Teleosauridae

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Teleosauridae
Temporal range: 183–145  Ma
Platysuchus multiscrobiculatus 1.JPG
Platysuchus multiscrobiculatus , Holzmaden Germany
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Clade: Solidocrania
Suborder: Thalattosuchia
Superfamily: Teleosauroidea
Family: Teleosauridae
Geoffroy, 1831
Subgroups
Synonyms
  • Mystriosauri Fitzinger, 1843
  • Mystriosauridae Fitzinger, 1843 [1]
  • Steneosauridae Owen, 1843

Teleosauridae is a family of extinct typically marine crocodylomorphs similar to the modern gharial that lived during the Jurassic period. Teleosaurids were thalattosuchians closely related to the fully aquatic metriorhynchoids, but were less adapted to an open-ocean, pelagic lifestyle. The family was originally coined to include all the semi-aquatic (i.e. non-metriorhynchoid) thalattosuchians and was equivalent to the modern superfamily Teleosauroidea. However, as teleosauroid relationships and diversity was better studied in the 21st century, the division of teleosauroids into two distinct evolutionary lineages led to the establishment of Teleosauridae as a more restrictive family within the group, together with its sister family Machimosauridae.

Contents

Amongst teleosauroids, teleosaurids were generally smaller and less common than machimosaurids, suggesting the two families occupied different niches, similar to modern species of crocodilians. However, teleosaurids were more diverse than machimosaurids, with generalist coastal predators ( Mystriosaurus ), long-snouted marine piscivores ( Bathysuchus ), and potentially even long-snouted, semi-terrestrial predators ( Teleosaurus ). Additionally, teleosaurids occupied a wider range of habitats than machimosaurids, from semi-marine coasts and estuaries, the open-ocean, freshwater, and potentially even semi-terrestrial environments. [2]

Classification

Teleosauridae is phylogenetically defined as the largest clade of teleosauroids containing Teleosaurus but not Machimosaurus and Plagiophthalmosuchus . Teleosauridae is split into two subfamilies, the Teleosaurinae and the Aeolodontinae.

Thalattosuchia

Metriorhynchoidea

Teleosauroidea

Plagiophthalmosuchus

Machimosauridae

Teleosauridae

Indosinosuchus kalasinensis

Chinese teleosauroid

Mystriosaurus

Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis

Teleosaurinae

Teleosaurus

Platysuchus

Aeolodontinae

Mycterosuchus

Aeolodon

Sericodon

Bathysuchus

Palaeobiology

Teleosaurids were originally regarded as marine analogues to modern gharials, as they both typically share long, tubular snouts and narrow teeth. However, differences in the jaws, teeth, and skeleton of different teleosaurids suggest that they were more ecologically diverse than this. Earlier teleosaurids were coastal semi-aquatic generalists, while the two subfamilies were more specialised. Teleosaurines appear to have been semi-terrestrial, as they were more heavily armoured and had forward-facing nostrils. In contrast, aeolodontines have been found in deep marine waters and had reduced armour, implying that they were open water predators similar to metriorhynchoids (although the oldest aeolodontine, Mycterosuchus , appears to have been semi-terrestrial, similar to teleosaurines). [2] [3]

Palaeoecology

Distribution

Definitive fossils of teleosaurids are restricted to Laurasia, with material found in Europe(England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia and Switzerland) and Asia (China and Thailand, and possibly India). [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Machimosaurus</i> Genus of reptiles

Machimosaurus is an extinct genus of machimosaurid crocodyliform from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. The type species, Machimosaurus hugii, was found in Switzerland. Other fossils have been found in England, France, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and Tunisia. Machimosaurus rex is the largest named teleosauroid and thalattosuchian, with an estimated length of up to 7.15 m (23.5 ft). Machimosaurus is the largest known crocodyliform of the Jurassic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thalattosuchia</span> Clade of marine crocodylomorphs

Thalattosuchia is a clade of marine crocodylomorphs from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous that had a cosmopolitan distribution. They are colloquially referred to as marine crocodiles or sea crocodiles, though they are not members of Crocodilia and records from Thailand and China suggest that some members lived in freshwater. The clade contains two major subgroupings, the Teleosauroidea and Metriorhynchoidea. Teleosauroids are not greatly specialised for oceanic life, with back osteoderms similar to other crocodyliformes. Within Metriorhynchoidea, the Metriorhynchidae displayed extreme adaptions for life in the open ocean, including the transformation of limbs into flippers, the development of a tail fluke, and smooth, scaleless skin.

