Restored skeleton of T. cabazai (now considered as an indeterminate aristonectine)
Tuarangisaurus is known from the holotypeNZGS CD425, a nearly complete skull and mandible, and from NZGS CD426, nine anterior-most cervical vertebrae. Some postcranial remains of juveniles were also attributed to Tuarangisaurus, with one specimen (NZGS CD427) containing at least 30 gastroliths.[1] It was collected from the Maungataniwha Sandstone Member of the Tahora Formation, dating to the upper Campanian to lower Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous.[2]
A second species, T. australis, was named in 2005;[3] however, it was moved to the genus Eromangasaurus in 2007, becoming the senior synonym of E. carinognathus.[4] A third species, T.? cabazai, was also referred to Tuarangisaurus by the original description;[1] however, it was most recently reassigned to an indeterminate aristonectine.[5]
In 2017, a complete specimen (CM Zfr 115), originally belonging to Mauisaurus, has been reassigned to this genus.[6] In 2018, Otero and colleagues reported a juvenile specimen which indicated the ontogeny of this plesiosaur. The specimen had many features common with the holotype, but it differed in the orientation of the maxilla along with the number of teeth present in it.[7]
Descriptionedit
Tuarangisaurus was a medium-sized plesiosaur, with a complete specimen (CM Zfr 115) measuring over 8 metres (26 ft) long.[8] The preserved skull measured about 37.0 cm (1 ft 2.6 in) long, and its total skull length is estimated to have been 37.5 cm (1 ft 2.8 in) long.[1] It can be distinguished from all other known elasmosaurids by a unique combination of characteristics as well as two otherwise unknown traits: the ectopterygoid has a long process directed towards the back, and a large boss of bone underneath. A stapes is present in the holotype; this bone was previously thought to be absent from elasmosaurids.[2][9]
Classificationedit
Tuarangisaurus was initially assigned to the Elasmosauridae;[1] one study found it to be a close relative of Callawayasaurus.[10] A phylogenetic analysis of plesiosaurs run by O'Gorman and colleagues in 2016 reaffirmed that Tuarangisaurus was an elasmosaurid, but rejected a close relationship with Callawayasaurus. Its position within the Elasmosauridae according to this analysis is shown below.[2]
Wikispecies has information related to Tuarangisaurus.
^ abcdeWiffen, J.; Moisley, W.L. (1986). "Late Cretaceous reptiles (Families Elasmosauridae and Pliosauridae) from the Mangahouanga Stream, North Island, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 29 (2): 205–252. doi:10.1080/00288306.1986.10427535.
^ abcdO'Gorman, J.P.; Otero, R.A.; Hiller, N.; Simes, J.; Terezow, M. (2016). "Redescription of Tuarangisaurus keyesi (Sauropterygia; Elasmosauridae), a key species from the uppermost Cretaceous of the Weddellian Province: Internal skull anatomy and phylogenetic position". Cretaceous Research. 71: 118–136. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2016.11.014.
^Sachs, S. (2005). (PDF). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 50 (2): 425–440. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-28.
^Benjamin P. Kear (2007). "Taxonomic clarification of the Australian elasmosaurid genus Eromangasaurus, with reference to other austral elasmosaur taxa". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (1): 241–246. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[241:TCOTAE]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86673814.
^O'Gorman, J.P.; Gasparini, Z.; Salgado, L. (2014). "Reappraisal of Tuarangisaurus? cabazai (Elasmosauridae, Plesiosauria) from the Upper Maastrichtian of northern Patagonia, Argentina". Cretaceous Research. 47: 39–47. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2013.10.003. hdl:11336/37287.
^Hiller, Norton; O'Gorman, José P.; Otero, Rodrigo A.; Mannering, Al A. (2017). "A reappraisal of the Late Cretaceous Weddellian plesiosaur genus Mauisaurus Hector, 1874". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 60 (2): 112–128. doi:10.1080/00288306.2017.1281317. S2CID 132037930.
^Otero, R.A.; O'Gorman, J.P.; Moisley, W.L.; Terezow, M.; Mckee, J. (2018). "A juvenile Tuarangisaurus keyesi Wiffen and Moisley, 1986 (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of New Zealand, with Remarks on Its Skull Ontogeny". Cretaceous Research. 85: 214–231. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2017.09.007.
^O'Gorman, J.P. (2016). "A Small Body Sized Non-Aristonectine Elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia with Comments on the Relationships of the Patagonian and Antarctic Elasmosaurids". Ameghiniana. 53 (3): 245–268. doi:10.5710/AMGH.29.11.2015.2928. S2CID 133139689.
^Carpenter, K. (1999). "Revision of North American elasmosaurs from the Cretaceous of the western interior". Paludicola. 2: 148–173.
^Kubo, T.; Mitchell, M.T.; Henderson, D.M. (2012). "Albertonectes vanderveldei, a new elasmosaur (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Alberta". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 32 (3): 557–572. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.658124. S2CID 129500470.
April 12, 2024
tuarangisaurus, māori, tuarangi, ancient, greek, σαῦρος, romanized, sauros, lizard, extinct, genus, elasmosaurid, known, from, zealand, type, only, known, species, keyesi, named, wiffen, moisley, 1986, temporal, range, late, cretaceous, preꞒ, life, restoration. Tuarangisaurus Maori tuarangi ancient Greek saῦros romanized sauros lizard is an extinct genus of elasmosaurid known from New Zealand The type and only known species is Tuarangisaurus keyesi named by Wiffen and Moisley in 1986 1 2 TuarangisaurusTemporal range Late Cretaceous 72 68 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Life restoration of T keyesiScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaSuperorder SauropterygiaOrder PlesiosauriaFamily ElasmosauridaeGenus TuarangisaurusWiffen amp Moisley 1986Species T keyesiBinomial name Tuarangisaurus keyesiWiffen amp Moisley 1986 Contents 1 Discovery 2 Description 3 Classification 4 See also 5 ReferencesDiscovery edit nbsp Restored skeleton of T cabazai now considered as an indeterminate aristonectine Tuarangisaurus is known from the holotype NZGS CD425 a nearly complete skull and mandible and from NZGS CD426 nine anterior most cervical vertebrae Some postcranial remains of juveniles were also attributed to Tuarangisaurus with one specimen NZGS CD427 containing at least 30 gastroliths 1 It was collected from the Maungataniwha Sandstone Member of the Tahora Formation dating to the upper Campanian to lower Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous 2 A second species T australis was named in 2005 3 however it was moved to the genus Eromangasaurus in 2007 becoming the senior synonym of E carinognathus 4 A third species T cabazai was also referred to Tuarangisaurus by the original description 1 however it was most recently reassigned to an indeterminate aristonectine 5 In 2017 a complete specimen CM Zfr 115 originally belonging to Mauisaurus has been reassigned to this genus 6 In 2018 Otero and colleagues reported a juvenile specimen which indicated the ontogeny of this plesiosaur The specimen had many features common with the holotype but it differed in the orientation of the maxilla along with the number of teeth present in it 7 Description editTuarangisaurus was a medium sized plesiosaur with a complete specimen CM Zfr 115 measuring over 8 metres 26 ft long 8 The preserved skull measured about 37 0 cm 1 ft 2 6 in long and its total skull length is estimated to have been 37 5 cm 1 ft 2 8 in long 1 It can be distinguished from all other known elasmosaurids by a unique combination of characteristics as well as two otherwise unknown traits the ectopterygoid has a long process directed towards the back and a large boss of bone underneath A stapes is present in the holotype this bone was previously