まとめ
アルゼンチンで発見された化石カメは,南米のカメの化石記録を6000万年前に大幅に後退させました. これらのトライアス紀時代の化石は,基礎亀の新しい属と種,Palaeochersis talampayensisを代表しています.
科学分野:
- パレオントロジー・パレオントロジー
- 脊椎動物の古生物学について
- 中世 爬虫類 中世爬虫類
背景:
- 初期の亀の化石記録は稀で,特に南半球からのものです.
- カメ (Testudines) の進化史と多様化は,現在も活発な研究分野である.
- 南アメリカにおける以前のカメの発見は,トライアス紀に及ばなかった.
研究 の 目的:
- アルゼンチンのトライアシク時代の新しい基礎亀の化石を記述する.
- 初期のカメの進化的関係と多様性を再評価する.
- 南米の亀の既知の時的・地理的な範囲を拡大する.
主な方法:
- アルゼンチンの北西部のノリアン (トリアス紀後期) 層からの2つの化石亀の骨格の発掘と準備.
- 化石材料の比較解剖学的分析で,カメの重要な骨格特性に焦点を当てています.
- Testudines.内の新しい分類種の進化的関係を決定するための系統遺伝分析.
主要な成果:
- 新しい属と種を代表する,ほぼ完全な標本を含む2つの新しい化石亀の骨格の発見:Paleochersis talampayensis.
- Palaeochersis talampayensisは,以前は南アフリカのジュラ紀初期からしか知られていなかった家族Australochelidaeに配置されています.
- この新しい発見は,南米の亀の化石記録をトライアス紀後期まで延長し,これまで知られていたよりも約6000万年早くなりました.
結論:
- Australochelidaeは,カメの基礎系を表し,Paleochersis talampayensisは,その形態学と分布に関する重要な洞察を提供しています.
- カメの多様性はトライアシク後期に存在し,彼らの進化のタイムラインに関する以前の概念に挑戦しました.
- この発見は,カシケリディアを含む主要な亀のクラードは,おそらくジュラ紀期に発生したことを示唆しています.
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