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A new Prolacertiform reptile from the Late Triassic of Northern Italy
No full textA new diapsid reptile is described from the locality of Cene (Seriana Valley, near Bergamo, Lombardy, Northern ltaly) from an outcrop of the Calcare di Zorzino (Zorzino Limestone) Formation (Middle Norian, Late Triassic). It is based on virtually identical specimens, differing only in size. Analysis of available diagnostic characters allows it to be included in the Prolacertiformes, represenring a new genus and species, Langobardisaurus pandolfi probably related to Macrocnemus, possibly to Cosesaurus, and to the Tanystropheidae. It is assumed here that Langobardisaurus pandolfii was adapted to a terrestrial mode of life and probably to an insectivorous diet
An isolated sternum of Eudimorphodon (Reptilia, Pterosauria) from the Norian (Late Triassic) of the Bergamo Prealps (Lombardy, Northern Italy
Full text linkAn isolated prerosaur sternum is described. It has been collected in the Zorzino Limestone (Norian, Late Triassic), at the locality of Endenna (Bergamo Prealps, Lombardy, Northern ltaly). The shape and size of the bone are very similar to those of the sternum preserved in the holotype of Eudimorphodon ranzii Zambelli, 1973, collected from the same formation at the locality of Cene (Imagna valley, Lombardy, Northern Italy), and it is ascribed to this species. It represents the second well preserved Eudimorphodon sternum so far collected
A juvenile Lariosaurus (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Kalkschieferzone (Uppermost Ladinian) near Viggiù (Varese, Northern Italy).
Full text linkThe collection of a juvenile Lariosaurus specimen in the Kalkschieferzone of Cà del Frate (Viggiù, Varese, Northern ltaly), allows the comparison with an other specimen of about the same size, collected from the same formation in the locality of Val Mara (Switzerland) and described as a new species: L. lavizzarii (Kuhn-Schnyder, 1987). The analysis of the size and proportions of both specimens testifies that the supposed difference of relative proportions between the anterior and posterior stylopodium with other known Lariosaurus specimens is due to an error in the calculation or in the plotting of the data, while allometric growth of both anterior and posterior stylopodium is confirmed. A large specimen was already collected from the same formation in the Italian locality of Cà del Frate, and it was ascribed to a separate species, L. valceresii Tintori & Renesto, 1990, on the basis of the relatively longer humerus with respect to L. balsami. This character, however, is not recognizable in the juvenile Lariosaurus specimen from the same locality. Two alternative conclusions are proposed: the small specimen belongs to the same species of the larger one, but the early growth stage obscures the main diagnostic character, or the different limb proportions in the large individual reflect sexual dimorphism rather than specific diversity
A new specimen of Tanystropheus (Reptilia Protorosauria)from the Middle Triassic of Switzerland and the Ecology of the genus
No full textA new specimen of the protorosaurian diapsid reptile Tanystropheus is described. The specimen was collected at the Valle Serrata locality (Switzerland) and is of Ladinian (Middle Triassic) age. Its study elucidates some issues regarding the anatomy of Tanystropheus to be addressed, and allow to suggest hypotheses about its mode of life. In particular, the specimen is the first one in which the skin and other soft tissues can be described. In particular, wide patches of black phosphatic material, filled with small carbonate spherules are preserved, as it occurs in corpses lying in stagnant water due to decomposition of consistent amount of proteins. This suggests that a huge mass of flesh was present in the caudal part of the body, shifting posteriorly the center of mass of the animal and helping in balancing the weight of the neck even if raised off horizontal plane and out of water. In addition, no evidence of caudal autotomy is present in Tanystropheus and the structure of the tail and of the limbs are consistent with a shoreline habitat rather than with a fully aquatic mode of life
PECULIAR PRESERVATION OF A JUVENILE PACHYPLEUROSAURID FROM BESANO (ITALY)
No full textA small pachypleurosaurid collected in the Besano area of Italy, is described. A comparative analysis of size and proportions with other pachipleurosaurids suggest it represents a juvenile specimen of Neusticosaurus pusillus. The specimen represents a peculiar taphonomic case: the centra of the dorsal vertebrae are clustered together in the pectoral area while the rest of the trunk is virtually undisturbed, suggesting that disarticulation of dorsal vertebral elements may have occurred before decay of integumental soft parts, possibly before the carcass reached the bottom of the basin
Remains of a juvenile phytosaur from the Late Triassic of Northern Italy
No full textA series of nine articulated caudal vertebrae collected from the Late Norian Argillite di Riva di Solto Shale (Bergamo, Northern Italy) are described. The caudal vertebrae belong to an archosaur, most probably an immature specimen of the phytosaur Mystriosuchus, as suggested by detailed comparison with the corresponding caudal vertebrae of the adult and complete Mystriosuchus specimen collected in the same area. The new specimen is of particular interest because material unequivocally belonging to juvenile phytosaurs is very rare and it gives support to the hypothesis that the closure of the neurocentral suture in phytosaurs possibly followed the same caudal to cranial path that occurs in crocodilians
Bird-like head on a chameleon body: new specimens of the enigmatic diapsid reptile Megalancosaurus from the Late Triassic of Northern Italy
Full text linkTwo new Megalancosaurus specimens collected from the Norian (Late Triassic) Calcare di Zorzino (Zorzino Limestone) Formation (Bergamo, Lombardy, Northern Italy), and from the coeval Dolomia di Forni (Forni Dolostone) Formation (Udine, Friuli, North-eastern Italy) improve our knowledge of skeletal anatomy and mode of life of this genus. Morphology of observable skull elements and cervical vertebrae in one of the new specimens shows some resemblance to the possible Triassic bird Protoavis, while the postcranial skeleton of Megalancosaurus is completely non-avian. This may suggest that either Megalancosaurus and Protoavis developed a similar neck structure as a response to the same functional requirement, or that part of the disarticulated material ascribed to Protoavis may indeed belong to a Megalancosaurus-like reptile. Megalancosaurus shows a very high adaptation to arboreal life and a peculiar feeding strategy. Recent suggestions that Megalancosaurus may have been a glider and a possible model for bird ancestry are discussed. Some skeletal features of Megalancosaurus may indeed be interpreted as gliding adaptation, but evidence is weak, and if this reptile was a glider, however, its gliding bauplan should have been completely different from the one usually accepted for bird ancestors, showing instead more morphological similarities with gliding squirrels, phalangeriids and putative ancestors of bats and pterosaurs (according to a non cursorial model for these latter)
Adaptation toward aquatic life in a Norian (Late Triassic) phytosaur (Reptilia Archosauria) from Northern Italy
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Ecology and Taphonomy of the reptiles from the Calcare di Zorzino (Norian, Late Triassic, Italy)
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A reappraisal of the diversity and biogeographic significance of the Norian (Late Triassic) reptiles from the Calcare di Zorzino
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