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Tuarangisaurus keyesi

Reptilia - Plesiosauria - Elasmosauridae

Taxonomy
Tuarangisaurus keyesi was named by Wiffen and Moisley (1986). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is GS11359, Mangahouanga Stream (V19/f6909), which is in a Campanian/Maastrichtian shoreface sandstone in the Tahora Formation of New Zealand.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1986Tuarangisaurus keyesi Wiffen and Moisley
1999Tuarangisaurus keyesi Carpenter p. 167
2006Tuarangisaurus keyesi Scanlon p. 283
2017Tuarangisaurus keyesi O'Gorman et al. p. 120
2018Tuarangisaurus keyesi Otero et al. p. 216
2019Tuarangisaurus keyesi O'Gorman

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
RankNameAuthor
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
suborderSauropterygia
orderPlesiosauriade Blainville 1835
superfamilyPlesiosauroideaWelles 1943
familyElasmosauridaeCope 1869
—Weddellonectia
genusTuarangisaurus
specieskeyesi

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Tuarangisaurus keyesi Wiffen and Moisley 1986
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
J. Wiffen and W. L. Moisley 1986Same as for the genus: Articulated elasmosaur skull 370 mm in length. Premaxillaries fused, with low central ridge. 5 large teeth in premaxillary. Maxillary teeth smaller, with 15 (estimated) alveoli present. Suture with premaxillary after 5th tooth. 19-20 dentary teeth. Mandibular symphysis short, extending back between 2nd and 3rd alveoli. Beak index short. No parietal foramen. Atlas/axis fused.
J. P. O'Gorman et al. 2017Elasmosaurid with one autapomorphy: ectopterygoid with large boss on the ventral surface and a posteriorly directed long process. Additionally, the following combination of characters is unique to T. keyesi (modified from Wiffen and Moisley,
1986): premaxillaries fused, forming a convex surface between nares but without medial keel, differing from Thalassomedon haningtoni; five teeth in the premaxilla, differing from Eromangasaurus australis (three lateral pairs, one midline) and the aristonectine (seven or more); small space between premaxillary and maxillary teeth; fifteen maxillary alveoli, differing from the aristonectine; ventral margin of the orbit convex and formed mostly by the maxilla, differing from E. australis and Futabasaurus suzukii; no parietal foramen, differing from Callawayasaurus colombiensis; anterior ramus of pterygoid overlaps posterior half of vomer; mandibular symphysis short, extending back between 2nd and 3rd alveoli. 20-21 dentary alveoli; high coronoid process, differing from Libonectes morgani and Zarafasaura oceanis; atlas rib as long as the axis rib and dorsoventrally compressed axis rib differing from Vegasaurus molyi; axis neural spine does not project posterior to the postzygapophyses, differing from T. haningtoni.
R. A. Otero et al. 2018T. keyesi shows one autapomorphy: ectopterygoid with large boss on the ventral surface, having a posteriorly directed long process (O'Gorman et al., 2017). The following combination of characters has been considered unique to T. keyesi (Wiffen and Moisley, 1986; O'Gorman et al., 2017): premaxillae fused and forming a convex surface between naris, without medial ridge; premaxillae extended posteriorly and having a folded, rugose surface between orbits; frontals separated by premaxillae; five teeth in each premaxilla, differing from Eromangasaurus australis (three lateral pairs, one midline) and all aristonectines (seven or more); small diastema-like space between premaxillary and maxillary teeth; fifteen maxillary alveoli, differing from all aristonectines (38 or more); ventral margin of the orbit convex and formed mostly by the maxilla, differing from E. australis and Futabasaurus suzukii; no parietal foramen, differing from Callawayasaurus; anterior ramus of pterygoids overlaps posterior half of vomer; mandibular symphysis short, extending back as far as the fourth alveolus (Contra O'Gorman et al., 2017). 20e21 dentary alveoli; high coronoid process, differing from Libonectes morgani and Zarafasaura oceanis; atlas rib as long as the axis rib and dorsoventrally compressed axis rib differing from Vegasaurus molyi; axis neural spine does not project posterior to the postzygapophysis, differing from Thalassomedon haningtoni.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Environment: marineo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: aquatico
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: carnivoreo
Reproduction: viviparouso
Created: 2009-07-20 06:05:48
Modified: 2011-08-12 01:58:15
Source: o = order
Reference: Kiessling 2004

Age range: base of the Late/Upper Campanian to the top of the Early/Lower Maastrichtian or 83.50000 to 66.00000 Ma

Collections (3 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Campanian - Early/Lower Maastrichtian83.5 - 66.0New Zealand (Hawke's Bay) Tuarangisaurus keyesi (type locality: 27887 232250)
Late/Upper Campanian - Early/Lower Maastrichtian83.5 - 66.0New Zealand Tuarangisaurus keyesi (208367)