The postcranial skeleton of Boreogomphodon (Cynodontia: Traversodontidae) from the Upper Triassic of North Carolina, USA and the comparison with other traversodontids

PeerJ

article

Jun Liu¹  Vincent P. Schneider³  Paul E. Olsen⁴ 

[1] Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences;University of Chinese Academy of Sciences;North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences;Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

关键词: Postcranial skeleton;    Cynodontia;    Boreogomphodon;    Traversodontidae;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.3521

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Postcranial remains of Boreogomphodon from the Upper Triassic of North Carolina are described and compared to those of other known traversodontid cynodonts. The postcranial skeleton of Boreogomphodon is characterized by four sacral ribs, simple ribs lacking costal plates, the extension of the scapular neck below the acromion process, a short scapular facet on the procoracoid, a concave anterior margin of the procoracoid, humerus entepicondyle with smooth corner, and the presence of a fifth distal carpal. Four types of ribs are identified among traversodontids: ‘normal’ form, tubercular rib, costal plate, and Y-shaped rib. Fossorial behavior is suggested for traversodontids with elaborate costal plates. Within Traversodontidae, the procoracoid is relatively small; the anterior process of the iliac blade extends anteroventrally to different degrees in different taxa, which facilitates retraction of the femur; and the limb bones show allometric growth in terms of length and width.

【 授权许可】

CC BY