Macrospondylus

Extinct genus of reptiles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Macrospondylus

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.

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...
Macrospondylus
Temporal range: Toarcian 183–180 Ma
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Macrospondylus bollensis, Holzmaden Germany
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Clade: Pseudosuchia
Clade: Crocodylomorpha
Suborder: Thalattosuchia
Superfamily: Teleosauroidea
Family: Machimosauridae
Genus: Macrospondylus
von Meyer, 1831
Species:
M. bollensis
Binomial name
Macrospondylus bollensis
Jäger, 1828
Synonyms
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Evolutionary relationships

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Restoration

Macrospondylus has historically been synonymized with Steneosaurus.[1] A 2005 phylogenetic analysis of Thalattosuchia, however, did not support the monophyly of Steneosaurus, as the genera Machimosaurus and Teleosaurus both fell within Steneosaurus.[2] Reinforcing the paraphyly of Steneosaurus, Young et al. (2012), Ősi et al. (2018), and Wilberg et al. (2019) recovered Steneosaurus bollensis and other Steneosaurus species in disparate positions within Teleosauridae.[3][4][5]

In 2016, its length was estimated at 5.5 m (18 ft), making it the largest known Early Jurassic crocodylomorph.[6] In 2020, the genus was formally revived.[7]

Palaeobiology

M. bollensis exhibited a regular, stable growth rate until reaching adulthood. It was adapted primarily for life in aquatic environments but also retained some adaptations for terrestrial locomotion.[8]

See also

References

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