Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A new marine reptile from the Triassic of China, with a highly specialized feeding adaptation

Naturwissenschaften volume 101, pages 251–259 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The Luoping fauna (Anisian, Middle Triassic) is probably the oldest of Triassic faunas in Guizhou–Yunnan area, China. The reptilian assemblage is comprised of ichthyosaurs, a number of sauropterygians (pachypleurosaur-like forms), saurosphargids, protorosaurs, and archosauriforms. Here, we report on a peculiar reptile, newly found in this fauna. Its dentition is fence or comb-like and bears more than 175 pleurodont teeth in each ramus of the upper and lower jaws, tooth crown is needle-like distally and blade-shaped proximally; its rostrum strongly bends downward and the anterior end of its mandible expands both dorsally and ventrally to form a shovel-headed structure; and its ungual phalanges are hoof-shaped. The specializations of the jaws and dentition indicate that the reptile may have been adapted to a way of bottom-filter feeding in water. It is obvious that such delicate teeth are not strong enough to catch prey, but were probably used as a barrier to filter microorganisms or benthic invertebrates such as sea worms. These were collected by the specialized jaws, which may have functioned as a shovel or pushdozer (the mandible) and a grasper or scratcher (the rostrum). Our preliminary analysis suggests that the new reptile might be more closely related to the Sauropterygia than to other marine reptiles.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Benton MJ (1990) The species of Rhynchosaurus, a rhynchosaur (Reptilia, Diapsida) from the Middle Triassic of England. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B 328:213–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll RL (1982) Early evolution of reptiles. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 13:87–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y-n, Wu X-c, Ji Q (2004) Triassic marine reptiles gave birth to live young. Nature 432:383–386

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cong L-y, Hou L-h, Wu X-c, Hou J-f (1988) The gross anatomy of Alligator sinensis Fauvel. Science, Beijing [Chinese 1–319, English 320–388]

  • Chiappe LM, Chinsamy A (1996) Pterodaustro’s true teeth. Nature 379:211–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colbert EH (1993) Feeding strategies and metabolism in elephants and sauropod dinosaurs. Amer J Sci 293(A):1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fadeev VI (2005) Benthos and food supply studies in feeding grounds of the Korean-Okhotsk gray whale population. Paper SC/57/BRG25 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, June 2005, Ulsan, Korea. 3pp

  • Hao W-c, Sun Y-l, Jiang D-y, Sun Z-y (2006) Advance in studies of the Panxian Fauna. Acta Sci Nat Univ Pekinensis 42:817–823

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu S-x, Zhang Q-y, Chen Z-q, Lu T, Zhou C-y, Xie T, Wen W, Huang J-y, Benton MJ (2011) The Luoping biota: exceptional preservation, and new evidence on the Triassic recovery from end-Permian mass extinction. Proc R Soc B 278:2274–2282

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ji Q, Wu X-c, Cheng Y-n (2010) Cretaceous choristoderan reptiles gave birth to live young. Naturwissenschaften 97:423–428

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang D-y, Motani R, How W-c, Rieppel O, Sun Y-l, Schmitz L, Sun Z-y (2008) First record of Placodontoidea (Reptilia, Sauropterygia, Placodontia) from the eastern Tethys. J Vertebr Paleontol 28:804–908

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang D-y, Motani R, Hao W-c, Rieppel O, Sun Y-l, Tintori A, Sun Z-y, Schmitz L (2009) Biodiversity and sequence of the Middle Triassic Panxian marine reptile fauna, Guizhou Province, China. Acta Geol Sinica 83:451–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jouve S (2004) Description of the skull of a Ctenochasma (Pterosauria) from the latest Jurassic of eastern France, with a taxonomic revision of European Tithonian Pterodactyloidea. J Vertebr Paleonotl 24:542–554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Rieppel O, LaBarbera MC (2004) A Triassic aquatic Protorosaur with an extremely long neck. Science 305:1931

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Wu X-c, Cheng Y-n, Sato T, Wang L-t (2006) An unusual archosaurian from the marine Triassic of China. Naturwissenschaften 93:200–206

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Rieppel O, Wu X-c, Zhao L-j, Wang L-t (2011) A new Triassic marine reptile from southwestern China. J Vertebr Paleontol 31:303–312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Jiang D-y, Cheng L, Wu X-c, Rieppel O (2013) A new species of Largocephalosaurus (Diapsida: Saurosphargidae), with implications for the morphological diversity and phylogeny of the group. Geol Mag. doi:10.1017/S001675681300023X

