Más cocodrilos eusuquios de Lo Hueco en el 63rd SVPCA

Otra de las comunicaciones presentadas por el Grupo de Biología Evolutiva de la UNED en la 63ª edición del Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy (SVPCA) tenía que ver con uno de los dos morfotipos de crocodiliformes identificados en el yacimiento paleontológico de Lo Hueco (Fuentes, Cuenca). En el póster presentado por Iván Narváez en Southampton, se discutía la posición filogenética de esta forma atribuida a un nuevo eusuquio basal, así como sus implicaciones biogeográficas. El resumen es el siguiente:

Crocodyliform remains from the upper Campanian-late Maastrichtian fossil site of Lo Hueco (Cuenca, Spain) are abundant and comprise cranial and postcranial elements, as well as numerous isolated teeth. This material allows to identify two morphotypes of non-Crocodylia eusuchians, both with features suggesting a close phylogenetic relationship with the genus Allodaposuchus. The morphotypes from Lo Hueco show remarkable differences between them, being recognized as belonging to two taxa.

The first taxon was recognized as a new medium sized crocodyliform, with a relatively wide and rounded rostrum. It has large teeth, separated by small interalveolar spaces. The second taxon, presented here, is also a medium size crocodyliform. It can be distinguished from the former taxon by the presence of a more elongated and thinner rostrum. This second crocodyliform from Lo Hueco presents a unique combination of characters within Eusuchia, including a peculiar dental occlusion between maxilla and lower jaw, the presence of lateral projections of the palatines over the suborbital fenestra, a sagittally septated choana, and an exclusive morphology of the anterior palatine process. Therefore, it is recognized as a new form. Its inclusion in a phylogenetic analysis placed it within a monophyletic group that consists of the type species of Allodaposuchus and related taxa. Given these results, a new hypothesis about the paleobiogeographical distribution of the representatives of this clade is here proposed.

------

Más información:

• Referencia: Narváez, I., Brochu, C.A., Escaso, F., Pérez-García, A., Ortega, F. 2015. Paleobiogeographical implications of the identification of a new species of basal eusuchian crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Lo Hueco (Cuenca, Spain). 63rd Symposium for Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy 24th Symposium of Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation with the Geological Curators' Group (Abstract Book), 99.
• Imagen: En la foto, Iván Narváez junto al póster presentado en el congreso celebrado en Southampton.