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Steneosaurus edwardsi (Thalattosuchia: Teleosauridae), the largest known crocodylomorph of the Middle Jurassic

Steneosaurus edwardsi (Thalattosuchia: Teleosauridae), the largest known crocodylomorph of the Middle Jurassic
Steneosaurus edwardsi (Thalattosuchia: Teleosauridae), the largest known crocodylomorph of the Middle Jurassic
Teleosaurids were a clade of marine crocodylomorphs that were globally distributed during the Jurassic Period. They evolved a wide range of body sizes, from small (?2–3?m) to very large (>?9?m). Until now, the largest known Middle Jurassic teleosaurid was ‘Steneosaurus’?obtusidens, from the Oxford Clay Formation of the UK. Here, we re-examine a very large Oxford Clay specimen (ilium, ischium, and femur) that had been tentatively attributed to ‘S.’?obtusidens. Based on comparative anatomical study with the ‘S.’?obtusidens holotype and referred specimens of Steneosaurus?edwardsi and Steneosaurus?leedsi, we conclude that this very large individual actually pertains to S.?edwardsi. Based on comparisons with the Machimosaurus?mosae neotype (which has a complete femur and skeleton), we estimate a total length in excess of 7?m for this large S.?edwardsi individual, making it the largest known Middle Jurassic teleosaurid. Therefore, along with the closely related genus Machimosaurus, this clade of large-bodied Middle–Late Jurassic teleosaurids were the largest species during the first 100 million years of crocodylomorph evolution.
callovian, crocodile, england, oxford clay formation, teleosaurid
0024-4066
911-918
Johnson, Michela M.
b49e546c-9345-4377-9c02-0d72653b444f
Young, Mark T.
d9880973-1dd1-4b1c-81a8-7494170dbac2
Steel, Lorna
661f272f-fa0c-45bb-89a3-3036cc85c703
Lepage, Yves
7661761b-d3b8-4349-94f4-b89ebbc2605d
Johnson, Michela M.
b49e546c-9345-4377-9c02-0d72653b444f
Young, Mark T.
d9880973-1dd1-4b1c-81a8-7494170dbac2
Steel, Lorna
661f272f-fa0c-45bb-89a3-3036cc85c703
Lepage, Yves
7661761b-d3b8-4349-94f4-b89ebbc2605d

Johnson, Michela M., Young, Mark T., Steel, Lorna and Lepage, Yves (2015) Steneosaurus edwardsi (Thalattosuchia: Teleosauridae), the largest known crocodylomorph of the Middle Jurassic. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 115 (4), 911-918. (doi:10.1111/bij.12525).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Teleosaurids were a clade of marine crocodylomorphs that were globally distributed during the Jurassic Period. They evolved a wide range of body sizes, from small (?2–3?m) to very large (>?9?m). Until now, the largest known Middle Jurassic teleosaurid was ‘Steneosaurus’?obtusidens, from the Oxford Clay Formation of the UK. Here, we re-examine a very large Oxford Clay specimen (ilium, ischium, and femur) that had been tentatively attributed to ‘S.’?obtusidens. Based on comparative anatomical study with the ‘S.’?obtusidens holotype and referred specimens of Steneosaurus?edwardsi and Steneosaurus?leedsi, we conclude that this very large individual actually pertains to S.?edwardsi. Based on comparisons with the Machimosaurus?mosae neotype (which has a complete femur and skeleton), we estimate a total length in excess of 7?m for this large S.?edwardsi individual, making it the largest known Middle Jurassic teleosaurid. Therefore, along with the closely related genus Machimosaurus, this clade of large-bodied Middle–Late Jurassic teleosaurids were the largest species during the first 100 million years of crocodylomorph evolution.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 16 February 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 14 July 2015
Published date: August 2015
Keywords: callovian, crocodile, england, oxford clay formation, teleosaurid
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 379475
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/379475
ISSN: 0024-4066
PURE UUID: bcff0900-c816-4078-a62e-2c25398bf5f6

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 21 Jul 2015 14:15
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 20:42

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Contributors

Author: Michela M. Johnson
Author: Mark T. Young
Author: Lorna Steel
Author: Yves Lepage

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