Biology:Purranisaurus

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Short description: Extinct genus of reptiles

Purranisaurus
Temporal range: Tithonian
Scientific classification e
Missing taxonomy template (fix): Archosauria/Reptilia
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Crocodyliformes
Suborder: Thalattosuchia
Family: Metriorhynchidae
Subfamily: Geosaurinae
Genus: Purranisaurus
Rusconi 1948[1]
Species
  • P. potens Rusconi 1948 (type)

Purranisaurus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform from the Middle to Late Jurassic period of Chile and Vaca Muerta of Argentina . Rusconi originally regarded Purranisaurus potens (the type species) to be a plesiosaur;[1] however, Gasparini demonstrated that it was in fact a metriorhynchid crocodyliform, and that may be a junior synonym of Metriorhynchus.[2] It was about 3.3 m (11 ft) long.[3]

Taxonomy and phylogeny

Restoration of 'Metriorhynchus' casamiquelai, which was at one point assigned to Purranisaurus

In the 2000s phylogenetic analysis has shown that Purranisaurus is a distinct metriorhynchid genus.[4][5] A subsequent study expanded the genus Purranisaurus to include Metriorhynchus casamiquelai and M. westermanni.[6] Following the re-description of the holotype of the type species, only that species is now referred to Purranisaurus. [7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Rusconi C. 1948. Nuevo plesiosaurio, pez y langostas del mar jurasico de Mendoza. Mendoza, Mus. Hist. Nat., Rev. 2: 3–12.
  2. Gasparini Z. 1975. Revisión de ?Purranisaurus potens Rusconi, 1948 (Crocodilia, Thalattosuchia) Los Thalattosuchia como un nuevo Infraorden de los Crocodilia. Actas del Congreso Geologico Argentino 5: 423–431.
  3. Young, M.T.; Bell, M.A.; de Andrade, M.B.; Brusatte, S.L. (2011). "Body size estimation and evolution in metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs: implications for species diversification and niche partitioning". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 163 (4): 1199–1216. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00734.x. 
  4. Young MT. 2007. The evolution and interrelationships of Metriorhynchidae (Crocodyliformes, Thalattosuchia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27 (3): 170A.
  5. Young, Mark T., and Marco Brandalise de Andrade, 2009. "What is Geosaurus? Redescription of Geosaurus giganteus (Thalattosuchia: Metriorhynchidae) from the Upper Jurassic of Bayern, Germany." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 157: 551-585.
  6. Young, Mark T., Brusatte, Stephen L., Ruta, M., Andrade, Marco B. 2009. "The evolution of Metriorhynchoidea (Mesoeucrocodylia, Thalattosuchia): an integrated approach using geometrics morphometrics, analysis of disparity and biomechanics". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158: 801-859.
  7. "Purranisaurus potens Rusconi, an enigmatic metriorhynchid from the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 (2): e904790. 2015. doi:10.1080/02724634.2014.904790. 

Wikidata ☰ Q267499 entry