The oldest record of Saurosphargiformes (Diapsida) from South China could fill an ecological gap in the Early Triassic biotic recovery.

ABSTRACT: Diversification following the end-Permian mass extinction marks the initiation of Mesozoic reptile dominance and of modern marine ecosystems, yet major clades are best known from the Middle Triassic suggesting delayed recovery, while Early Triassic localities produce poorly preserved specimens or have restricted diversity. Here we describe Pomolispondylus biani gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Triassic Nanzhang-Yuan'an Fauna of China assigned to Saurosphargiformes tax. nov., a clade known only from the Middle Triassic or later, which includes Saurosphargidae, and likely is the sister taxon to Sauropterygia. Pomolispondylus biani is allied to Saurosphargidae by the extended transverse processes of dorsal vertebrae and a low, table-like dorsal surface on the neural spine; howeve

SUBMITTER: Cheng L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9288826 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature