Turiasauria
Encyclopedia
Turiasauria is an unranked clade
of sauropod dinosaur
s, named for the genus
Turiasaurus
, a gigantic eusauropod from southwestern Europe
. The clade also includes two other known members, Galveosaurus
and Losillasaurus
. All three taxa thus far referred to Turiasauria have come from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian
-Berriasian
) of Spain
. Turiasuria was defined as: all Eusauropoda closer to Turiasaurus riodevensis than to Saltasaurus
loricatus.
Cladistic analysis (Royo-Torres et al., 2006; 1927) of 309 characters and 33 taxa suggests that the turiasaurians lie outside the Neosauropoda and form a monophyletic group. The clade is diagnosed by the presence of vertical neural spines, posterior centroparapohyseal laminae on the dorsal
vertebrae, the absence of pre- and postspinal laminae on the dorsal vertebrae, the absence of a scapula
r acromial crest, the presence of a prominent humeral
deltopectoral crest, medial
deflection of the proximal end of the humerus, and a distinct vertical ridge on the caudal side of the distal half of the ulna
.
The biogeographic and stratigraphic ranges of the Turiasauria remain unclear, but Royo-Torres et al. (2006; 1927) hypothesize that the clade probably represents a pre-Tithonian sauropod radiation
originating in Europe. As yet unrecognized members of the group may be indicated by Turiasaurus-like teeth from the Jurassic of Portugal
, France
, and England
(presently referred to the genera
Neosodon
and Cardiodon
).
Turiasaurus demonstrates that the evolution
of enormous body size was not restricted to neosauropod clades such as the Diplodocidae and Titanosauria, but developed independently at least once in a lineage of more basal sauropods, the turiasaurians.
In 2009 a thesis published by José Barco proposed that neither Galveosaurus nor Losillasaurus were turiasaurians. Later, a master thesis by Francisco Gascó (2009) and also a new paper published in Palaeontology by Royo-Torres et al. (2009) concluded that Turiasauria was a valid clade.
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
of sauropod dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, named for the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Turiasaurus
Turiasaurus
Turiasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary...
, a gigantic eusauropod from southwestern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The clade also includes two other known members, Galveosaurus
Galveosaurus
Galveosaurus is an extinct genus of dinosaur from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous periods. Its fossils were found in Galve, Spain, hence its generic name, "Galve lizard". The specific name honours the discoverer, José María Herrero....
and Losillasaurus
Losillasaurus
Losillasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in the southeast of Spain. The type species of the turiasaurian Losillasaurus giganteus was discovered in the Los Serranos basin in Valencia and formally described by Casanovas, Santafé and Sanz in 2001...
. All three taxa thus far referred to Turiasauria have come from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian
Tithonian
In the geologic timescale the Tithonian is the latest age of the Late Jurassic epoch or the uppermost stage of the Upper Jurassic series. It spans the time between 150.8 ± 4 Ma and 145.5 ± 4 Ma...
-Berriasian
Berriasian
In the geological timescale, the Berriasian is an age or stage of the Early or Lower Creteceous. It is the oldest or lowest subdivision in the entire Cretaceous. It spanned between 145.5 ± 4.0 Ma and 140.2 ± 3.0 Ma...
) of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Turiasuria was defined as: all Eusauropoda closer to Turiasaurus riodevensis than to Saltasaurus
Saltasaurus
Saltasaurus is a genus of titanosaurid sauropod dinosaur of the Late Cretaceous Period. Relatively small among sauropods, though still massive by the standards of modern creatures, Saltasaurus was characterized by a diplodocid-like head...
loricatus.
Cladistic analysis (Royo-Torres et al., 2006; 1927) of 309 characters and 33 taxa suggests that the turiasaurians lie outside the Neosauropoda and form a monophyletic group. The clade is diagnosed by the presence of vertical neural spines, posterior centroparapohyseal laminae on the dorsal
Dorsum (biology)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
vertebrae, the absence of pre- and postspinal laminae on the dorsal vertebrae, the absence of a scapula
Scapula
In anatomy, the scapula , omo, or shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus with the clavicle ....
r acromial crest, the presence of a prominent humeral
Humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
deltopectoral crest, medial
Medial
- Medial magmas :In abstract algebra, a medial magma is a set with a binary operation which satisfies the identity \cdot = \cdot , or more simply, xy\cdot uv = xu\cdot yv...
deflection of the proximal end of the humerus, and a distinct vertical ridge on the caudal side of the distal half of the ulna
Ulna
The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form and runs parallel to the radius, which is shorter and smaller. In anatomical position The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form...
.
The biogeographic and stratigraphic ranges of the Turiasauria remain unclear, but Royo-Torres et al. (2006; 1927) hypothesize that the clade probably represents a pre-Tithonian sauropod radiation
Evolutionary radiation
An evolutionary radiation is an increase in taxonomic diversity or morphological disparity, due to adaptive change or the opening of ecospace. Radiations may affect one clade or many, and be rapid or gradual; where they are rapid, and driven by a single lineage's adaptation to their environment,...
originating in Europe. As yet unrecognized members of the group may be indicated by Turiasaurus-like teeth from the Jurassic of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(presently referred to the genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Neosodon
Neosodon
Neosodon was a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Late Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Sables et Grès à Trigonia gribosa of Départment du Pas-de-Calais, France. It has never been formally given a species name, but is often seen as N. praecursor, which actually comes from a different animal...
and Cardiodon
Cardiodon
Cardiodon was a genus of sauropod dinosaur, based on a tooth from the late Bathonian-age Middle Jurassic Forest Marble Formation of Wiltshire, England...
).
Turiasaurus demonstrates that the evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
of enormous body size was not restricted to neosauropod clades such as the Diplodocidae and Titanosauria, but developed independently at least once in a lineage of more basal sauropods, the turiasaurians.
In 2009 a thesis published by José Barco proposed that neither Galveosaurus nor Losillasaurus were turiasaurians. Later, a master thesis by Francisco Gascó (2009) and also a new paper published in Palaeontology by Royo-Torres et al. (2009) concluded that Turiasauria was a valid clade.