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Rieppel O, Jiang D-y, Atchison JC, Motani R, Zhang Q-y, Zhou C-y, Sun Y-y (2011) A new pachypleurosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the lower Middle Triassic of southwestern China and the phylogenetic relationships of Chinese pachypleurosaurs. J Vertebr Paleontol 31:291–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Modesto SP (2006) The cranial skeleton of the Early Permian aquatic reptile Mesosaurus tenuidens: implications for relationships and palaeobiology. Zool J Linn Soc 146:345–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neenan JM, Klein N, Scheyer TM (2013) European origin of placotont marine reptiles and the evolution of crushing dentition in Placodontia. Nat Communi 4:1621. doi:10.1038/ncomms2633

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborn H F (1903) The reptilian subclasses Diapsida and Synapsida and the early history of the Dinosauria. Mem Amer Mus Nat Hist 1:449–507

    Google Scholar 

  • Renesto S, Tintori A (1995) Functional morphology and mode of life of the Late Triassic placodont Psephoderma alpinum Meyer from the Calcare Di Zorsino (Lombardy, N Italy). Rivisca Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia 101:37–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel O (1989) Helveticosaurus zollingeri Peyer (Reptilia, Diapsida) skeletal paedomorphosis, functional anatomy and systematic affinities. Palaeontogr Abt A 208:123–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieppel O (2000) Sauropterygia I: Placodontia, Pachypleurosauria, Nothosauroidea, Pistosauroidea. In: Wellnhofer P (ed) Encyclopedia of paleoherpetology, vol 12A. Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München, pp 1–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Shang Q-h, Wu X-c, Li C (2011) A new eosauropterygian from the Middle Triassic of eastern Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Vert PalAsiatica 49:155–173, Chinese 155, English 156–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1978) Pterosauria. In: Wellnhofer P (ed) Encyclopedia of paleoherpetology, vol 19. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, pp 1–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu X-c, Cheng Y-n, Li C, Sato T, Shan H-y (2009) Miodentosaurus brevis Cheng et al., 2007 (Diapsida: Thalattosauria): its postcranial skeleton and phylogenetic relationships. Vert PalAsiatica 47:1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu X-c, Cheng Y-n, Li C, Zhao L-j, Sato T (2011) New information on Wumengosaurus delicatomandibularis Jiang et al., 2008 (Diapsida: Sauropterygia), with revision of the osteology and phylogeny of the taxon. J Vertebr Paleontol 31:70–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q-y, Lu T, Zhou C-y, Xie T, Lou X-y, Liu W, Sun Y-y, Huang J-y, Zhao L-s (2009) A Conodont-based Middle Triassic age assignment for the Luoping Biota of Yunnan, China. Sci China D Earth Sci 52(10):1673–1678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zweers G, de Jong F, Berkhoudt H (1995) Filter feeding in flamingos (Phoenicopterus rubery). Condor 97:297–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dong-yi Niu (WIGM) for his skillful preparation of the specimen used in this study and J.C. Mallon of the CMN for his carful edits and suggestions on an earlier version of the manuscript. We thank Da-yong Jiang of Peking University, Shi-xue Hu of Chengdu Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of China, James M. Neenan of University of Zurich, and Luis Chiappe of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County for providing references or information on the fauna. X.-c.W particularly wishes to thank the Department of Paleontology of WIGM for their hospitality during his visit. Five anonymous referees carefully reviewed the manuscript, offering critical comments and suggestions that led to its great improvement. This work was supported by research grants from the China Geological Survey (No. 1212011120148), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC- 41172027), and the CMN (RCP09).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wuhan Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, 69 Gangyao Road, Wuhan, 430223, People’s Republic of China

    Long Cheng & Xiao-Hong Chen

  2. Laboratory of Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing, 100044, People’s Republic ofChina

    Qing-Hua Shang

  3. Canadian Museum of Nature, PO Box 3443, STN ‘D’, Ottawa, ON, K1P 6P4, Canada

    Xiao-Chun Wu

Authors
  1. Long Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiao-Hong Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Qing-Hua Shang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiao-Chun Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiao-Chun Wu.

Additional information

Communicated by: Sven Thatje

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOCX 2638 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, L., Chen, XH., Shang, QH. et al. A new marine reptile from the Triassic of China, with a highly specialized feeding adaptation. Naturwissenschaften 101, 251–259 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-014-1148-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-014-1148-4

Keywords

search

Navigation