A new Iberian pleurosternid (Jurassic-Cretaceous transition, Spain) and first neuroanatomical study of this clade of stem turtles

A partial skeleton of a pleurosternid turtle (Paracryptodira), from the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition at the Spanish locality of Ágreda (Moncayo Region, Soria Province), is presented here. Its partial skull represents the third of this lineage to be recognised in the European record, with the previ...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pérez-García, Adán|||0000-0002-9074-6855, Martín-Jiménez, Marcos|||0000-0002-2991-3300, Aurell, Marcos|||0000-0002-2430-7424, Canudo, José Ignacio|||0000-0003-1732-9155, Castanera, Diego|||0000-0003-3950-1630
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:238863
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/238863
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1080/08912963.2021.1910818
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Tithonian-Berriasian
European record
Stem Testudines
Pleurosternon
New species
Neuroanatomy
Descripción
Sumario:A partial skeleton of a pleurosternid turtle (Paracryptodira), from the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition at the Spanish locality of Ágreda (Moncayo Region, Soria Province), is presented here. Its partial skull represents the third of this lineage to be recognised in the European record, with the previously known specimens corresponding to British species. The specimen of Pleurosternidae studied here is attributed to a new species, Pleurosternon moncayensis. This lineage of stem turtles is identified as the most abundant and diverse group of freshwater aquatic turtles in Europe for the stages adjacent to the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition. Its presence decreased radically at post-Berriasian levels, when freshwater lineages of Eucryptodira, of Asian origin, are identified as the dominant forms at these aquatic turtle faunas. The confirmation of Pleurosternidae as freshwater inhabitants is made here, through the first neuroanatomical study for this lineage. Thus, the neuroanatomical reconstruction of Pleurosternon moncayensis sp. nov. is the first to be carried out for a freshwater stem turtle, and it allows us to identify convergent adaptations with freshwater members of the crown Testudines.