The rise of macropredatory pliosaurids near the Early-Middle Jurassic transition.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of gigantic pliosaurid plesiosaurs reshaped the trophic structure of Mesozoic marine ecosystems, and established an  ~ 80 million-year (Ma) dynasty of macropredatory marine reptiles. However, the timescale of their 'defining' trait evolution is incompletely understood because the fossil record of gigantic pliosaurids is scarce prior to the late-Middle Jurassic (Callovian),  ~ 165.3 Ma. Here, we pinpoint the appearance of large body size and robust dentitions to early-Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) pliosaurids from northeastern France and Switzerland. These specimens include a new genus that sheds light on the nascent diversification of macropredatory pliosaurids occurring shortly after the Early-Middle Jurassic transition, around  ~ 171 Ma. Furthermore, our multivariate assessmen

SUBMITTER: Sachs S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10579310 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature