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Weigeltisauridae
Weigeltisauridae is a family of gliding neodiapsid reptiles that lived during the Late Permian, between 258 and 252 million years ago. Fossils of weigeltisaurids have been found in Madagascar, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia. A possible weigeltisaurid, '' Wapitisaurus'', been found in Early Triassic strata in North America, but its poor preservation makes referral to the group questionable. They are characterized by long, hollow rod-shaped bones extending from the torso that probably supported wing-like membranes. Similar membranes are also found in several other extinct reptiles such as kuehneosaurids and ''Mecistotrachelos'', as well as living gliding lizards, although each group evolved these structures independently. Skeleton The skulls and jaws of weigeltisaurids are ornamented with horns and tubercles, including chameleon-like frills. The torso and limbs are slender. The skeletons of weigeltisaurds are lightened by large air spaces (skeletal pneumaticity) within the bone ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coelurosauravus
''Coelurosauravus'' (meaning "hollow lizard grandfather") is a genus of basal diapsid reptiles, known from the Late Permian of Madagascar. Like other members of the family Weigeltisauridae, members of this genus possessed long, rod-like ossifications projecting outwards from the body. These bony rods were not extensions of the ribs but were instead newly developed bones derived from the skin of the animal, a feature unique to weigeltisaurids. It is believed that during life, these structures formed folding wings used for gliding flight, similar to living gliding ''Draco'' lizards. ''Coelurosauravus'' is solely known from the type species, ''C. elivensis'', which was named by Jean Piveteau in 1926 based on fossils from the Lower Sakamena Formation of Madagascar. The species ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' from Europe was formerly considered a species of ''Coelurosauravus'', but is now considered distinct. History of discovery The only known specimens of ''Coelurosauravus'' were coll ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wapitisaurus
Weigeltisauridae is a family of gliding neodiapsid reptiles that lived during the Late Permian, between 258 and 252 million years ago. Fossils of weigeltisaurids have been found in Madagascar, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia. A possible weigeltisaurid, '' Wapitisaurus'', been found in Early Triassic strata in North America, but its poor preservation makes referral to the group questionable. They are characterized by long, hollow rod-shaped bones extending from the torso that probably supported wing-like membranes. Similar membranes are also found in several other extinct reptiles such as kuehneosaurids and ''Mecistotrachelos'', as well as living gliding lizards, although each group evolved these structures independently. Skeleton The skulls and jaws of weigeltisaurids are ornamented with horns and tubercles, including chameleon-like frills. The torso and limbs are slender. The skeletons of weigeltisaurds are lightened by large air spaces (skeletal pneumaticity) within the bone ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisaurus Reconstruction
''Weigeltisaurus'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Late Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany and Marl Slate of England. It has a single species, originally named as ''Palaechamaeleo jaekeli'' in 1930 and later assigned the name ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' in 1939, when it was revealed that ''Palaeochamaeleo'' was a preoccupied name. A 1987 review by Evans and Haubold later lumped ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' under ''Coelurosauravus'' as a second species of that genus. A 2015 reassessment of skull morphology study substantiated the validity of ''Weigeltisaurus'' and subsequent authors have used this genus. Like other Weigeltisaurids, they possessed long rod-like bones that radiated from the trunk that were likely used to support membranes used for gliding, similar to extant ''Draco'' lizards. History of discovery The first remains of ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' were described by Johannes Weigelt in 1930 from a specimen (SSWG 113/7) found in the Kupferschiefer ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neodiapsid
Neodiapsida is a clade, or major branch, of the reptilian family tree, typically defined as including all diapsids apart from some early primitive types known as the araeoscelidians. Modern reptiles and birds belong to the neodiapsid subclade Sauria. The oldest known neodiapsid is generally considered to be ''Orovenator'' from the Early Permian (Cisuralian) of North America. Basal-non saurian neodiaspids were ancestrally lizard-like, but basal Permian neodiapsids also include specialised swimming forms (''Hovasaurus'') the gliding lizard-like Weigeltisauridae, as well as the Triassic chameleon-like drepanosaurs. The position of the highly derived Mesozoic marine reptile groups Thalattosauria, Ichthyosauromorpha and Sauropterygia within Neodiapsida is uncertain, and they may lie within Sauria. Classification The clade Neodiapsida was given a phylogenetic definition by Laurin in 1991. He defined it as the branch-based clade containing all animals more closely related to "Youngin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisaurus Jaekeli Diagram
''Weigeltisaurus'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Late Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany and Marl Slate of England. It has a single species, originally named as ''Palaechamaeleo jaekeli'' in 1930 and later assigned the name ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' in 1939, when it was revealed that ''Palaeochamaeleo'' was a preoccupied name. A 1987 review by Evans and Haubold later lumped ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' under ''Coelurosauravus'' as a second species of that genus. A 2015 reassessment of skull morphology study substantiated the validity of ''Weigeltisaurus'' and subsequent authors have used this genus. Like other Weigeltisaurids, they possessed long rod-like bones that radiated from the trunk that were likely used to support membranes used for gliding, similar to extant ''Draco'' lizards. History of discovery The first remains of ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' were described by Johannes Weigelt in 1930 from a specimen (SSWG 113/7) found in the Kupferschiefer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neodiapsida
