Ontogeny and phylogeny of the mesopodial skeleton in mosasauroid reptiles

Abstract

Current phylogenies of mosasauroid reptiles are reviewed and a new phylogeny examining aigalosaur interrelationships presented. Patterns of mesopodial ossification and overall limb morphology are described for adult mosasauroids. Ossification sequences are mapped onto a phylogeny in order to assess the distribution of ontogenetic characters. Consistent and ordered distributions are found. Based on the phylogenetic distribution of ossification patterns; an overall mesopodial ossification sequence for mosasaurs is proposed. Carpal sequence: ulnare - distal carpal four (dc4) - intermedium - dc3 - radiale or dc2 - dc1 or pisiform and dc5. Tarsal sequence: astragalus - distal tarsal four or calcaneum. Skeletal paedomorphosis is recognized as a dominant pattern in the evolution of mosasauroid limbs. Apomorphic characters of skeletal paedomorphosis, apparent in most taxa, reach extremes in tylosaurs. Arguments for the presence of a single proximal cartilage in the tarsus of mosasaurs are made. This cartilage is presumed to include ossification centres from which both the astragalus and calcaneum will ossify. (C) 1996 The Linnean Society of London