Unique Fossil of Juvenile Pleurosaurus Unearthed in Germany
''' Rhynchocephalians — members of a sister group of squamates (lizards, snakes, and worm lizards) that includes the living tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) — from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Archipelago have been known for almost two centuries. The number of their specimens and species is constantly increasing, but little is known about the development of these animals.
The well-documented marine rhynchocephalian genus Pleurosaurus, which lived during the Late Jurassic epoch some 150 million years ago, is one of such cases. With over 15 described (and many more undescribed) specimens, there were no unambiguous juveniles — until now... '''
The Specimen:
'' In new research, the authors described the first unambiguous post-hatchling juvenile of Pleurosaurus.
The specimen came from the Mörnsheim Formation close to Mühlheim, near Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany.
“This fossil is particularly interesting because it clearly shows characteristics of a young animal,” the paleontologists said.
“ Its teeth are small and show no signs of wear, the bones are not fully developed, and the vertebrae are still in the process of forming. Its small size, along with other features, makes it the first clearly identified juvenile Pleurosaurus specimen, filling an important gap in the understanding of the growth and development of these extinct reptiles. ''
