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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
A new basal sauropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Niger and the early evolution of sauropoda
PLoS ONE, Volume 4, No. 9, Article e6924, Year 2009
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Description
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 faunas by geographic barriers. Integration of phylogenetic analyses and paleogeographic data reveals congruence between early sauropod evolution and hypotheses about Jurassic paleoclimate and phytogeography. Conclusions: Spinophorosaurus demonstrates that many putatively derived characters of Middle Jurassic East Asian sauropods are plesiomorphic for eusauropods, while South Gondwanan eusauropods may represent a specialized line. The anatomy of Spinophorosaurus indicates that key innovations in Jurassic sauropod evolution might have taken place in North Africa, an area close to the equator with summer-wet climate at that time. Jurassic climatic zones and phytogeography possibly controlled early sauropod diversification. © 2009 Remes et al.
Available Materials
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC2737122/bin/pone.0006924.s001.jpg
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC2737122/bin/pone.0006924.s002.doc
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC2737122/bin/pone.0006924.s003.txt
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC2737122/bin/pone.0006924.s004.txt
Authors & Co-Authors
Remes, Kristian
Germany, Bonn
Universität Bonn
Ortega, Francisco
Spain, Madrid
Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia
Fierro Bandera, Ignacio
Spain, Elche
Museo Paleontológico de Elche (mupe)
Joger, Ulrich
Germany, Braunschweig
Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum
Kosma, Ralf
Germany, Braunschweig
Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum
Ferrer, José Manuel Marín
Spain, Elche
Museo Paleontológico de Elche (mupe)
Chiappe, Luis María
Unknown Affiliation
Dantas, Pedro
Unknown Affiliation
Escaso, Fernando
Unknown Affiliation
Gasulla, José Miguel
Unknown Affiliation
López, Enrique
Unknown Affiliation
Pomares, Antonio
Unknown Affiliation
Ribeiro, Bruno
Unknown Affiliation
Sanz, J. L.
Unknown Affiliation
Tent-Manclús, José Enrique
Unknown Affiliation
Faust, Jörg
Unknown Affiliation
Joger, Hannah
Unknown Affiliation
Joger, Jannis
Unknown Affiliation
Krüger, Fritz J.
Unknown Affiliation
Mudroch, Alexander
Unknown Affiliation
Rabe, Michel
Unknown Affiliation
Ritter, Hans Joachim
Unknown Affiliation
Sommer, Edgar
Unknown Affiliation
Idé, Oumarou Amadou
Niger, Niamey
Universite Abdou Moumouni
Maga, Abdoulaye
Niger, Niamey
Universite Abdou Moumouni
Statistics
Citations: 101
Authors: 25
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0006924
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Environmental
Study Locations
Multi-countries
Niger