Revision of the Archosauromorph Reptile Trilophosaurus, With a Description of the First Skull of Trilophosaurus Jacobsi, From the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, West Texas, Usa

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Andrew B. Heckert Ph.D., Professor (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/

Abstract: The first abundant, well-preserved fossils of the unusual archosauromorph reptile Trilophosaurus jacobsi Murry are from an Upper Triassic bonebed in the lower-most Trujillo Formation of the Chinle Group in Borden County, Texas. A nearly complete left side of the skull and incomplete but articulated mandible of a juvenile individual demonstrate that Trilophosaurus jacobsi Murry is referable to Trilophosaurus, so the putative procolophonid genus Chinleogomphius is a junior objective synonym of Trilophosaurus. Features of T. jacobsi that diagnose it from T. buettneri include asymmetrical, tricuspate teeth in which the central cusp is taller than the marginal cusp, polygonal in cross-section and displaced slightly lingually; the lingual cusp is low, transversely broadened and anteroposteriorly compressed; teeth with prominent cingula along the mesial and distal margins; and paired sagittal (parasagittal) crests composed of portions of the postfrontals and the parietals, as well as a relatively broad skull roof between the supra-temporal fenestrae. We also re-illustrate and re-describe the holotypes of both Trilophosaurus buettneri Case and T. jacobsi Murry. T. jacobsi is primarily Adamanian in age, and the lowest occurrence of T. jacobsi is stratigraphically above that of T. buettneri. Therefore, T. buettneri is an Otischalkian–Adamanian index taxon, and T. jacobsi is an Adamanian–earliest Revueltian index taxon. Trilophosaurus teeth are readily identifiable to species and therefore identifiable as isolated fossils.

Additional Information

Publication
Andrew B. Heckert, Spencer G. Lucas, Larry F. Rinehart, Justin A. Spielmann, Adrian P. Hunt & Robert Kahle (2006) "Revision of the Archosauromorph Reptile Trilophosaurus, With a Description of the First Skull of Trilophosaurus Jacobsi, From the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, West Texas, Usa" Palaeontology Volume 49 pp. 621-640 Version of Record Available from (www.amazonaws.com)
Language: English
Date: 2006
Keywords
Upper Triassic, Trilophosauria, procolophonid, Chinle Group, Texas

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