Turiasauria

Taxobox
name = Turiasauria
fossil_range = Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous


image_width = 200px
image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Sauropodomorpha
infraordo = Sauropoda
unranked_familia = Turiasauria
unranked_familia_authority = Royo-Torres "et al.", 2006
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision =
* "Turiasaurus"
* "Losillasaurus"
* "Galveosaurus"

Turiasauria is an unranked clade of sauropod dinosaurs, named for the genus "Turiasaurus", a gigantic eusauropod from southwestern Europe. The clade also includes two other known members, "Galveosaurus" and "Losillasaurus". All three taxa thus far referred to Turiasauria have come from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian-Berriasian) of Spain.

Cladistic analysis (Royo-Torres 'et al.", 2006; 1927) of 309 characters and 33 taxa suggests that the turiasaurians lie outside the Neosauropoda and form a monophyletic group. The clade is diagnosed by the presence of vertical neural spines, posterior centroparapohyseal laminae on the dorsal vertebrae, the absence of pre- and postspinal laminae on the dorsal vertebrae, the absence of a scapular acromial crest, the presence of a prominent humeral deltopectoral crest, medial deflection of the proximal end of the humerus, and a distinct vertical ridge on the caudal side of the distal half of the ulna.

The biogeographic and stratigraphic ranges of the Turiasauria remain unclear, but Royo-Torres "et al." (2006; 1927) hypothesize that the clade probably represents a pre-Tithonian sauropod radiation originating in Europe. As yet unrecognized members of the group may be indicated by "Turiasaurus"-like teeth from the Jurassic of Portugal, France, and England (presently referred to the genera "Neosodon" and "Cardiodon").

"Turiasaurus" demonstrates that the evolution of enormous body size was not restricted to neosauropod clades such as the Diplodocidae and Titanosauria, but developed independently at least once in a lineage of more basal sauropods, the turiasaurians.

References

*Royo-Torres, R., Cobos, A. y Alcalá, L. (2006): A Giant European Dinosaur and a New Sauropod Clade. "Science", 314, 5807: 1925 – 1927.

*Barco, J. L., Canudo, J. L., Cuenca-Bescós, G. & Ruíz-Omeñaca, J. I., (2005): Un nuevo dinosaurio saurópodo, "Galvesaurus herreroi" gen. nov., sp. nov., del tránsito Jurásico-Cretácico en Galve (Teruel, NE de España). "Naturaleza Aragonesa": Vol. 15, pp 4-17

*Casanovas, M. L., Santafe, J. V. & Sanz, J. L.(2001): "Losillasaurus giganteus", un nuevo saurópodo del tránsito Jurásico-Cretácico de la Cuenca de “Los Serranos" (Valencia, España). "Paleontologia i Evolució" 32-33:99-122

External links

* [http://www.dinoslevante.com Las huellas de Dinosaurios del Levante Ibérico]