[dinosaur] Giant pliosaurid-like jaw from Middle Jurassic of Switzerland

Ben Creisler
[email protected]


A new paper:


Sven Sachs, Christian Klug & Benjamin P. Kear (2019)
Rare evidence of a giant pliosaurid-like plesiosaur from the Middle
Jurassic (lower Bajocian) of Switzerland.
Swiss Journal of Palaeontology (advance online publication)
DOI: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1007_s13358-2D019-2D00200-2D9&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=5xaBnKugDCAYgLu0ZHndi__IpLMV5ISD3HB7Jcz5nXM&s=YQJmLPLzq55jxifr7emCkWrkaybYgnhOKrqu6X8c6xA&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__link.springer.com_article_10.1007_s13358-2D019-2D00200-2D9&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=5xaBnKugDCAYgLu0ZHndi__IpLMV5ISD3HB7Jcz5nXM&s=19RovYs_TYVQ3udzhz0O8gsMJ0RmT4Nuz59praCdRik&e= 



Here, we describe part of a large-bodied macrophagous plesiosaur jaw from
the lower Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) Passwang Formation near Arisdorf in
the Basel-Land canton of Switzerland. The specimen preserves the posterior
glenoid extremity of the right mandibular ramus comprising the surangular,
angular, articular, and probably the prearticular. Notable character states
include a transversely expanded surangular that incorporates a prominent
medial ridge adjacent to the glenoid and a shallow dorsal fossa, together
with a conspicuous trough extending across the lateral surfaces of both the
surangular and angular; there is also a basally broad and medially
deflected retroarticular process. Collectively, these features suggest
affinities with Middle–Late Jurassic pliosaurids, as well as some coeval
rhomaleosaurids. Based on such comparisons, we estimate that the Passwang
Formation mandible was approximately 1.5 m long when complete, and thus
approaches the size range of the largest-known pliosaurids. This discovery
supplements the sparse record of diagnostic pliosaurid-like remains from
Switzerland and contributes to the currently incomplete knowledge of
pre-Callovian Middle Jurassic plesiosaurs globally.

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