For prehistoric groups, anatomical data is the most important and widely used source of data used in determining relationships (as opposed to genetic data). The limitations of its use strong, very rarely are soft parts preserved and thus interpretations are based only on skeletal elements, and of those discovered, very rarely are they complete or in a perfect state.
Non-specific evidence for evolution
All members of the group are generally similar in form and show a number of synpomorphies, the bauplan in all members is the same but often highly modified. Changes in body size, proportion, jaw mechanics and hearing are the result of speciation as the group adapts to a variety of niches. The size of increasingly derived clades becomes greater: pachypleurosaurs range from less than 20 cm to 1 meter in length, "nothosaurs" range from approximately 1 meter to 4 meters, and plesiosaurs may reach lengths of 15 meters or more.
CRANIAL DATA
Skull
There is widespread agreement that the absence of the lower temporal opening is in fact an unusual variation of the diapsid condition rather than being a unique "euryapsid" condition. (Taylor, 1989). However, their position within the Diapsida is less consistent, Rieppel (1989 in Taylor 1989) considers them to be either primitive diapsids yet to evolve the second opening, or have lost the lower temporal opening via secondary derivation.
The upper temporal opening of the pachypleurosaur head is smaller than the orbit (Carroll, 1988) a plesiomorphic state, not a defining factor of the group (Storrs 1993) and the upper temporal bar is strong. The temporal opening is larger in the nothosaurs and in plesiosaurs increasingly so(Carroll 1988). The palate of pachypleurosauria and "nothosaurs" has posterior and medial extentions of the pterygoids, the interpterygoidal vacuities are completely closed and ventrally the base of the braincase is covered. This is considered an extension of the condition seen in Claudiosaurus (see below) (Carroll, 1988). The pachypleurosaur skull is characterised by loss of the ectopterygoid (Rieppel, 1989 in Storrs, 1993) in addition to the reduction of the supratemporal and an impedence matching middle ear.
The distinguishing feature of the plesiosaur skull is the loss of the nasal bones, a synapomorphic feature above Pistosaurus (Carpenter, 1997). This is however slightly unreliable as misidentification of the prefrontals is common (Carpenter, 1997) and O'keefe (2001) believes this is only synapomorphic for the Plesiosauroidea (i.e. Pliosauroids posses nasals). The palate of Pistosaurus is rather primtive (Sues, 1987) indicating that the plesiosaur lineage perhaps broke off before the pachypleurosaurs (Carroll, 1988). Plesiosauroids tend to have upwards facing eyes while pliosauroidss are laterally placed (Massare, 1988), this may have implications for feeding strategy.
In pliosauroids the mandibular symphysis may be short with 5-6 caniniform teeth or long with 10-12 caniniform teeth (Tarlo, 1960). Primitive elasmosaurs are identified by the presence of contacting frontals (Wagner 1914 in Carpenter, 1997). In the Cretaceous elasmosaurids and polycolylids, the pinneal foramen is dorsally closed, a synapomorphy, and in latest Cretaceous genera the frontals are separated by the premaxilla and form the dorsal rim of the orbit.
In plesiosauoroidea, the lachrymal is only present in pliosaurids and is absent in elasmosaurs and polycotylids (allegedly absent in plesiosaurids) (Carpenter, 1997), however, this may actually be the nasal bones (see above). In contrast to other Sauropterygia, the elasmosaurid jugal forms most of the edge of the orbit. In the elasmosaur Libonectes, a small fenestra indicates a remnant of the suborbital fenestra (Carpenter, 1997). The exoccipital-opithotic bone is not part of the occipital condyle in all plesiosaurs except Cryptoclidus and pliosaurs indicating an early divergence of this group. Synapomorphies between the Elasmosaurids and polycotylids include the presence of a vomeronasal fenestra, expansion of the pterygoids into plates below the braincase and loss of the pineal foramen and stapes.
In pliosauroids of Upper Jurassic sediments of Britain, the younger Oxfordian genera have circular cross-section teeth (patterns may be used for distinguishing species) while in the Kimmeridgian, all pliosaur teeth are trihedral in cross section (Tarlo, 1960).
