Naslov
First find of Middle Triassic reptile in Croatia: Age, morphology, and histology of the epipodial bone

Autori
Paunović, Maja ; Kozarić, Zvonimir ; Bergant, Stanislav ; Jambrešić, Gordana

Izvornik
Beiträge zur Paläontologie (1024-4727) 26 (2001); 111-116

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Middle Triassic; Anisian; Reptilia; Thecodontia; epipodial bone; age; morphology; histology; Muć; Mt. Svilaja; Dalmatia; Croatia

Sažetak
On the secondary finding place in vicinity of Muć on the southern slopes of Mt. Svilaja (N Dalmatia, Croatia) there have been found two remains of limb bone (distal part and part of the shaft) in association with one ammonite. To establish the age and origin of fossil bones, the petrographical analyses of sediment were performed, as well as micro and macro paleontological research. The age of the matrix is found to be Middle Triassic (Anisian). Regrettably, microfossils were not found, and the ammonite is determined to be one primitive form of the Ceratitidae of Lower to Middle Triassic age (Scythian-Anisian). According to the bone morphology the fragments are the parts of one slender, subcircular, straight limb bone with anterolateral crest. Such morphology is characteristic for the tibia of Triassic thecodontians, saurischians as well as of some placodontians, while the greatest resemblance is found to be with Rauisuchus. In the same tame, due to the lack of such studies in the first place and relatively small number of fossil epipodial bones in the second, comparison of the results of histological analysis also indicates more terrestrial habit, some characteristics of recent crocodilians, mammals and birds and therefore points at lower value of the limb bone histology in taxonomical sense.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Geologija

POVEZANOST RADA