References
Reference
Chatterjee, Sankar and Small, Bryan J. (1989) New plesiosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of Antarctica; 47, pp.197-215
New plesiosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of Antarctica
Principal Author
Sankar Chatterjee
Other Authors
Bryan J. Small
Header
Book
Book
Origins and Evolution of the Antarctic Biota, Geological Society Special Pub.
Editor
Crame, J.A.
Volume
47
Pages
197-215
Abstract
New plesiosaur remains from the Upper Cretaceous Lopez de Bertodano Formation (late Campanian- Maastrichtian) of Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula include Cryptoclididae and Elasmosauridae. The-occurrence of Cryptoclididae is reported from the Antarctic region for the first time. The taxon represents a new genus and species based on a skull and associated cervical vertebrae. The long, slender and delicate teeth may have formed a trapping device that enabled cryptoclidids to feed on small fish and crustaceans that abound in the same deposits. The cryptoclidids had a restricted distribution, being known so far from the Middle and Late Jurassic of England, and the Late Cretaceous of Chile, Argentina. and Antarctica.
Other specimens, represented by several postcranial skeletons, are taxonomically indeterminate, but they share some features with other contemporary elasmosaurid genera such as Hydrotherosaurus, Morenosaurus, Thalassomedon. and .Mauisaurus Unlike the cryptoclidids, the elasmosaurids had a cosmopolitan distribution during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
Trophic diversity within guilds of marine predators is examined in the Lopez de Bertodano paiaeocommunities. Three predator guilds are recognized on the basis of tooth morphology and prey preference. The mosasaurs composed the �Cut guild�, and were the principal predators. The elasmosaurids constituted the �Pierce guild�, and the cryptoclidids formed the Trap guild�. These marine reptiles exploited the various pelagic resources such as sharks, bony fish, soft cephalopods and crustaceans, and survived until the end of Cretaceous. The plesiosaurs were excellent swimmers, and used their hyperphalangic paddles for subaqueous flight in the manner of modern sea lions.
Other specimens, represented by several postcranial skeletons, are taxonomically indeterminate, but they share some features with other contemporary elasmosaurid genera such as Hydrotherosaurus, Morenosaurus, Thalassomedon. and .Mauisaurus Unlike the cryptoclidids, the elasmosaurids had a cosmopolitan distribution during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
Trophic diversity within guilds of marine predators is examined in the Lopez de Bertodano paiaeocommunities. Three predator guilds are recognized on the basis of tooth morphology and prey preference. The mosasaurs composed the �Cut guild�, and were the principal predators. The elasmosaurids constituted the �Pierce guild�, and the cryptoclidids formed the Trap guild�. These marine reptiles exploited the various pelagic resources such as sharks, bony fish, soft cephalopods and crustaceans, and survived until the end of Cretaceous. The plesiosaurs were excellent swimmers, and used their hyperphalangic paddles for subaqueous flight in the manner of modern sea lions.
Keywords
Antarctica; palaeontology; Reptilia; Plesiosauria; Cretaceous; paleoecology; reptiles; Polar regions; Seymour Island; Sauropterygia; Euryapsida; Upper Cretaceous; Lopez de Bertodano Formation; Cryptoclididae; Elasmosauridae; new taxa; Turneria seymourensis; skulls; teeth; spinal columns
Language
English