Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Postcranial morphology of a basal Pistosauroidea (Sauropterygia) from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk, The Netherlands

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Paläontologische Zeitschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two partial postcranial skeletons from the Lower Muschelkalk (early Anisian) of Winterswijk, The Netherlands, are described in detail. The specimens were assigned to basal Pistosauroidea, presumably to cf. Cymatosaurus or a closely related taxon. Cymatosaurus is currently the earliest member of the Pistosauroidea and is only known from skull material. Taxonomical assignment is based on humerus morphology and histology, and on morphological differences from other Sauropterygia (Nothosauria and Pachypleurosauria).

Kurzfassung

Zwei postcraniale Skelettreste aus dem Unteren Muschelkalk (frühes Anis) von Winterswijk (Niederlande) werden im Detail beschrieben. Die Stücke werden einem basalen Pistosauroidea, möglicherweise cf. Cymatosaurus oder einem nah verwandten Taxon, zugeordnet. Cymatosaurus ist der früheste Vertreter der Pistosauroidea und bislang nur von isolierten Schädelfunden bekannt. Die taxonomische Zuordnung basiert vor allem auf der Morphologie des Humerus und dessen knochenhistologischen Merkmalen, sowie auf morphologischen Unterschieden im direkten Vergleich mit anderen Sauropterygiern (Nothosauria und Pachypleurosauria).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

NMNHL:

National Museum of Natural History (NCB Naturalis), Leiden, The Netherlands

References

  • Albers, P. C. H. 2005a. A new specimen of Nothosaurus marchicus with features that relate the taxon to Nothosaurus winterswijkensis. PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 3(1): 1–7.http://www.palarch.nl/2005/01/albers2005_2/.

  • Albers, P. C. H. 2005b. A placodontoid jaw fragment from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk (The Netherlands). PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 3(5): 33–36. http://www.palarch.nl/2005/07/albers2005/.

  • Albers, P. C. H. 2011. New Nothosaurus skulls from the Lower Muschelkalk of the western Lower Saxony Basin (Winterswijk, The Netherlands) shed new light on the status of Nothosaurus winterswijkensis. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences|Geologie en Mijnbouw 90: 15–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albers, P.C.H., and O. Rieppel. 2003. A new species of the sauropterygian genus Nothosaurus from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk, The Netherlands. Journal of Paleontology 77: 738–774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baur, G. 1887–90. Pistosauridae Baur. In Handbuch der Palaeontologie, ed. K. A. Zittel, Vol. 3: 498–499. München: R. Oldenburg.

  • Case, E. C. 1936. A nothosaur from the Triassic of Wyoming. University of Michigan Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology 5: 1–36.

  • Cheng, Y.-N., T. Sato, X-Ch. Wu, and Ch. Li. 2006. First complete pistosauroid from the Triassic of China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 26(2): 501–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cubo, J., F. Ponton, M. Laurin, E. de Margerie, and J. Castanet. 2005. Phylogenetic signal in bone microstructure of sauropsids. Systematik Biologie 54: 562–574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalla Vecchia, F.M. 2006. A new sauropterygian reptile with plesiosaurian affinity from the Late Triassic of Italy. Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia 112: 207–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Ricqlés, A., K. Padian, F. Knoll, and J.R. Horner. 2008. On the origin of high growth rates in archosaurs and their ancient relatives: complementary histological studies on Triassic archosauriforms and the problem of a “phylogenetic signal” in bone histology. Annales de Palaeontologie 94: 57–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritsch, K.v. 1894. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Saurier des Halle’schen unteren Muschelkalkes. Abhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Halle 20: 273–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gürich, G.J.E. 1884. Über einige Saurier des oberschlesischen Muschelkalkes. Zeitschrift der deutschen geologischen Gesellschaft 36: 125–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagdorn, H. and Th. Simon. 2010. Vossenveld-Formation. In Lithostratigraphisches Lexikon der Deutschen Stratigraphischen Kommission. http://www.bgr.de/app/litholex/gesamt_ausgabe_neu.php?id=45.

  • Huene, F.v. 1936. Henodus chelyops, ein neuer Placodontier. Palaeontographica A 84: 99–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huene, F.v. 1958. Aus den Lechtentaler Alpen ein neuer. Anarosaurus Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte, 1958:382–384.

  • Kelley, N. P., Motani, R., Jiang, D.-Y., Rieppel, O., Schmitz, L. 2012. Selective extinction of Triassic marine reptiles during long-term sea-level changes illuminated by seawater strontium isotopes. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (in press). doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.07.026.

  • Klein, N. 2009. Skull morphology of Anarosaurus heterodontus (Reptilia: Sauropterygia: Pachypleurosauria) from the Lower Muschelkalk of the Germanic Basin (Winterswijk, The Netherlands). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29: 665–676.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, N. 2010. Long bone histology of Sauropterygia from the lower Muschelkalk of the Germanic Basin provides unexpected implications for phylogeny. PLoS ONE 5(7): e11613. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011613.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, N. 2012. Postcranial morphology and growth of the Winterswijk pachypleurosaur Anarosaurus heterodontus (Sauropterygia) from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk, The Netherlands. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 86(4): 389–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, N., and P.C.H. Albers. 2009. A new species of the sauropsid reptile Nothosaurus from the Lower Muschelkalk of the western Germanic Basin, Winterswijk, The Netherlands. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 54: 589–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, N., and T. M. Scheyer. 2013. A new placodont (Placodontia, Sauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic (early Anisian) of the Germanic Basin (Winterswijk, The Netherlands). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. http://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app20120147.html

  • Krahl, A., P.M. Sander, and N. Klein. 2009. Long bone histology of Middle Triassic eusauropteygians (Nothosauria and Pistosauria) and its implications for paraxial swimming. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29(3, supplement): 129A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krahl, A., N. Klein, and P. M. Sander. (in review) Evolutionary implications of the divergent long bone histologies of Nothosaurus and Pistosaurus (Sauropterygia, Triassic). BMC Evolutionary Biology.

  • Lin, K., and O. Rieppel. 1998. Functional morphology and ontogeny of Keichousaurus hui (Reptilia: Sauropterygia). Fieldiana Geology, New Series 39: 1–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, H.v. 1839. Mittheilung, an Professor Bronn gerichtet. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geognosie, Geologie und Petrefakten-Kunde 1839: 559–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neenan, J.M., N. Klein, and T.M. Scheyer. 2013. European origin of placodont marine reptiles and the evolution of crushing dentition in Placodontia. Nature Communications 4: 1621. doi:10.1038/ncomms2633.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nosotti, S., and O. Rieppel. 2003. Eusaurosphargis dalsassoi n. gen. n. sp., a new unusual diapsid reptile from the Middle Triassic of Besano (Lombardy, N Italy). Memorie della Italian di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano 31(2): 1–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oosterink, H.W. 1986. Winterswijk, Geologiedeel II. De Triasperiode (geologie, mineralen en fossielen). Wetenschappelijke Mededeling van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Natuurhistorische Vereniging 178: 1–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oosterink, H.W. 2009. The diversity of trace fossils from the Anisian (Middle Triassic) of Winterswijk, The Netherlands. Deposits 20: 8–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oosterink, H., W. Berkelder, C. de Jong, J. Lankamp, and H. Winkelhorst. 2003. Sauriers uit de Onder-Muschelkalk van Winterswijk. Staringia 11: 1–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oosterink, H., N. Klein, H. Diependaal, and P. M. Sander. 2013. Der Untere Muschelkalk von Winterswijk. In Trias—Eine ganz anderes Welt, eds. N. Hauschke and V. Wilde, second edition. München: Dr. Friedrich Pfeil Verlag (in press).

  • Owen, R. 1860. Paleontology; or a systematic summary of extinct animals and their geologic remains. Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O. 1994. Osteology of Simosaurus gaillardoti, and the phylogenetic interrelationships of stem-group Sauropterygia. Fieldiana Geology, New Series 28: 1–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O. 1995. Fragmenta Sauropterygia. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen 197: 383–397.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O. 1997. Revision of the sauropterygian reptile genus Cymatosaurus Fritsch, 1894, and the relationships of Germanosaurus Nopcsa, from the Middle Triassic of Europe. Fieldiana Geology, New Series 36: 1–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O. 2000. Sauropterygia I. In Encyclopedia of Paleoherpe-tology, vol. 12A, ed. P. Wellnhofer. München: Dr. Friedrich Pfeil Verlag.

