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On the validity of the British Upper Jurassic turtle “Pleurosternon portlandicum” (Paracryptodira, Pleurosternidae)

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Abstract

Pleurosternidae is a clade of North American and European Mesozoic turtles known from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. The knowledge about the European record of this group has significantly being improved during the last decade, both by the description of new taxa as well as by the detailed study of several poorly known members. However, phylogenetic relationships within this clade still generate controversy, due to the scarce available information on several representatives. In that regard, the problematic “Pleurosternon portlandicum” is currently the worst known European pleurosternid. This taxon is represented by a single and partially preserved shell, from the Tithonian (Upper Jurassic) of the Isle of Portland (United Kingdom). Relatively limited information is provided by this individual, exclusively known in ventral view. In this study, the characters used by previous authors to distinguish “Pleurosternon portlandicum” from the type species of the genus Pleurosternon (i.e., Pleurosternon bullockii) are revised in detail given the intraspecific variation we recognized for the study of a large collection of adult specimens of Pleurosternon bullockii. In this way, both the specific validity of “Pleurosternon portlandicum” and its attribution to the genus Pleurosternon are evaluated. As a consequence, the validity of this species cannot be supported, being recognized as a senior synonym of the type species. Thus, Pleurosternon bullockii is identified not only as restricted to the lowermost Cretaceous (Berriasian) but its present during the Upper Jurassic (Tithonian) is demonstrated, not only being recognized in the Tithonian record of Great Britain but also in that of France.

Resumen

Pleurosternidae es un clado de tortugas mesozoicas norteamericanas y europeas identificadas desde el Jurásico Tardío hasta el Cretácico Temprano. El conocimiento sobre el registro europeo de este grupo ha mejorado significativamente durante la última década, tanto por la descripción de nuevos taxones como por el estudio detallado de varios miembros poco conocidos. Sin embargo, las relaciones filogenéticas dentro de este clado aún generan controversia, debido a la escasa información disponible sobre varios representantes. En ese sentido, el problemático “Pleurosternon portlandicum” es actualmente el pleurosternido europeo menos conocido. Este taxón está representado por un único caparazón parcialmente preservado, del Titoniense (Jurásico Superior) de la Isla de Portland (Reino Unido). Dicho individuo proporciona una información relativamente limitada, conocida exclusivamente en vista ventral. En este estudio, se revisan en detalle los caracteres utilizados por autores previos para distinguir “Pleurosternon portlandicum” de la especie tipo del género Pleurosternon (i.e., Pleurosternon bullockii), dada la variación intraespecífica reconocida en el estudio de la larga colección de especímenes adultos de Pleurosternon bullockii. De esta manera, se evalúa tanto la validez específica de "Pleurosternon portlandicum" como su atribución al género Pleurosternon. En consecuencia, la validez de esta especie no puede ser sustentada, siendo reconocida como senior synonym de la especie tipo. Así, Pleurosternon bullockii no solo está restringido al Cretácico más inferior (Berriasiano) sino que se demuestra su presencia durante el Jurásico Superior (Titoniano), no siendo solo identificado en el registro Titoniense de Gran Bretaña sino también en el de Francia.

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Fig. 1
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modified from Gaffney, 1979). b Glyptopts plicatulus (AMNH 336). c Holotype of Riodevemys inumbragigas (CPT-1423; housed at MAP). d Holotype of Selenemys lusitanica (ALTSHN.066). e Paratype of Toremys cassiopeia (AR-1–3923). f Reconstruction of Dorsetochelys typocardium based on DORCM G.179 (modified from Pérez-García, 2014). g Holotype of Pleurosternon bullockii (NHM UK R 911). h Holotype of “Pleurosternon portlandicum” (NHM UK OR 44807), reassigned here to Pleurosternon bullockii. The scutes are represented in gray, except the supplementary one, in red, and the plates in black. Scale bar equals 5 cm

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Data availability

The specimens studied here are deposited in public institutions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Sandra Chapman and Michael O. Day (NHMUK), and N.-E. Jalil (MNHN.F) for access to the material studied here; the editors of the Special Volume on Dinosaurs Palaeontology and their environment, and the two anonymous reviewers for comments and suggestions; and F. de Lapparent de Broin (MNHN.F), who made the provisional cataloging of the turtle material from Wimille. This research received support from several SYNTHESYS Projects and the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (IJCI-2016-30427).

Funding

This research was partially supported by SYNTHESYS Projects and the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (IJCI-2016–30427).

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  1. Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, UNED, Paseo Senda del Rey 9, 28040, Madrid, España

    A. Guerrero & A. Pérez-García

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  1. A. Guerrero
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AG: analyzed the data, wrote the paper and prepared figures. AP-G: analyzed the data, reviewed drafts of the paper, approved the final draft.

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Correspondence to A. Guerrero.

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Guerrero, A., Pérez-García, A. On the validity of the British Upper Jurassic turtle “Pleurosternon portlandicum” (Paracryptodira, Pleurosternidae). J Iber Geol 46, 419–429 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-020-00136-x

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