A new basal sauropod dinosaur from the middle Jurassic of Niger and the early evolution of sauropoda.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The early evolution of sauropod dinosaurs is poorly understood because of a highly incomplete fossil record. New discoveries of Early and Middle Jurassic sauropods have a great potential to lead to a better understanding of early sauropod evolution and to reevaluate the patterns of sauropod diversification.

Principal findings

A new sauropod from the Middle Jurassic of Niger, Spinophorosaurus nigerensis n. gen. et sp., is the most complete basal sauropod currently known. The taxon shares many anatomical characters with Middle Jurassic East Asian sauropods, while it is strongly dissimilar to Lower and Middle Jurassic South American and Indian forms. A possible explanation for this pattern is a separation of Laurasian and South Gondwanan Middle Jurassic sauropod faun

SUBMITTER: Remes K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2737122 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature