A "Leptosaurus" (Rhynchocephalia) from the Kimmeridgian of Schamhaupten, Bavaria

Rhynchocephalia是鳞翅目（Lepidosauria）中一个古老的类群，目前仅为一个属。然而，该分支在中生代的分类和生态上是多样化的。因此，了解中生代喙头龙的进化对于我们解释最近的Tuatara以及这一类群对我们理解鳞片龙的另一类群的意义至关重要。中生代rhynchocephian最重要的化石之一lagerstätten是德国南部的晚侏罗世石灰石：不仅这些沉积物中的几个分类群代表了这个群体，而且这些分类群是从完整的骨骼中已知的，而许多中生代rhynchocephian只从孤立的遗骸中发现，通常是颌骨。然而，不幸的是，这些石灰石中的rhynchocepalis的分类仍然存在问题，最近的发现通常只是基于一般的相似性而被称为已知的分类群之一。因此，在Schamhaupten的Kimmeridgian地区发现的唯一已知的喙头类动物被称为Leptosaurus pulchellus，尽管它与这个分类群有一些不同，这可能表明它代表了一个新物种。因此，在本项目的框架内，我们将对该标本进行详细的研究和描述，并确定其分类身份。这一结果不仅有助于我们了解Schamhaupten的动物组成和德国南部晚侏罗世石灰岩中rhynchocephalis的多样性，而且还将为Kallimodon属和Leptosaurus属的分离或可能的同义性以及这些属中包括的物种提供新的信息。

The Rhynchocephalia are an ancient group belonging to the Lepidosauria, and are currently represented with a single genus. However, the clade was taxonomically and ecologically diverse during the Mesozoic. Understanding the evolution of Mesozoic rhynchocephalians is thus of greatest importance for our interpretation of the recent Tuatara and of the implications of this group for our understanding of the other group of lepidosaurs, the squamates. One of the most important fossil lagerstätten for Mesozoic rhynchocephalians are the Late Jurassic limestones of southern Germany: Not only is this group represented by several taxa in these deposits, but these taxa are known from complete skeletons, whereas many Mesozoic rhynchocephalians are known only from isolated remains, often jaws. Unfortunately, however, the taxonomy of the rhynchocepalians from these limestones is still problematic, and recent finds have usually been referred to one of the known taxa simply on the basis of general similarity. Thus, the only known rhynchocephalian from the Kimmeridgian locality of Schamhaupten has been referred to Leptosaurus pulchellus, although it shows several differences to this taxon, which might indicate that it represents a new species. In the framework of this project, we will therefore study and describe this specimen in detail and establish its taxonomic identity. The results will not only be of interest for our understanding of the faunal composition of Schamhaupten and the diversity of rhynchocephalians in the Late Jurassic limestones of southern Germany, but will also provide new information on the separation or possible synonymy of the genera Kallimodon and Leptosaurus and the species included in these genera.