A fishy mosasaur: the axial skeleton of Plotosaurus (Reptilia, Squamata) reassessed
(2007) In Lethaia 40(2). p.153-160- Abstract
- The concept of convergence, that is, how unrelated animals independently evolve similar morphological traits, is a fundamental aspect of evolution. Hitherto, the Mesozoic ichthyosaurs were regarded as the sole obligate marine reptiles that achieved a fully streamlined body and a semilunate tail fluke. However, analyses of vertebral centrum morphometrics and process orientation have revealed that a subsequent clade of secondarily aquatic reptiles, the mosasaurs (here exemplified by the advanced, mid-Maastrichtian mosasaurine Plotosaurus), had developed a deep, fusiform body and a probable pursuit-predatory behaviour by the time of their sudden extinction at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Stringent physical constraints and selection... (More)
- The concept of convergence, that is, how unrelated animals independently evolve similar morphological traits, is a fundamental aspect of evolution. Hitherto, the Mesozoic ichthyosaurs were regarded as the sole obligate marine reptiles that achieved a fully streamlined body and a semilunate tail fluke. However, analyses of vertebral centrum morphometrics and process orientation have revealed that a subsequent clade of secondarily aquatic reptiles, the mosasaurs (here exemplified by the advanced, mid-Maastrichtian mosasaurine Plotosaurus), had developed a deep, fusiform body and a probable pursuit-predatory behaviour by the time of their sudden extinction at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Stringent physical constraints and selection pressures, imposed by the surrounding water, probably were responsible for this spectacular example of large-scale evolutionary convergence. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/659385
- author
- Lindgren, Johan LU ; Jagt, John W. M. and Caldwell, Michael W.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2007
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- tail stock, tail fin, surface, propulsive, Plotosaurus, Mosasauridae, displacement unit, hypocercal
- in
- Lethaia
- volume
- 40
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 153 - 160
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000246623900005
- scopus:34249713776
- ISSN
- 0024-1164
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1502-3931.2007.00009.x
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8f1e69c3-f9fe-4b91-868d-2f082513a3ef (old id 659385)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 16:13:26
- date last changed
- 2022-01-28 18:12:11
@article{8f1e69c3-f9fe-4b91-868d-2f082513a3ef,
abstract = {{The concept of convergence, that is, how unrelated animals independently evolve similar morphological traits, is a fundamental aspect of evolution. Hitherto, the Mesozoic ichthyosaurs were regarded as the sole obligate marine reptiles that achieved a fully streamlined body and a semilunate tail fluke. However, analyses of vertebral centrum morphometrics and process orientation have revealed that a subsequent clade of secondarily aquatic reptiles, the mosasaurs (here exemplified by the advanced, mid-Maastrichtian mosasaurine Plotosaurus), had developed a deep, fusiform body and a probable pursuit-predatory behaviour by the time of their sudden extinction at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Stringent physical constraints and selection pressures, imposed by the surrounding water, probably were responsible for this spectacular example of large-scale evolutionary convergence.}},
author = {{Lindgren, Johan and Jagt, John W. M. and Caldwell, Michael W.}},
issn = {{0024-1164}},
keywords = {{tail stock; tail fin; surface; propulsive; Plotosaurus; Mosasauridae; displacement unit; hypocercal}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{153--160}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Lethaia}},
title = {{A fishy mosasaur: the axial skeleton of Plotosaurus (Reptilia, Squamata) reassessed}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1502-3931.2007.00009.x}},
doi = {{10.1111/j.1502-3931.2007.00009.x}},
volume = {{40}},
year = {{2007}},
}