Paratypothorax
Encyclopedia
Paratypothorax is an extinct genus
of aetosaur
. It was first named in 1985 from specimens collected from the Lower Stubensandstein in Germany
and was also noted to be present in the Chinle Group of the southwestern United States
in both the Dockum and Chinle Formation
s, which are latest Carnian
and Rhaetian
in age, respectively. The genus was described from osteoderm
s that were initially referred to the phytosaur Belodon kappfi
. Material from Paratypothorax has also been reported from the Norian
-age Fleming Fjord Formation
in Greenland
.
Paratypothorax possesses paramedian scute
s that are wide, strap-like, and have grooves and pits on them forming radial patterns. Like other typothoracisines
such as Typothorax
, the lateral scutes bear large horns that are posteriorly hooked. The rear of each scute is overlapped by a prominent knob.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of aetosaur
Aetosaur
Aetosaurs are an extinct order of heavily armoured, medium- to large-sized Late Triassic herbivorous archosaurs. They have small heads, upturned snouts, erect limbs, and a body covered by plate-like scutes. All aetosaurs belong to the family Stagonolepididae...
. It was first named in 1985 from specimens collected from the Lower Stubensandstein in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and was also noted to be present in the Chinle Group of the southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in both the Dockum and Chinle Formation
Chinle Formation
The Chinle is a geologic formation that is spread across the U.S. states of northern Arizona, Nevada, Utah, western New Mexico, and western Colorado. The Chinle is controversially considered to be synonymous to the Dockum Group in eastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, southwestern Kansas, the...
s, which are latest Carnian
Carnian
The Carnian is the lowermost stage of the Upper Triassic series . It lasted from about 228.7 till 216.5 million years ago . The Carnian is preceded by the Ladinian and is followed by the Norian...
and Rhaetian
Rhaetian
The Rhaetian is in geochronology the latest age of the Triassic period or in chronostratigraphy the uppermost stage of the Triassic system. It lasted from 203.6 ± 1.5 to 199.6 ± 0.6 million years ago...
in age, respectively. The genus was described from osteoderm
Osteoderm
Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales, plates or other structures in the dermal layers of the skin. Osteoderms are found in many groups of extant and extinct reptiles, including lizards, various groups of dinosaurs , crocodilians, phytosaurs, aetosaurs, placodonts, and hupehsuchians...
s that were initially referred to the phytosaur Belodon kappfi
Belodon
Belodon is a genus of phytosaur, a crocodile-like reptile that lived during the Triassic. Its fossils have been found in Europe and elsewhere...
. Material from Paratypothorax has also been reported from the Norian
Norian
The Norian is a division of the Triassic geological period. It has the rank of an age or stage . The Norian lasted from 216.5 ± 2.0 to 203.6 ± 1.5 million years ago. It was preceded by the Carnian and succeeded by the Rhaetian.-Stratigraphic definitions:The Norian was named after the Noric Alps in...
-age Fleming Fjord Formation
Fleming Fjord Formation
The Fleming Fjord Formation is a geological formation in eastern Greenland.-Vertebrate fauna:...
in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Paratypothorax possesses paramedian scute
Scute
A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:...
s that are wide, strap-like, and have grooves and pits on them forming radial patterns. Like other typothoracisines
Typothoracisinae
Typothoracisinae is a clade of aetosaurs within the subfamily Aetosaurinae. It is a stem-based taxon defined as all aetosaurs closer to Typothorax than to Stagonolepis or Desmatosuchus. As with many aetosaur taxa, most of the synapomorphies that diagnose the clade are found in the osteoderms...
such as Typothorax
Typothorax
Typothorax is an extinct genus of aetosaur that lived in the Late Triassic. Its remains have been found in North America. Two species are known: T. coccinarum, the type species, and T. antiquum.-Description:...
, the lateral scutes bear large horns that are posteriorly hooked. The rear of each scute is overlapped by a prominent knob.
External links
- Paratypothorax at PalaeosPalaeosPalaeos.com is a web site on biology, paleontology, cladistics and geology and which covers the history of Earth. The site is well respected and has been used as a reference by professional paleontologists such as Michael J. Benton, the professor of vertebrate palaeontology in the Department of...
- Paratypothorax in the Paleobiology DatabasePaleobiology Database' is an online resource for information on the distribution and classification of fossil animals, plants, and microorganisms.-History:The Paleobiology Database was founded in 2000. It has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council...