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Parachelys eichstaettensis

Reptilia - Eurysternidae

Discussion

(From Anquetin et al. 2017): The holotype of Parachelys eichstaettensis originally belonged to Dr Krantz of Bonn, Germany (Meyer 1864). In 1871, the specimen was purchased by the British Museum as part of the Van Breda Collection (Lydekker 1889b). The original description of Meyer (1864) is based on limited postcranial material of a single individual: some shell fragments, a subcomplete right manus, and the right scapula, coracoid, and humerus. Acetic acid preparation of the holotype in the 1950s revealed additional material, especially a crushed skull and a complete series of cervical vertebrae. As of today, this new material remains undescribed.

Taxonomy
Parachelys eichstaettensis was named by von Meyer (1864). Its type specimen is NHMUK OR42888, a partial skeleton (shell fragments, subcomplete right manus, right scapula, coracoid, and humerus), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Solnhofen (BMNH collection), which is in a Tithonian lagoonal/restricted shallow subtidal lime mudstone in the Solnhofen Formation of Germany.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1864Parachelys eichstaettensis Meyer p. 182
1864Parachelys eichstaettensis von Meyer p. 182
1889Parachelys eichstaettensis Lydekker pp. 195-197
2017Parachelys eichstaettensis Anquetin et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Life
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
RankNameAuthor
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
Thalassochelydia
familyEurysternidaeDollo 1886
genusParachelysMeyer 1864
specieseichstaettensis

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.

Parachelys eichstaettensis von Meyer 1864
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
J. Anquetin et al. 2017Parachelys eichstaettensis differs from all other “eurysternids” in the reduction of costo-peripheral fontanelles, anterolateral contact of vertebral I with marginal I only, and a reduced manual phalangeal formula (2-2-3-3-3).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialuc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Created: 2017-04-17 15:15:35
Modified: 2017-04-17 15:15:35
Source: c = class, subp = subphylum, uc = unranked clade
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988

Age range: Early/Lower Tithonian or 150.80000 to 145.00000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Germany Parachelys eichstaettensis (type locality: 121197)