Gephyrosaurus bridensis
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Gephyrosaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic-Early Jurassic, Rhaetian–195 |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Family: | †Gephyrosauridae |
| Genus: |
†Gephyrosaurus Evans, 1980 |
| Species: | †G. bridensis |
| Binomial name | |
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Gephyrosaurus bridensis Evans, 1980 |
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Gephyrosaurus is a genus of early rhynchocephalian first described and named in 1980 by Susan E. Evans. They are distantly related to the extant Sphenodon (tuatara of New Zealand) with which they shared a number of skeletal features including a large tooth row along the side of the palatine bone (part of the palate) and posterior process of the dentary bone (part of the lower jaw). The type species, G. bridensis, lived during Early Jurassic in Wales, UK. Whiteside & Duffin (2017) described the second species, G. evansae, known from a partial maxilla recovered from Late Triassic (Rhaetian) fissure fills in Carboniferous Limestone in Somerset. The primitive cranial features of this organism places it within the order of Eosuchia.
Observation of the skeletal elements of Gephyrosaurus bridensis makes it evident that this was very much a lizard-like creature. It possessed relatively long, slender legs which would allow it to run quickly in pursuit of prey or in escape from larger predators. While many small lizards are able to climb trees, it is possible this organism was not fully arboreal although it possessed strong legs and claws which would make it possible to climb. It is unlikely Gephyrosaurus was bipedal.
Two distinct vertebrae from Gephyrosaurus bridensis were described, and these vertebrae are very similar to the modern Rhychocephalian Sphenodon, providing strong evidence that the two genera are related
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