Neodiapsida is a clade, or major branch, of the reptilian family tree, typically defined as including all diapsids apart from some early primitive types known as the araeoscelidians. Modern reptiles and birds belong to the neodiapsid subclade Sauria. The oldest known neodiapsid is generally considered to be ''Orovenator'' from the Early Permian (Cisuralian) of North America. Basal-non saurian neodiaspids were ancestrally lizard-like, but basal Permian neodiapsids also include specialised swimming forms (''Hovasaurus'') the gliding lizard-like Weigeltisauridae, as well as the Triassic chameleon-like drepanosaurs. The position of the highly derived Mesozoic marine reptile groups Thalattosauria, Ichthyosauromorpha and Sauropterygia within Neodiapsida is uncertain, and they may lie within Sauria. Classification The clade Neodiapsida was given a phylogenetic definition by Laurin in 1991. He defined it as the branch-based clade containing all animals more closely related to "Youngin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisaurus
''Weigeltisaurus'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Late Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany and Marl Slate of England. It has a single species, originally named as ''Palaechamaeleo jaekeli'' in 1930 and later assigned the name ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' in 1939, when it was revealed that ''Palaeochamaeleo'' was a preoccupied name. A 1987 review by Evans and Haubold later lumped ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' under ''Coelurosauravus'' as a second species of that genus. A 2015 reassessment of skull morphology study substantiated the validity of ''Weigeltisaurus'' and subsequent authors have used this genus. Like other Weigeltisaurids, they possessed long rod-like bones that radiated from the trunk that were likely used to support membranes used for gliding, similar to extant ''Draco'' lizards. History of discovery The first remains of ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' were described by Johannes Weigelt in 1930 from a specimen (SSWG 113/7) found in the Kupferschiefer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drepanosaur
Drepanosaurs (members of the clade Drepanosauromorpha) are a group of extinct reptiles that lived between the Carnian and Rhaetian stages of the late Triassic Period, approximately between 230 and 210 million years ago. The various species of drepanosaurid were characterized by specialized grasping limbs and often prehensile tails, adaptions for arboreal (tree-dwelling) and fossorial (digging) lifestyles, with some having also been suggested to be aquatic. Fossils of drepanosaurs have been found in Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, Utah, England, and northern Italy. The name is taken from the family's namesake genus ''Drepanosaurus'', which means "sickle lizard," a reference to their strongly curved claws. Description Drepanosaurs are notable for their distinctive, triangular skulls, which resemble the skulls of birds. Some drepanosaurs, such as ''Avicranium,'' had pointed, toothless, bird-like beaks. This similarity to birds may have led to the misattribution of what may be a dr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avicephala
Avicephala ("bird heads") is an extinct, potentially polyphyletic grouping of diapsid reptiles that lived during the Late Permian and Triassic periods characterised by superficially bird-like skulls and arboreal lifestyles. As a clade, Avicephala is defined as including the gliding weigeltisaurids and the arboreal drepanosaurs to the exclusion of other major diapsid groups. This relationship is not recovered in the majority of phylogenetic analyses of early diapsids and so Avicephala is typically regarded as an unnatural grouping. However, the clade was recovered again in 2021 in a redescription of ''Weigeltisaurus'', raising the possibility that the clade may be valid after all. Description Avicephalans were named in reference to their pointed, lightly constructed, superficially bird-like skulls. The resemblance is especially striking in some drepanosaurs such as ''Avicranium'' which possess toothless beaks, forward-facing eyes and large, rounded craniums. These superficial si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gliding Lizard
''Draco'' is a genus of agamid lizards that are also known as flying lizards, flying dragons or gliding lizards. These lizards are capable of gliding flight via membranes that may be extended to create wings (patagia), formed by an enlarged set of ribs. They are arboreal insectivores. While not capable of powered flight they often obtain lift in the course of their gliding flights. Glides as long as have been recorded, over which the animal loses only in height, which is quite some distance, considering that one lizard is only around in total length, tail included. Piper, Ross (2007). 'Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals'. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood Press. They are found across Southeast Asia and southern India. and are fairly common in forests, areca gardens, teak plantations and shrub jungle. History of discovery Carl Linnaeus described the genus in 1758, with the type species being ''Draco volans.'' The name of the genus is from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rautiania
''Rautiania'' is an extinct genus of gliding neodiapsid reptiles belonging to the family Weigeltisauridae. Isolated fossil remains of ''Rautiania'' are known from the Late Permian of Russia. The genus is known from two species, ''Rautiania alexandri'' (the type species) and ''Rautiania minichi'', which differ in aspects of their maxilla and parietal bones. Certain ''Rautiania'' fossils have helped to reveal certain aspects of weigeltisaurid anatomy and lifestyle which had long alluded paleontologists, such as the component bones of the "crest" at the back of the head, and the large amount of adaptations towards life in the canopies of forests. Discovery ''Rautiania'' fossils were first discovered during a 2005 paleontological expedition into the Orenburg Oblast of Russia. Numerous isolated bones from reptiles of the family Weigeltisauridae were found at the Kul'chumovo-A site. Some of these bones (namely, maxillae and parietals) showed two different morphotypes. In 2006, Russ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sakamena Formation
Sakamena is a village near Betroka in the region of Anosy in Madagascar. Sakamena is also the name of a Permian sedimentary geological formation that has yielded many vertebrate fossil, including Triadobatrachus (the first lissamphibian), Claudiosaurus, one of the first aquatic reptiles, and the Coelurosauravus, the first gliding reptile. Sakamena is also the name of a coal field that lies near the Sakoa coal field. Both the Sakamena and Sakoa coal fields are under appraisal and development by Madagascar Consolidated Mining, a subsidiary of Red Island Minerals Red Island Minerals Ltd (RIM) is a Perth Western Australia-based coal development company operating in Madagascar. The company is wholly owned by PTT Asia Pacific Mining Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of PTT Public Company Limited, a state-owned Thailand, ..., a company founded by Sam Malin. Other coal fields adjacent to the Sakamena region include the Ianapera, Imaloto and Vohibory fields. References Wild Madagascar Populated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
