Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
8916171 Cretaceous Research 2018 85 Pages PDF
Abstract
A phylogenetic analysis including 29 sauropod taxa was performed, with the European titanosaurs Atsinganosaurus, Ampelosaurus, Lirainosaurus, Lohuecotitan, Paludititan (Late Cretaceous) and Normanniasaurus (Early Cretaceous) all scored in the same analysis for the first time. Atsinganosaurus and Ampelosaurus form a clade that is phylogenetically proximal to Lirainosaurus within Lithostrotia - a clade here named Lirainosaurinae nov. - whereas Lohuecotitan and Paludititan form a clade towards the base of Lithostrotia. Normanniasaurus is resolved outside Lithostrotia, but within Titanosauria. From a palaeobiogeographical perspective, the phylogenetic results suggest that European titanosaurs belong to at least three distinct lineages and that two lithostrotian lineages were present during the latest Cretaceous in the European archipelago.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Palaeontology
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