[dinosaur] Giant Torvoneustes (Thalattosuchia) from Late Jurassic of UK

Ben Creisler
[email protected]

A new paper:


Mark T. Young, Davide Foffa, Lorna Steel & Steve Etches (2019)
Macroevolutionary trends in the genus Torvoneustes (Crocodylomorpha:
Metriorhynchidae) and discovery of a giant specimen from the Late Jurassic
of Kimmeridge, UK.
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlz101
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1093_zoolinnean_zlz101&d=DwIBaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=u7b-AVl3xo0K2AQrYLPhmJRpTnr_5u6YOiFYfxxc2VY&s=QrZ97Ev2CsCQNlJet7OxOWBvcm2wvOTBpi9ITqMDmmU&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__academic.oup.com_zoolinnean_advance-2Darticle-2Dabstract_doi_10.1093_zoolinnean_zlz101_5588829&d=DwIBaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=u7b-AVl3xo0K2AQrYLPhmJRpTnr_5u6YOiFYfxxc2VY&s=aW5kk8bFcXh6hoLpqyQKsKlHuP74II0_28JYN1Yw96o&e= 


The metriorhynchid crocodylomorph fauna of the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge
Clay Formation (KCF) of the UK was highly diverse. One genus from this
Formation, Torvoneustes, was unique in evolving dentition similar to known
chelonivorous crocodylomorphs and enlarged attachment sites for the
pterygoideus adductor musculature. Here we report the largest known
Torvoneustes specimen, the occipital region of a large cranium that was
discovered on the shore of Brandy Bay, Dorset, UK (KCF). We also report
three tooth crowns discovered during the 19th century from Oxfordshire that
can also be referred to Torvoneustes. The partial braincase is unique in
having: verticalized basioccipital tuberosities that have thickened ventral
margins, the notch between the basioccipital tuberosities is a narrow
inverted 'U'-shape and a subrectangular-shaped carotid canal foramina. The
presence of 'occipital fossae' (deep concavities with the hypoglossal
foramina in their dorsomedial corners) and carotid foramina with raised
rims relative to the basioccipital posterior surface, allow us to refer it
to Torvoneustes. Although incomplete, the exceptional size of the specimen
demonstrates that Torvoneustes attained larger body lengths than previously
supposed (3.7-4.7 m). Comparing the dimensions of this specimen to other
metriorhynchids suggests that at least some Torvoneustes specimens rivalled
Plesiosuchus manselii in body length.

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