  • Rieppel, O., and K. Lin. 1995. Pachypleurosaurs (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Lower Muschelkalk, and a review of the Pachypleurosauroidea. Fieldiana Geology, New Series 32: 1–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O., and R. Wild. 1996. A revision of the genus Nothosaurus (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Germanic Triassic, with comments on the status of Conchiosaurus clavatus. Fieldiana Geology, New Series 34: 1–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O., and H. Hagdorn. 1997. Paleobiogeography of Middle Triassic Sauropterygia in central and western Europe. In Ancient marine reptiles, ed. J.M. Callaway, and E.L. Nicholls, 121–144. San Diego: Academic Press.

  • Rieppel, O., and R. Werneburg. 1998. A new species of the sauropterygian Cymatosaurus from the Lower Muschelkalk of Thuringia, Germany. Palaeontology 41: 575–589.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel, O., P.M. Sander, and G.W. Storrs. 2002. The skull of the pistosaur Augustasaurus from the Middle Triassic of northwestern Nevada. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22: 577–592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sander, P.M. 1989. The pachypleurosaurids (Reptilia: Nothosauria) from the Middle Triassic of Monte San Giorgio, (Switzerland), with the description of a new species. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B 325: 561–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sander, P.M., O. Rieppel, and H. Bucher. 1997. A new pistosaurid (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic of Nevada and its implications for the origin of the plesiosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17: 526–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sato, T., Y.-N. Cheng, X.-Ch. Wu, and Ch. Li. 2010. Osteology of Yunguisaurus Cheng et al., 2006 (Reptilia; Sauropterygia), a Triassic pistosauroid from China. Paleontological Research 14(3): 179–195.

  • Schröder, H. 1914. Wirbeltiere der Rüdersdorfer Trias. Abhandlungen der Königlich Preussischen Geologischen Landesanstalt, Neue Folge 65: 1–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • SKPT. 2008. Subkomission Perm-Trias. http://www.stratigraphie.de/perm-trias/protokoll.pdf.

  • Storrs, G. 1991. Anatomy and relationships of Corosaurus alcovensis (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) and the Triassic Alcova Limestone of Wyoming. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 44: 1–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sues, H.-D. 1987. Postcranial skeleton of Pistosaurus and interrelationships of the Sauropterygia (Diapsida). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 90: 109–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Volz, W. 1902. Proneusticosaurus, eine neue Sauropterygia Gattung aus dem untersten Muschelkalk Oberschlesiens. Palaeontographica 49: 121–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiffen, J.V., V. de Buffrénil, A. de Ricqlès, and J.-M. Mazin. 1995. Ontogenetic evolution of bone structure in Late Cretaceous Plesiosauria from New Zealand. Geobios 28: 625–640.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wild, R., and H. Oosterink. 1984. Tanystropheus (Reptilia, Squamata) aus dem Unteren Muschelkalk von Winterswijk, Holland. Grondboor en Hamer 38: 142–148.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all members of the Muschelkalk Workgroup for their support, and in particular J. Lankamp for his help during the excavation of NMNHL RGM 449487A. We also thank Sibelco Europe MineralsPlus Winterswijk, to which the Winterswijk Steen- en Kalkgroeve belongs, and its manager G. ten Dolle for the support they provided on their premises. C. Diedrich is acknowledged for arranging the early preparation of the main slab at the Institute of Geology and Paleontology, University of Münster. O. Dülfer (Bonn) is acknowledged for the refined preparation and G. Oleschinski (Bonn) for the excellent photographs. Máren Jansen (MfN, Berlin) is thanked for the outline drawing of NMNHL RGM 449487. NK thanks the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for funding. We also would like to thank S. Renesto (University of Insubria), an anonymous reviewer, and the editor O. Rauhut (München) for their helpful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steinmann Institute, Paleontology, University of Bonn, Nußallee 8, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    P. Martin Sander & Nicole Klein

  2. Naturalis, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Paul C. H. Albers

  3. Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Constanze Bickelmann

  4. Molenstraat 14, 7121 CS, Aalten, The Netherlands

    Herman Winkelhorst

Authors
  1. P. Martin Sander
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicole Klein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul C. H. Albers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Constanze Bickelmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Herman Winkelhorst
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicole Klein.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sander, P.M., Klein, N., Albers, P.C.H. et al. Postcranial morphology of a basal Pistosauroidea (Sauropterygia) from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk, The Netherlands. Paläontol Z 88, 55–71 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-013-0181-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-013-0181-5

Keywords

Schlüsselwörter

Search

Navigation