Viviparity in a Triassic marine archosauromorph reptile
Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Date published
2017
Abstract
Eggs or embryos have been reported in various groups of fossil reptiles, where viviparity is a common mode of reproduction in aquatic taxa such as the ichthyopterygians, some groups of sauropterygians, mosasauroids, some taxa of choristoderans and certain protorosaurs. Here, we describe a complete embryo of a marine protorosaur, based on a well-preserved, curledup skeleton. The new discovery is referred to a taxon closely related to the remarkable longnecked Dinocephalosaurus. It further confirmed viviparity in an archosauromorph group and indicates an increasing taxonomic diversity not only within this group, but of Triassic marine reptiles in general.
Journal title
Vertebreta Palasiatica
Volume
55
Issue
3
Publisher
Science Press, Beijing
ISSN
1000-3118
Official URL
Additional information
Full text available via the official url