nasal, frontal and  
parietal. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that the jaw muscles  
were arranged similarly to the mixosaurids. The similarities in  
cranial osteology, together with some remarkably plesiomorphic  
features of the postcranial skeleton, suggest, that the Toretocnemide  
may not be the sister-group of the Longipinnati, as previously  
proposed, but may be closely related to the Mixosauridae instead,  
developing the basically tridactylous fin pattern independently of  
other longipinnate ichthyosaurs.

Keywords: ICHTHYOSAURS; CRANIAL OSTEOLOGY; SYSTEMATICS; TRIASSIC; CHINA
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?si, Attila. 2008.  Cranial osteology of Iharkutosuchus makadii, a  
Late Cretaceous basal eusuchian crocodyliform from Hungary. Neues  
Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen, Volume 248,  
Number 3, June 2008 , pp. 279-299.

Abstract:
The detailed cranial osteology of Iharkutosuchus makadii is described  
herein. Comparisons with advanced neosuchians and basal eusuchians  
confirm that Iharkutosuchus is a basal eusuchian, which shares several  
features with the Barremian Hylaeochampsa vectiana. On the basis of in  
situ and isolated teeth, the complete, heterodont dentition of  
Iharkutosuchus is reconstructed. The dentition is composed of  
incisiviform, premolariform and molariform teeth with an increase in  
the number of cusps on the crowns posteriorly. Iharkutosuchus has  
robust and wide ectopterygoids and extremely large and wide posterior  
teeth also supposed in Hylaeochampsa. Additional special characters  
include the closed supratemporal fenestrae and the long, posteriorly  
extended process of the maxilla. These features are related to the  
food processing of this small-bodied animal. Iharkutosuchus confirms  
the hypothesis that the advanced caudal migration of the secondary  
palate is a consequence of the structural reinforcement of the skull.

Keywords: SKULL; ARCHOSAURIA; EUSUCHIA; HETERODONT DENTITION; LATE  
CRETACEOUS; HUNGARY


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Jose Ignacio Ruiz-Omeñaca
Museo del Jurásico de Asturias (MUJA)
E-33328 Colunga, Spain
www.museojurasicoasturias.com
www.aragosaurus.com
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