thought to be absent from elasmosaurids 2 9 Classification editTuarangisaurus was initially assigned to the Elasmosauridae 1 one study found it to be a close relative of Callawayasaurus 10 A phylogenetic analysis of plesiosaurs run by O Gorman and colleagues in 2016 reaffirmed that Tuarangisaurus was an elasmosaurid but rejected a close relationship with Callawayasaurus Its position within the Elasmosauridae according to this analysis is shown below 2 Elasmosauridae GronausaurusSpeeton clay plesiosaurWapuskanectes betsynicollsaeCallawayasaurus colombiensisStyxosaurus snowiiFutabasaurus suzukiiAlbertonectes vanderveldeiTuarangisaurus keyesiThalassomedon haningtoniElasmosaurus platyurusTerminonatator ponteixensisHydrotherosaurus alexandraeLibonectes morganiKawanectes lafquenianumVegasaurus molyiMorenosaurus stockiKaiwhekea katikiAristonectes parvidensAristonectes quiriquinensisSee also edit nbsp Paleontology portalList of plesiosaur genera Timeline of plesiosaur researchReferences edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Tuarangisaurus a b c d e Wiffen J Moisley W L 1986 Late Cretaceous reptiles Families Elasmosauridae and Pliosauridae from the Mangahouanga Stream North Island New Zealand New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 29 2 205 252 doi 10 1080 00288306 1986 10427535 a b c d O Gorman J P Otero R A Hiller N Simes J Terezow M 2016 Redescription of Tuarangisaurus keyesi Sauropterygia Elasmosauridae a key species from the uppermost Cretaceous of the Weddellian Province Internal skull anatomy and phylogenetic position Cretaceous Research 71 118 136 doi 10 1016 j cretres 2016 11 014 Sachs S 2005 Tuarangisaurus australis sp nov Plesiosauria Elasmosauridae from the Lower Cretaceous of northeastern Queensland with additional notes on the phylogeny of the Elasmosauridae PDF Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 50 2 425 440 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 28 Benjamin P Kear 2007 Taxonomic clarification of the Australian elasmosaurid genus Eromangasaurus with reference to other austral elasmosaur taxa Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27 1 241 246 doi 10 1671 0272 4634 2007 27 241 TCOTAE 2 0 CO 2 S2CID 86673814 O Gorman J P Gasparini Z Salgado L 2014 Reappraisal of Tuarangisaurus cabazai Elasmosauridae Plesiosauria from the Upper Maastrichtian of northern Patagonia Argentina Cretaceous Research 47 39 47 doi 10 1016 j cretres 2013 10 003 hdl 11336 37287 Hiller Norton O Gorman Jose P Otero Rodrigo A Mannering Al A 2017 A reappraisal of the Late Cretaceous Weddellian plesiosaur genus Mauisaurus Hector 1874 New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 60 2 112 128 doi 10 1080 00288306 2017 1281317 S2CID 132037930 Otero R A O Gorman J P Moisley W L Terezow M Mckee J 2018 A juvenile Tuarangisaurus keyesi Wiffen and Moisley 1986 Plesiosauria Elasmosauridae from the Upper Cretaceous of New Zealand with Remarks on Its Skull Ontogeny Cretaceous Research 85 214 231 doi 10 1016 j cretres 2017 09 007 O Gorman J P 2016 A Small Body Sized Non Aristonectine Elasmosaurid Sauropterygia Plesiosauria from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia with Comments on the Relationships of the Patagonian and Antarctic Elasmosaurids Ameghiniana 53 3 245 268 doi 10 5710 AMGH 29 11 2015 2928 S2CID 133139689 Carpenter K 1999 Revision of North American elasmosaurs from the Cretaceous of the western interior Paludicola 2 148 173 Kubo T Mitchell M T Henderson D M 2012 Albertonectes vanderveldei a new elasmosaur Reptilia Sauropterygia from the Upper Cretaceous of Alberta Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32 3 557 572 doi 10 1080 02724634 2012 658124 S2CID 129500470 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tuarangisaurus amp oldid 1193385582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
