Giant Late Triassic ichthyosaurs from the Kössen Formation of the Swiss Alps and their paleobiological implications

LITERATURE CITED

• Bardet, N., J. Falconnet, V. Fischer, A. Houssaye, S. Jouve, X. P. Suberbiola, A. Pérez-García, J.-C. Rage, and P. Vincent. 2014. Mesozoic marine reptile palaeobiogeography in response to drifting plates. Gondwana Research 26:869–887.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bindellini, G., A. S. Wolniewicz, F. Miedema, T. M. Scheyer, and C. Dal Sasso. 2021. Cranial anatomy of Besanosaurus leptorhynchus Dal Sasso & Pinna, 1996 (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria) from the Middle Triassic Besano Formation of Monte San Giorgio, Italy/Switzerland: taxonomic and palaeobiological implications. PeerJ 9:e11179.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Blainville, H. M. D. de 1835. Systéme de'Herpetologie. Nouvelle Annale de Museum (national) d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris 4:233–296.
   Google Scholar
• Bürgin, T., and H. Furrer. 1992. Zähne und Kieferreste der Gattung Birgeria (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii) aus der ostalpinen Obertrias der Bergüner Stöcke (Kanton Graubünden, Schweiz). Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae 85:931–946.
   Google Scholar
• Bürgin, T., and H. Furrer. 1993. Kieferreste eines grossen Strahlenflossers (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii) aus der ostalpinen Obertrias der Bergüner Stöcke (Kanton Graubünden, Schweiz) und Diskussion der Validität von ?Birgeria costata (Muenster 1839). Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae 85:1015–1029.
   Google Scholar
• Bürgin, T., and H. Furrer. 2004. Fossile Knochenfische aus der Kössen-Formation (Obertrias; Rhaet) von Lorüns (Vorarlberg, Österreich). Vorarlberger Naturschau 14:67–86.
   Google Scholar
• Callaway, J. M., and J. A. Massare. 1989. Geographic and stratigraphic distribution of the Triassic Ichthyosauria (Reptilia; Diapsida). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 178:37–58.
   Google Scholar
• Camp, C. L. 1976. Vorläufige Mitteilung über große Ichthyosaurier aus der oberen Trias von Nevada. Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch–Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse. Sitzungsberichte Abteiltung I 185:125–134.
   Google Scholar
• Camp, C. L. 1980. Large ichthyosaurs from the Upper Triassic of Nevada. Palaeontographica A 170:139–200.
   Google Scholar
• Cohen, K. M., S. C. Finney, P. L. Gibbard, and J.–X. Fan. 2019. The ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart. Episodes 36:199–204. http://www.stratigraphy.org/ICSchart/ChronostratChart2018-07.pdf.
   Google Scholar
• Dalla Vecchia, F. and M. Avanzini, 2002. New findings of isolated remains of Triassic reptiles from Northeastern Italy. Bollettino della Societa Paleontologica Italiana, 41:215–235.
   Google Scholar
• Druckenmiller, P. S., N. Kelley, M. T. Whalen, C. McRoberts, and J. G. Carter. 2014. An Upper Triassic (Norian) ichthyosaur (Reptilia, Ichthyopterygia) from northern Alaska and dietary insight based on gut contents. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34:1460–1465.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Duffin, C. J., and H. Furrer. 1981. Myriacanthid holocephalan remains from the Rhaetian (Upper Triassic) and Hettangian (Lower Jurassic) of Graubünden. Eclogae Geolologicae Helvetiae 74:803–829.
   Google Scholar
• Felber, R., H. J. Weissert, H. Furrer, and T. R. R. Bontognali. 2015. The Triassic–Jurassic boundary in the shallow–water marine carbonates from the western Northern Calcareous Alps (Austria). Swiss Journal of Geosciences 108:213–224.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Fischer, V. 2016. Taxonomy of Platypterygius campylodon and the diversity of the last ichthyosaurs. PeerJ 4:e2604.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Fischer, V., H. Cappetta, P. Vincent, G. R. Garcia, S. Goolaerts, J. E. Martin, D. Roggero, and X. Valentin. 2014. Ichthyosaurs from the French Rhaetian indicate a severe turnover across the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. Naturwissenschaften 101:1027–1040.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Fröbisch, N. B., and J. Fröbisch. 2006. A new basal pterosaur genus from the northern calcareous Alps of Switzerland. Palaeontology 49:1081–1090.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Fröbisch, N. B., J. Fröbisch, P. M. Sander, L. Schmitz, and O. Rieppel. 2013. Macropredatory ichthyosaur from the Middle Triassic and the origin of modern trophic networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110 1393–1397.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Furrer, H. 1985. Field workshop on Triassic and Jurassic sediments in the Eastern Alps of Switzerland. Mitteilungen aus dem Geologischen Institut der Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule und der Universität Zürich (N.F.) 248:1–81.
