The early Permian karst system near Richards Spur, Oklahoma preserves a diverse assemblage of terrestrial dissorophoid temnospondyls. Here we report the presence of a large-bodied dissorophine dissorophid that is represented by an articulated anterior trunk region, including a partial pectoral girdle, a ribcage characterized by extremely developed uncinate processes, and a rare, completely articulated pes. This represents the first documentation of the clade at the locality. Previously, dissorophids were represented only by the eucacopine Cacops. A complete pelvic girdle with hindlimbs is also referred to Cacops and represents the first material of the posterior trunk region to be described from the genus at Richards Spur. These specimens expand the taxonomic diversity known from the site and provide significant, well-preserved postcranial material that improves the characterization of dissorophid postcranial anatomy.
Juan MartÃn Leardi, Diego Pol & Zulma Gasparini (2018)
New Patagonian baurusuchids (Crocodylomorpha; Notosuchia) from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Upper Cretaceous; NeuquÃn, Argentina): New evidences of the early sebecosuchian diversification in Gondwana.
Comptes Rendus Palevol (advance online publication)
The Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Santonian) of the NeuquÃn basin (southwestern Argentina) has one of the most complete crocodyliform records of South America, together with the Adamantina and MarÃlia formations of Brazil. In this contribution we report two fragmentary individuals from two different localities of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation: a middle-sized individual (MLP 26-IV-30-2), represented by postcranial remains from the Boca del Sapo locality and a large-bodied individual (MACN Pv-RN 1150), consisting only of snout elements from Paso CÃrdoba locality. Despite the remains of both specimens are fragmentary, they display anatomical characters of a specialized notosuchian carnivore clade: Baurusuchidae. Our phylogenetic analysis recovers these new individuals as non-baurusuchine baurusuchids, although they take multiple phylogenetic positions on the different most parsimonious trees. These new remains highlight the relevance of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation for understanding the rise of notosuchians during the Late Cretaceous.