Abstract

CORTES, Dirley  and  PARAMO-FONSECA, María Eurídice. Apendicular remains of an ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the lower Barremian of Villa de Leiva, Colombia. bol.geol. [online]. 2018, vol.40, n.1, pp.15-30. ISSN 0120-0283.  https://doi.org/10.18273/revbol.v40n1-2018001.

The appendicular remains of an ophthalmosaurid Ichthyosaur from the Paja Formation in Villa de Leiva, Colombia (Lower Barremian) are here described. The morphological characteristics of the specimen are consistent with the genus Platypterygius. Nonetheless, the forefins of this specimen have a set of autapomorphic zeugopodium characters that differentiate this from other species of the genus whose appendicular remains are known. These include (1) a strongly concave facet for the anterior extrazeugopodial element on the humerus, directed anteriorly with a pronounced flange; (2) ulnar slits in the anterior and posterior surfaces; (3) a saddle-shaped anterior extrazeugopodial element with four facets joints; and (4) a distinctly massive and subtriangular pisiform. While the stratigraphic and geographic origin of the studied specimen is approximately equivalent to P. sachicarum, the absence of comparable material prevents including specimen in this species. This study is the first report of appendicular remains of Platypterygius in northern South America.

Keywords : Ichthyosauria; Ophtalmosauridae; Platypterygius; forefins; Lower Cretaceous; Colombia.

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