   Google Scholar
• Furrer, H. 1993. Stratigraphie und Facies der Trias/Jura–Grenzschichten in den oberostalpinen Decken Graubündens. Dissertation. 114 pp. University of Zurich, Zurich.
   Google Scholar
• Gutarra, S., B. C. Moon, I. A. Rahman, C. Palmer, S. Lautenschlager, A. J. Brimacombe, and M. J. Benton. 2019. Effects of body plan evolution on the hydrodynamic drag and energy requirements of swimming in ichthyosaurs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 286:20182786.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hector, J. 1878. Progress report. New Zealand Geological Survey Reports of the Geological Explorations during 1877–1878: i–xv.
   Google Scholar
• Hogler, J. A. 1992. Taphonomy and paleoecology of Shonisaurus popularis (Reptilia: Ichtyosauria). Palaios 7:108–117.
   Google Scholar
• Huene, F. v. 1912. Der Unterkiefer eines riesigen Ichthyosauriers aus dem englischen Rhät. Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie 1912:61–63.
   Google Scholar
• Ji, C., D.-Y. Jiang, R. Motani, O. Rieppel, W-C. Hao, and Z-Y. Sun. 2016. Phylogeny of the Ichthyopterygia incorporating the recent discoveries from South China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 36:e1025956.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Karl, H.-V., G. Arp, E. Siedersbeck, and J. Reitner. 2014. A large ichthyosaur vertebra from the lower Kössen Formation (Upper Norian) of the Lahnewiesgraben near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Göttingen Contributions to Geosciences 77:191–197.
   Google Scholar
• Kelley, N. P., and N. D. Pyenson. 2015. Evolutionary innovation and ecology in marine tetrapods from the Triassic to the Anthropocene. Science 348:aaa3716–1.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kosh, B. F. 1990. A revision of the skeletal reconstruction of Shonisaurus popularis (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 10:512–514.
   Google Scholar
• Lomax, D. R. 2016. A new leptonectid ichthyosaur from the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian) of Nottinghamshire, England, UK, and the taxonomic usefulness of the ichthyosaurian coracoid. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 15:387–401.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lomax, D. R., J. A. Massare, and R. T. Mistry. 2017. The taxonomic utility of forefin morphology in Lower Jurassic ichthyosaurs: Protoichthyosaurus and Ichthyosaurus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 37:e1361433.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lomax, D., P. De la Salle, J. Massare, and R. Gallois. 2018. A giant Late Triassic ichthyosaur from the UK and a reinterpretation of the Aust Cliff ‘dinosaurian’ bones. PLoS ONE 13:e0194742.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Martin, J. E., P. Vincent, G. Suan, T. Sharpe, P. Hodges, M. Williams, C. Howells, and V. Fischer. 2015. A mysterious giant ichthyosaur from the lowermost Jurassic of Wales. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 60:837–842.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Massare, J. A., E. A. Buchholtz, J. M. Kenney, and A.-M. Chomat, 2006. Vertebral morphology of Ophthalmosaurus natans (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria) from the Jurassic Sundance Formation of Wyoming. Paludicola 5(4):242–254.
   Google Scholar
• Mazin, J.-M. 1985. Les Ichthyopterygia du Trias supérieur de Nouvelle Calédonie. Implications paléobiogéographiques. Revue de Paléobiologie. 4:177–182.
   Google Scholar
• McGowan, C. 1996. Giant ichthyosaurs of the Early Jurassic. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 33:1011–1021.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McGowan, C., and R. Motani. 1999. A reinterpretation of the Upper Triassic ichthyosaur Shonisaurus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19:42–49.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McGowan, C., and R. Motani. 2003. Handbook of Paleoherpetology. Part 8. Ichthyopterygia. 175 pp. Dr. Freidrich Pfeil Verlag, Munich.
   Google Scholar
• McRoberts, C. A. 2010. Biochronology of Triassic bivalves. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 334:201–219.
   Google Scholar
• Merriam, J. C. 1902. Triassic Ichthyopterygia from California and Nevada. University of California Publications – Bulletin of the Department of Geology 3(4):63–108.
   Google Scholar
• Merriam, J. C. 1908. Triassic Ichthyosauria, with special reference to the American forms. Memoirs of the University of California 1:1–155.
   Google Scholar
• Moon, B. 2019. A new phylogeny of ichthyosaurs (Reptilia: Diapsida). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 17:1–27.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Moon, B. C., and T. L. Stubbs. 2020. Early high rates and disparity in the evolution of ichthyosaurs. Communications Biology 3:1–8.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Morton, N. 2008. The International Subcommission on Jurassic Stratigraphy. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association 119:97–103.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Motani, R. 1999. Phylogeny of the Ichthyopterygia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19:473–496.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Motani, R. 2009. The evolution of marine reptiles. Evolution: Education and Outreach 2:224–235.
   Google Scholar
• Motani, R., M. Manabe, and Z. M. Dong. 1999. The status of Himalayasaurus tibetensis (Ichthyopterygia). Paludicola 2:174–181.