Teleosaurus is an extinct genus of teleosaurid crocodyliform found in the Middle Jurassic Calcaire de Caen Formation of France. It was approximately 3 metres (10 ft) in length and weighed 60 kg (130 lb). The holotype is MNHN AC 8746, a quarter of a skull and other associated postcranial remains, while other fragmentary specimens are known. The type species is T. cadomensis, but a second species, T. geoffroyi may also exist. It was previously considered a wastebasket taxon, with many other remains assigned to the genus.

<i>Pelagosaurus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Pelagosaurus is an extinct genus of thalattosuchian crocodyliform that lived during the Toarcian stage of the Lower Jurassic, around 183 Ma to 176 Ma, in shallow epicontinental seas that covered much of what is now Western Europe. The systematic taxonomy of Pelagosaurus has been fiercely disputed over the years, and was assigned to Thalattosuchia after its systematics within Teleosauridae were disputed. Pelagosaurus measured 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) long and weighed 60 kg (130 lb).

<i>Steneosaurus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Steneosaurus is a dubious genus of teleosaurid crocodyliform from the Middle or Late Jurassic of France. The genus has been used as a wastebasket taxon for thalattosuchian fossils for over two centuries, and almost all known historical species of teleosauroid have been included within it at one point. The genus has remained a wastebasket, with numerous species still included under the label ‘Steneosaurus’, many of which are unrelated to each other.

<i>Aeolodon</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Aeolodon is an extinct genus of teleosaurid crocodyliform reptile from the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) of Germany and France that was initially named as a species of Crocodylus in 1814. Although previously synonymized with Steneosaurus, recent cladistic analysis considers it distantly related to the Steneosaurus type species and the type species is A. priscus, named in 1830 and described in 2020.

<i>Sericodon</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Sericodon is an extinct genus of teleosaurid crocodyliform from the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) of Germany and Switzerland. The genus contains a single species, S. jugleri. Sericodon was placed in 'Clade T' (Aeolodontinae) and was found to be the sister taxon to Bathysuchus, another teleosaurid.

The "Schistes bitumineux" is an Early Jurassic geologic formation in Luxembourg that is located within an oil shale, hence the name. The machimosaurid teleosauroid Macrospondylus bollensis is known from this formation. This formation may be part of the larger Posidonia Shale, which also outcrops in Luxembourg, among other countries.

<i>Macrospondylus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Macrospondylus is an extinct genus of machimosaurid teleosauroid crocodyliform from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) of Europe. Fossils are known from the Posidonia Shale of Germany, the Whitby Mudstone of the United Kingdom, and the "schistes bitumineux" of Luxembourg.

<i>Bathysuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Bathysuchus is an extinct genus of teleosaurid thalattosuchian from Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) deep water marine deposits in England and France. Bathysuchus displays features that suggest it was more pelagic than other teleosaurids, including smoother skull bones and reduced armour plating, similar to the fully marine metriorhynchids. This was possibly an adaptation to rising sea levels during the Kimmeridgian, as its earlier relatives such as Teleosaurus were suited for shallow coasts and lagoon environments.

<i>Lemmysuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Lemmysuchus is a genus of machimosaurid thalattosuchian from the Middle Jurassic Callovian of England and France. Like many other teleosauroids from Europe, it has had a convoluted taxonomic history.