POST-CRANIAL DATA
Pectoral Girdle
The pachypleurosaur and "nothosaur" pectoral girdle is unique and poorly ossified. The reduced ventral portion of the pachypleurosaur girdle reflects their basal position (Carroll, 1988): neither the clavicles nor the scapulae are expanded ventrally as they are in the "nothosaurs" and to an even greater extent in the Plesiosauria. However, derived features of the pachypleurosaur pectoral girdle are the massive scapular and the lack of posteromedian processes on the interclavicle. The coracoids are larger in "nothosaurs", a reflection of their increased reliance upon limbs for movement (Storrs, 1993).
There is a similarity between the pectoral girdles of adult plesiomorphic taxa such as Pachypleurosaurs and "nothosaurs" and the juvenile form seen in plesiosaurs (Storrs, 1993, Carroll, 1988). This is evidenced by the similarity between the pectoral girdles of juvenile Cryptoclidids, for example Cryptoclidus, with the adult forms of related but more primitive sauropterygians e.g Neusticosaurus and Ceresiosaurus. The limb girdles of plesiosaurs are ventrally expanded but the vertical components are reduced (Storrs, 1993). This is evidence of possible heterochrony within the sauropterygian lineage. Such peramorphosis (addition to form) also occurs in plesiosaur limbs. Typicaly elasmosaurids have a midline scapular bar. Further more, the pectoral girdles of placodonts such as Placodus show even less development, further evidence for their perceived primitive position.
Pelvic Girdle
This is reduced in the basal sauropterygians as they relied on asymmetrical undulatory motion, but expanded again in the plesiosaurs whose mode of locomotion involves the symmetrical use of limbs (Carroll, 1988).
Vertebrae
Pachypleurosaurs and "nothosaurs" have lost the intracentra except at the base of the tail and to the anteria of the atlas-axis. The number of sacral vertebrae in Sauropterygia ancestors is two, in pachypleurosaurs three, in "nothosaurs" six (Carroll, 1989). The neural spine of pachypleurosaurs is low and the neural arches are broad and flat and the tail is long, often longer than the rest of the body (Sues, 1987). This contrasts to the tall broad neural spines and sub-rectangular narrow neural arches, flat vertebrae faces and short laterally compressed caudals observed in "nothosaurs" (Sues, 1987). The thoraces of "nothosaurs" and plesiosaurs are rigid (Carroll, 1989) but those of pachypleurosaurs are less so. Densely packed gastralia occur in the "nothosaurs" (Storrs, 1993). This is also a feature of the Plesiosauria, a derived character as indicated by the lack of accessory vertebral articulations (Storrs, 1993). In pliosauroids the cervical vertebrae are distinguishable from other sauroptertgians as well as between inclusive species but unusually not between genera (Tarlo, 1960). It is the presence or absence of a ventral keel on the anterior cervical vertebrae which is an important distinguishing feature of pliosauroids (Tarlo, 1960). Pachyostosis is common in the ribs and vertebrae of many pachypleurosaurs e.g Neusticosaurus as a mechanism for achieving neutral buoyancy. This is rare in plesiosaurs but such thickening of bone has been observed in the pliosauroid genus Pachycostasaurus dawni from the Middle Jurassic (Cruikshank et al. 1996).
Limbs
Above. Limbs in Sauropterygians, epipodials are shaded (Modified from Storrs, 1993)
The limbs of sauropterygians are increasingly modified for aquatic life through proportional changes. In Pachypleurosaurs the humerus is large and the distal elements reduced. The condition in "nothosaurs" is similar but some forms e.g. Ceresiosaurus show some degree of hyperphalangy (Carroll, 1988; Storrs 1993). The number of digits remains 5 throughout all of the clades but the number of phalanges increases. Functional surfaces of the "nothosaur limbs" are increased by distal flattening and broadening of humerus and, shortened and flattened epipodials and reduced limb flexability. In the plesiosaurs, the limbs have been modified into hydrofoils, distally tapering paddles and extensive hyperphalangy occurs in the distal rays (Storrs, 1993; Sues, 1987). Further more, flexibility is limited: the only functional joint is the shoulder/hip joint. The bones of the limbs are analogous throughout these lineages.
Plesiosauroidss can be distinguished from pliosauroids on the relative size of their fore and aft limbs: the hind limbs in plesiosaurs are shorter whereas they are larger in pliosaurs (Bakker, 1993, Storrs 1993). In fact, the hind limbs are longer in all Sauropterygia except for the Plesiosauroidea (Sues 1987b). The propodials in the Pliosauroidea are of different length at different geological ages (Tarlo 1960) and the plesiosaur humeri especially, shows peramorphosis through ontogeny (Storrs 1993).
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