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New material of the enigmatic reptile Khurendukhosaurus (Diapsida: Choristodera) from Mongolia

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Abstract

New material of the enigmatic diapsid Khurendukhosaurus is described from the Mongolian type locality, Khuren Dukh, providing additional data on the vertebral column, pelvis, and hind limb. It confirms the choristoderan status of the genus and permits a more detailed phylogenetic analysis that supports a relationship between Khurendukhosaurus and the long-necked Asian Hyphalosauridae. The existence of tall caudal neural spines implies that Khurendukhosaurus was a deep-tailed swimmer. This and the open sacral costocentral sutures suggest a primarily aquatic lifestyle.

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Acknowledgments

RM and SEE thank the Directors of the Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences, Okayama, for access to its collections in 2008; Dr T. Tsubamoto for facilitating our work; and Dr P. Skutschas (St Petersburg, Russia) for helpful discussion. This paper constitutes Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences–Mongolian Paleontological Center Joint Paleontological Expedition Contribution Number 46.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cell and Developmental Biology, UCL University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    Ryoko Matsumoto & Susan E. Evans

  2. Center for Paleobiological Research, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories, Inc., 1-2-3 Shimoishii, Okayama, 700-0907, Japan

    Shigeru Suzuki

  3. Mongolian Paleontological Center, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Enkh Taivan Street 63, Ulaanbaatar, 210351, Mongolia

    Khisigjav Tsogtbaatar

Authors
  1. Ryoko Matsumoto
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  2. Shigeru Suzuki
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  3. Khisigjav Tsogtbaatar
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  4. Susan E. Evans
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryoko Matsumoto.

Additional information

Communicated by G. Mayr

Institutional abbreviations

MNHN BL, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; MPC, Mongolian Paleontological Center; PIN, Paleontologicheski Institut, Akademii Nauk, Moscow; HMNS, Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

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Matsumoto, R., Suzuki, S., Tsogtbaatar, K. et al. New material of the enigmatic reptile Khurendukhosaurus (Diapsida: Choristodera) from Mongolia. Naturwissenschaften 96, 233–242 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-008-0469-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-008-0469-6

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