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Miguel Marx

Miguel Marx

Doctoral student

Miguel Marx

A new plesiosaur from the Lower Jurassic of Portugal and the early radiation of Plesiosauroidea

Author

  • Eduardo Puértolas-Pascual
  • Miguel Marx
  • Octávio Mateus
  • André Saleiro
  • Alexandra Fernandes
  • João Marinheiro
  • Carla Tomás
  • Simão Mateus

Summary, in English

A new plesiosaur partial skeleton, comprising most of the trunk and including axial, limb, and girdle bones, was collected in the lower Sinemurian (Coimbra Formation) of Praia da Concha, near São Pedro de Moel in central west Portugal. The specimen represents a new genus and species, Plesiopharos moelensis gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis places this taxon at the base of Plesiosauroidea. Its position is based on this exclusive combination of characters: presence of a straight preaxial margin of the radius; transverse processes of mid-dorsal vertebrae horizontally oriented; ilium with sub-circular cross section of the shaft and subequal anteroposterior expansion of the dorsal blade; straight proximal end of the humerus; and ventral surface of the humerus with an anteroposteriorly long shallow groove between the epipodial facets. In addition, the new taxon has the following autapomorphies: iliac blade with less expanded, rounded and convex anterior flank; highly developed ischial facet of the ilium; apex of the neural spine of the first pectoral vertebra inclined posterodorsally with a small rounded tip. This taxon represents the most complete and the oldest plesiosaur species in the Iberian Peninsula. It is also the most complete, best preserved, and oldest marine vertebrate in the region and testifies to the incursion of marine reptiles in the newly formed proto-Atlantic sea, prior to the Atlantic Ocean floor spreading in the Early Cretaceous.

Publishing year

2021

Language

English

Pages

369-388

Publication/Series

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

Volume

66

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Instytut Paleobiologii PAN

Topic

  • Geology

Keywords

  • radiation
  • Sinemurian
  • Jurassic,
  • Iberian Peninsula
  • Europe
  • Plesiosauria

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0567-7920