   Google Scholar
• Motani, R., C. Ji, T. Tomita, N. Kelley, E. Maxwell, D.-Y. Jiang, and P. M. Sander. 2013. Absence of suction feeders among ichthyosaurs and its implications for the mesopelagic paleoecology in the Triassic. PLoS ONE 8:e66075.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Neenan, J. M., and Scheyer, T. M., 2014. New specimen of Psephoderma alpinum (Sauropterygia, Placodontia) from the Late Triassic of Schesaplana Mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Geosciences 107:349–357.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Neenan, J. M., C. Li, O. Rieppel, F. Bernardini, C. Tuniz, G. Muscio, and T. M. Scheyer. 2014. Unique method of tooth replacement in durophagous placodont marine reptiles, with new data on the dentition of Chinese taxa. Journal of Anatomy 224:603–613.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Nicholls, E. L., and M. Manabe. 2004. Giant ichthyosaurs of the Triassic–A new species of Shonisaurus from the Pardonet Formation (Norian, Late Triassic) of British Columbia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24:838–849.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Redelstorff, R., P. M. Sander, and P. M. Galton. 2014. Unique bone histology in partial, large bone shafts from Aust Cliff (England, Upper Triassic): An early independent experiment in gigantism. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59:607–615.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rohrbach, A. 1976. Ela- und Silvretta-Decke zwischen Tinzenhorn und Alvaneu (GR). Unpublished Diploma Thesis, Geological Institute, ETH and Universtiy of Zurich. Zurich.
   Google Scholar
• Sander, P. M., X. Chen, L. Cheng, and X. Wang. 2011. Short–snouted toothless ichthyosaur from China suggests Late Triassic diversification of suction feeding ichthyosaurs. PLoS ONE 6:e19480.
   Google Scholar
• Sander, P. M., T. Wintrich, A. H. Schwermann, and R. Kindlimann. 2016. Die paläontologische Grabung in der Rhät–Lias–Tongrube der Fa. Lücking bei Warburg–Bonenburg (Kr. Höxter) im Frühjahr 2015. Geologie und Paläontologie in Westfalen 88:11–37.
   Google Scholar
• Sander, P. M., E. M. Griebeler, N. Klein Velez, J. Juarbe, T. Wintrich, L. J. Revell, and L. Schmitz. 2021. Early giant reveals faster evolution of large size in ichthyosaurs than in cetaceans. Science 374:eabf5787.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Scheyer, T. M., U. Oberli, N. Klein, and H. Furrer. 2022. A large osteoderm-bearing rib from the Upper Triassic Kössen Formation (Norian/Rhaetian) of eastern Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 141:1.
   Google Scholar
• Scheyer, T., C. Romano, J. Jenks, and H. Bucher. 2014. Early Triassic marine biotic recovery: the predators’ perspective. PLoS ONE 9:e88987.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Stecher, R. 2008. A new Triassic pterosaur from Switzerland (Central Austroalpine, Grisons), Raeticodactylus filisurensis gen. et sp. nov. Swiss Journal of Geosciences 101:185–201.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Storrs, G. W. 1994. Fossil vertebrate faunas of the British Rhaetian. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society of London 112:217–259.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Thorne, P. M., M. Ruta, and M. J. Benton. 2011. Resetting the evolution of marine reptiles at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA 108:8339–8344.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wang, X., G. H. Bachmann, H. Hagdorn, P. M. Sander, G. Cuny, X. Chen, C. Wang, L. Chen, L. Cheng, F. Meng, and G. Xu. 2008. The Late Triassic black shales of the Guanling area (Ghuizhou Province, Southwest China)—a unique marine reptile and pelagic crinoid fossillagerstätte. Palaeontology 51:27–61.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wintrich, T., M. Scaal, C. Böhmer, R. Schellhorn, I. Kogan, A. van der Reest, and P. M. Sander. 2020. Palaeontological evidence reveals convergent evolution of intervertebral joint types in amniotes. Scientific Reports 10:1–14.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Witkowski, J. 2017. Beschreibung der Shonisaurus–Wirbel aus dem Rhät–Bonebed (Obertrias) von Bonenburg, Kreis Höxter, Nordrhein–Westfalen (Deutschland). B.Sc. Thesis. Rheinische Friedrich–Wilhelms–Universität Bonn, Bonn.
   Google Scholar
• Wurster, D. 1991. Zur Geologie der südwestlichen Ducan–Gruppe (Silvretta–Decke). Unpublished Diploma Thesis, Geological Institute, ETH and Universtiy of Zurich. Zurich.
   Google Scholar
• Zammit, M. 2010. A review of Australasian ichthyosaurs. Alcheringa:281–292.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Zapfe, H. 1976. Ein großer Ichthyosaurier aus den Kössener Schichten der Nordalpen. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien 80:239–250.
   Google Scholar