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Meiolania brevicollis

Reptilia - Meiolaniidae

Taxonomy
Meiolania brevicollis was named by Megirian (1992). Its type specimen is NTM P 87103-2, a partial skull (right squamosal), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Blast Site, which is in a Miocene terrestrial horizon in the Camfield Beds Formation of Australia.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1992Meiolania brevicollis Megirian p. 95
2015Meiolania brevicollis Sterli p. 38

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
RankNameAuthor
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
Perichelydia
Meiolaniformes
familyMeiolaniidaeLydekker 1887
genusMeiolania
speciesbrevicollis

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.

Meiolania brevicollis Megirian 1992
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. Megirian 1992Meiolaniid with prominent, recurved 'B' horn-core projecting from the posterolateral skull margin; 'B' horn-core projecting posteriorly at a lower angle than M. platyceps, with a width to length ratio 20 % less than the most slender M. mackayi specimen, and about 30% less than the most slender examples of M. platyceps ; 'A' hemcore vestigial; body size (linear measurements) at least 10% larger than the largest known examples of M. platyceps, substantially larger than M. mackayi; cervical vertebrae proportionally shorter, higher and narrower than known M. platyceps, distinct ventral keel on the centra of cervicals 5 and 6, neural process of cervical 2 inflated and rising high over the prezygapophyses; posterodorsal margin of the orbit fiat with a small, but distinct, postorbital crest; cranium flatter than M. platyceps; median pit of the premaxillary triturating surface confluent with the groove separating the intermediate and labial triturating ridges.
J. Sterli 2015Meiolania brevicollis is diagnosed as a meiolaniid by the presence of horns in the squamosal. Meiolania brevicollis is differentiated from Me. platyceps by having a flatter skull, posteriorly projecting horn core B and a vestigial scute A, presence of a small postorbital crest in the posterodorsal margin of the flat orbit, presence of relatively longer, lower and wider cervical vertebrae, presence of a relatively short, narrow and high neural spine of the axis and a distinct ventral keel on cervical centra 5 and 6 (Megirian 1992). Meiolania brevicollis is much bigger than Me. mackayi and it has a slender horn core B (Megirian 1992).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Created: 2017-04-29 07:47:51
Modified: 2017-04-29 07:47:51
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Sterli 2015, Carroll 1988

Age range: Middle Miocene or 15.97000 to 11.60800 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Middle Miocene15.97 - 11.608Australia (Northern Territory) Meiolania brevicollis (type locality: 92839)