<i>Indosinosuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Indosinosuchus is a genus of teleosaurid neosuchian that lived during the Late Jurassic in what is now Thailand. It contains two species, the type species I. potamosiamensis and I. kalasinensis, both recovered from the lower Phu Kradung Formation. It is unique among other named thalattosuchians, with its remains discovered from freshwater deposits, suggesting that at least some members of this group didn't live in the sea. It was a relatively large reptile, measuring 4 m (13 ft) long and weighing 140 kg (310 lb). The age of Indosinosuchus is unclear, as vertebrate fossils like Indosinosuchus support a Late Jurassic age, while palynological data suggests an Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) age.

<i>Deslongchampsina</i> Extinct genus of marine crocodilians

Deslongchampsina is an extinct genus of machimosaurid crocodyliform from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) Cornbrash Formation of England and France, possibly from the Calcaire de Caen. The type and only known species is D. larteti, which was variously referred to Teleosaurus and the wastebasket taxon Steneosaurus before its distinction was formally recognised in 2019. Its snout was not as elongated as some other teleosauroids (mesorostrine), and the shape of its jaws and teeth suggest that it was a generalist predator, unlike the more powerful contemporary machimosaurin Yvridiosuchus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teleosauroidea</span> Extinct superfamily of reptiles

Teleosauroidea is an extinct superfamily of thalattosuchian crocodyliforms living from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous.

<i>Plagiophthalmosuchus</i> Genus of reptiles (fossil)

Plagiophthalmosuchus is a genus of teleosauroid, known form the Early Jurassic Whitby Mudstone Formation of Whitby, Yorkshire, UK, and Dudelange, Luxembourg. The type species, P. gracilirostris, was originally named as a species of Teleosaurus in 1836, but then it was moved to Steneosaurus in 1961, but it was again moved to its own genus in 2020.

<i>Neosteneosaurus</i> Genus of reptiles (fossil)

Neosteneosaurus is a genus of machimosaurid, known from the Middle Jurassic Oxford Clay of the UK, and Marnes de Dives, France. The type species, N. edwardsi, was originally named as a species of Steneosaurus in 1868, but was moved to its own genus in 2020. Steneosaurus durobrivensis and Steneosaurus hulkei are considered junior synonyms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Machimosauridae</span> Extinct family of reptiles

Machimosauridae is an extinct family of teleosauroid thalattosuchian crocodyliforms. The family was first identified in 2016, when fossils of teleosauroid thalattosuchians, including an indeterminate close relative of Lemmysuchus and Machimosaurus, were described from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of Morocco. The family was largely expanded in 2020 when the systematics of Teleosauroidea were re-reviewed. Members of this family generally were larger than the teleosaurids.

<i>Charitomenosuchus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Charitomenosuchus is an extinct genus of machimosaurid teleosauroid from the Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England.

<i>Clovesuurdameredeor</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Clovesuurdameredeor is an extinct genus of machimosaurid teleosauroid from the Bathonian Cornbrash Formation of England.

<i>Seldsienean</i> Extinct genus of machimosaurid thalattosuchian

Seldsienean in an extinct genus of machimosaurid thalattosuchian from the Middle Jurassic of England and France. It is known from the Calcaire de Caen and the Cornbrash Formation.

References

  1. Fitzinger LJFJ. 1843. Systema Reptilium. Wien: Braumüller et Seidel, 106 pp.
  2. 1 2 3 Johnson, Michela M.; Young, Mark T.; Brusatte, Stephen L. (2020). "The phylogenetics of Teleosauroidea (Crocodylomorpha, Thalattosuchia) and implications for their ecology and evolution". PeerJ. 8: e9808. doi: 10.7717/peerj.9808 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   7548081 . PMID   33083104.
  3. Foffa, D.; Johnson, M.M.; Young, M.T.; Steel, L.; Brusatte, S.L. (2019). "Revision of the Late Jurassic deep-water teleosauroid crocodylomorph Teleosaurus megarhinus Hulke, 1871 and evidence of pelagic adaptations in Teleosauroidea". PeerJ . 7: e6646. doi:10.7717/peerj.6646. PMC   6450380 . PMID   30972249.