[Paleontology • 2021] Kocurypelta silvestris • An Upper Triassic Terrestrial Vertebrate Assemblage from the Forgotten Kocury Locality (Poland) with A New Aetosaur Taxon

Kocurypelta silvestris 

Czepiński, Dróżdż, Szczygielski, Tałanda, Pawlak, Lewczuk, Rytel & Sulej, 2021

DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2021.1898977 

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ABSTRACT

Since 1990, several localities within the Keuper (upper Middle to Upper Triassic) strata in southern Poland have yielded remains of numerous terrestrial vertebrate species. Here we report a new Upper Triassic vertebrate assemblage from the rediscovered Kocury locality. An incomplete theropod dinosaur fibula named Velocipes guerichi described in 1932 was found there. The site was then forgotten and not explored until our excavations began in 2012, that yielded material of a lungfish, a proterochersid turtle, and a new typothoracin aetosaur Kocurypelta silvestris gen. et sp. nov. The new taxon is characterized by autapomorphies of the maxilla: an elongated edentulous posterior portion longer than 80% of the posterior maxillary process, a short medial shelf restricted to the posterior portion of the bone, an anteriorly unroofed maxillary accessory cavity, and lack of a distinct groove for choanal recess on the anteromedial surface of the bone. These new finds improve our knowledge on the vertebrate diversity of the Germanic Basin in the Late Triassic, evidencing the presence of yet unrecognized taxa. Additionally, the partial cranial aetosaur material emphasizes the issues with the aetosaurian taxonomy that is focused mostly on the osteoderm morphology.

  Kocurypelta silvestris gen. et sp. nov.

 

Łukasz Czepiński, Dawid Dróżdż, Tomasz Szczygielski, Mateusz Tałanda, Wojciech Pawlak, Antoni Lewczuk, Adam Rytel and Tomasz Sulej. 2021. An Upper Triassic Terrestrial Vertebrate Assemblage from the Forgotten Kocury Locality (Poland) with a New Aetosaur Taxon. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e1898977. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2021.1898977 

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[Paleontology • 2015] Gorgetosuchus pekinensis • A New Aetosaur (Archosauria, Suchia) from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation, Deep River Basin, North Carolina, U.S.A., and its Implications for early Aetosaur Evolution

ABSTRACT 

Aetosaurs are an extinct clade of quadrupedal, heavily armored archosaurs that had a worldwide distribution during the Late Triassic. Aetosaur fossils from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation in the Deep River Basin of North Carolina (U.S.A.) consist primarily of isolated osteoderms and, rarely, more associated material. Here we describe a new genus and species, Gorgetosuchus pekinensis, based on an associated incomplete anterior carapace, consisting of a total of 19 nearly complete paramedian and lateral osteoderms from the first 10 rows of armor as well as some associated fragments. An important feature of Gorgetosuchus is that an articulated fifth row of cervical osteoderms almost encloses the neck, with prominent spines on both the dorsal and lateral osteoderms. This is a novel configuration among aetosaurs. Otherwise, NCSM 21723 preserves a mosaic of character states found in Longosuchus, Lucasuchus, or both taxa while simultaneously preserving several more plesiomorphic character states, such as cervical osteoderms that are wider than long. Our reevaluation of other Pekin Formation specimens that various authors have assigned to Desmatosuchus, Longosuchus, or Lucasuchus confirms that some possess characteristics of Lucasuchus, whereas others are not generically determinate. Incorporating Gorgetosuchus into existing phylogenies of aetosaurs results in a reshuffling of basal aetosaur relationships, but a variety of analyses consistently place Gorgetosuchus as a basal desmatosuchine. Using current taxonomic practices, there are at least three aetosaur genera in the Pekin Formation: Lucasuchus, Coahomasuchus, and Gorgetosuchus. 

Andrew B. Heckert, Vincent P. Schneider, Nicholas C Fraser and Richard A. Webb. 2015. A New Aetosaur (Archosauria, Suchia) from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation, Deep River Basin, North Carolina, U.S.A., and its Implications for early Aetosaur Evolution. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 35(1). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2014.881831

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271325765_A_new_aetosaur_(Archosauria_Suchia)_from_the_Upper_Triassic_Pekin_Formation_Deep_River_Basin_North_Carolina_U.S.A._and_its_implications_for_early_aetosaur_evolution

http://thedragonstales.blogspot.com/2015/02/gorgetosuchus-pekinensis-new-basal.html

http://www.eartharchives.org/articles/new-armored-reptile-discovered-in-north-carolina/