Tamaulipasaurus (meaning "Tamaulipas lizard") is an extinct genus of lepidosauromorph reptile from the Early Jurassic of Mexico. It contains a single species, Tamaulipasaurus morenoi, which is based on skull material found at Huizachal Canyon, a productive fossil site in the La Boca Formation.[1][2] Tamaulipasaurus had an unusual condensed skull similar to that of amphisbaenians, a modern group of burrowing squamates. It also possessed a variety of plesiomorphic ("primitive") skull features indicating that it was not a true squamate. Nevertheless, other traits do support a position close to squamates, within the broader reptile group Lepidosauromorpha.[3]
Tamaulipasaurus Temporal range: Early Jurassic,
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Speculative Life Restoration | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | Lepidosauromorpha |
Genus: | †Tamaulipasaurus Clark & Hernandez, 1994 |
Type species | |
†Tamaulipasaurus morenoi Clark & Hernandez, 1994
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References
edit- ^ R. C. Munter and J. M. Clark. 2006. Theropod dinosaurs from the Early Jurassic of Huizachal Canyon, Mexico. In M. T. Carrano, T. J. Gaudin, R. W. Blob, J. R. Wible (eds.), Amniote paleobiology: perspectives on the evolution of mammals, birds, and reptiles. University of Chicago Press, Chicago 53-7
- ^ Fastovsky, D. E.; Clark, J. M.; Strater, N. H.; Montellano, M.; R, R. Hernandez; Hopson, J. A. (1995-09-14). "Depositional environments of a Middle Jurassic terrestrial vertebrate assemblage, Huizachal Canyon, Mexico". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 15 (3): 561–575. doi:10.1080/02724634.1995.10011249. ISSN 0272-4634.
- ^ Clark, James M.; Hernandez R., Rene (1994-06-22). "A new burrowing diapsid from the Jurassic La Boca Formation of Tamaulipas, Mexico". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 14 (2): 180–195. doi:10.1080/02724634.1994.10011551. ISSN 0272-4634.