Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae
A new elasmosaurid, Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov., from Vega Island, James Ross Archipelago, Antarctica, is described. The holotype and only specimen of this species (MLP 93-I-5-1) was collected from the lower Maastrichtian Cape Lamb Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation. Vegasaurus molyi is...
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ftunibueairesbd:todo:paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman 2023-10-29T02:32:22+01:00 Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae Ogorman, J.P. Salgado, L. Olivero, E.B. Marenssi, S.A. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman unknown http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar anatomy cranium morphology new species new taxon phylogenetics reptile Antarctica Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica Aristonectes Elasmosauridae Plesiosauria Weddellia JOUR ftunibueairesbd https://doi.org/20.500.12110/paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman 2023-10-05T01:32:42Z A new elasmosaurid, Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov., from Vega Island, James Ross Archipelago, Antarctica, is described. The holotype and only specimen of this species (MLP 93-I-5-1) was collected from the lower Maastrichtian Cape Lamb Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation. Vegasaurus molyi is the only Antarctic elasmosaurid and one of only a few Late Cretaceous elasmosaurids from the Southern Hemisphere whose postcranial anatomy is well known. Vegasaurus molyi is distinguished from other elasmosaurids by the following combination of characters: cervical region with 54 vertebrae with elongated centra, dumbbell-shaped articular faces and lateral ridge present in the anterior and middle parts of the neck but absent in the posterior-most cervical vertebrae; scapula with ventral ramus bearing a strong ridge in the anteromedial corner of its dorsal surface; ilium shaft with expanded distal end, divided into two parts forming an angle of 140°opening anteriorly; and humerus with anterior knee and prominent posterior projection with accessory posterior articular facet. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis places V. molyi within a clade that includes the Late Cretaceous Wedellian aristonectine elasmosaurids, Aristonectes and Kaiwhekea. This indicates a close relationship between Aristonectinae and non-Aristonectinae Late Cretaceous Weddellian elasmosaurids and suggests a Weddellian origin for the Aristonectinae. © 2015 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Archipelago Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica Biblioteca Digital FCEN-UBA (Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Biblioteca Digital FCEN-UBA (Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires) |
op_collection_id |
ftunibueairesbd |
language |
unknown |
topic |
anatomy cranium morphology new species new taxon phylogenetics reptile Antarctica Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica Aristonectes Elasmosauridae Plesiosauria Weddellia |
spellingShingle |
anatomy cranium morphology new species new taxon phylogenetics reptile Antarctica Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica Aristonectes Elasmosauridae Plesiosauria Weddellia Ogorman, J.P. Salgado, L. Olivero, E.B. Marenssi, S.A. Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae |
topic_facet |
anatomy cranium morphology new species new taxon phylogenetics reptile Antarctica Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica Aristonectes Elasmosauridae Plesiosauria Weddellia |
description |
A new elasmosaurid, Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov., from Vega Island, James Ross Archipelago, Antarctica, is described. The holotype and only specimen of this species (MLP 93-I-5-1) was collected from the lower Maastrichtian Cape Lamb Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation. Vegasaurus molyi is the only Antarctic elasmosaurid and one of only a few Late Cretaceous elasmosaurids from the Southern Hemisphere whose postcranial anatomy is well known. Vegasaurus molyi is distinguished from other elasmosaurids by the following combination of characters: cervical region with 54 vertebrae with elongated centra, dumbbell-shaped articular faces and lateral ridge present in the anterior and middle parts of the neck but absent in the posterior-most cervical vertebrae; scapula with ventral ramus bearing a strong ridge in the anteromedial corner of its dorsal surface; ilium shaft with expanded distal end, divided into two parts forming an angle of 140°opening anteriorly; and humerus with anterior knee and prominent posterior projection with accessory posterior articular facet. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis places V. molyi within a clade that includes the Late Cretaceous Wedellian aristonectine elasmosaurids, Aristonectes and Kaiwhekea. This indicates a close relationship between Aristonectinae and non-Aristonectinae Late Cretaceous Weddellian elasmosaurids and suggests a Weddellian origin for the Aristonectinae. © 2015 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. |
format |
Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ogorman, J.P. Salgado, L. Olivero, E.B. Marenssi, S.A. |
author_facet |
Ogorman, J.P. Salgado, L. Olivero, E.B. Marenssi, S.A. |
author_sort |
Ogorman, J.P. |
title |
Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae |
title_short |
Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae |
title_full |
Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae |
title_fullStr |
Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae |
title_sort |
vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (plesiosauria, elasmosauridae), from the cape lamb member (lower maastrichtian) of the snow hill island formation, vega island, antarctica, and remarks on wedellian elasmosauridae |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Archipelago Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Archipelago Snow Hill Island Vega Island West Antarctica |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/20.500.12110/paper_02724634_v35_n3_p_Ogorman |
_version_ |
1781053717222522880 |