Apsisaurus

Apsisaurus is an extinct genus of Early Permian varanopid synapsids known from Texas of the United States. It was first named by Michel Laurin in 1991 and the type species is Apsisaurus witteri. Apsisaurus witteri is known from the holotype MCZ 1474, a three-dimensionally preserved partial skeleton including an incomplete skull and mandibles. The skull roof of Archeria is also articulated to the postcranial skeleton. It was collected in the Archer City Bonebed 1 site, from the Archer City Formation of the Wichita Group, dating to the Early Permian epoch.[1] Apsisaurus was formerly assigned as an "eosuchian" diapsid.[1] In 2010, it was redescribed by Robert R. Reisz, Michel Laurin and David Marjanović; their phylogenetic analysis found it to be a basal varanopid synapsid.[2]

Apsisaurus
Temporal range: Early Permian
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Family: †Varanopidae
Genus: †Apsisaurus
Laurin, 1991
Species:
†A. witteri
Binomial name
†Apsisaurus witteri
Laurin, 1991

Below is a simplified version of the cladogram found by Reisz, Laurin and Marjanović, 2010.[2]

Varanopidae

Archaeovenator

Apsisaurus

Mesenosaurus

Mycterosaurus

Varanopinae

References
  1. Michel Laurin (1991). "The osteology of a Lower Permian eosuchian from Texas and a review of diapsid phylogeny". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 101 (1): 59–95. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1991.tb00886.x.
  2. Robert R. Reisz, Michel Laurin and David Marjanović (2010). "Apsisaurus witteri from the Lower Permian of Texas: yet another small varanopid synapsid, not a diapsid". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (5): 1628–1631. doi:10.1080/02724634.2010.501441.


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