A POSSIBLE CTENOSAURISCID ARCHOSAUR FROM THE MIDDLE TRIASSIC MANDA BEDS OF TANZANIA
A POSSIBLE CTENOSAURISCID ARCHOSAUR FROM THE MIDDLE TRIASSIC MANDA BEDS OF TANZANIA
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DOI：
10.1671/039.029.0404
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发表时间：
2009-12-12
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Gower, David J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Butler, Richard J.;Barrett, Paul M.;Gower, David J.
坦桑尼亚曼达层利富亚段（中三叠世：？最新的Anisian）已经产生了一个非常重要的早期主龙组合，包括许多保存完好的标本。然而，这些材料中的大部分都没有被正式描述，这使得将其纳入早期主龙多样性和进化研究的尝试受挫。我们描述了一个新的分类单元，Hypselorhachis mirabilis的正模标本，从利富亚成员的前背椎。Hypselorhachis的特征是拥有一个细长的神经棘，至少是椎体高度的5.5倍，并且可以根据与前关节突形态相关的单一自形来诊断。Hypselorhachis类似于其他早中三叠世的主龙类，具有细长的神经棘，包括亚利桑那龙、栉龙和莲花龙。这些分类群有可能形成一个分支，Ctenosauridae，但在此之前需要进一步的解剖学和系统发育学研究。
The Lifua Member of the Manda Beds of Tanzania (Middle Triassic: ?latest Anisian) has yielded an exceptionally important assemblage of early archosaurs, including numerous well-preserved specimens. However, the majority of this material has not been described formally, frustrating attempts to incorporate it into studies on early archosaur diversity and evolution. We describe an anterior dorsal vertebra from the Lifua Member as the holotype of a new taxon, Hypselorhachis mirabilis. Hypselorhachis is characterised by the possession of an elongate neural spine that is at least 5.5 times the height of the centrum, and can be diagnosed on the basis of a single autapomorphy relating to the morphology of the prezygapophysis. Hypselorhachis is similar to other early Middle Triassic archosaurs with elongate neural spines, including Arizonasaurus, Ctenosauriscus, and Lotosaurus. It is possible that these taxa form a clade, Ctenosauriscidae, but further anatomical and phylogenetic work is required before this can be confirmed.