Discovery of the first ichthyosaur from the Jurassic of India: Implications for Gondwanan palaeobiogeography

Prasad GVR, Pandey DK, Alberti M, Fürsich F, Thakkar MG, Chauhan GD (2017)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

PLoS ONE Public Library of Science

Publisher: Public Library of Science

Book Volume: 12

Pages Range: e0185851

Journal Issue: 10

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185851

Abstract

An articulated and partially preserved skeleton of an ichthyosaur was found in the Upper Jurassic (Upper Kimmeridgian) Katrol Formation exposed at a site south of the village Lodai in Kachchh district, Gujarat (western India). Here we present a detailed description and inferred taxonomic relationship of the specimen. The present study revealed that the articulated skeleton belongs to the family Ophthalmosauridae. The new discovery from India further improves the depauperate fossil record of ichthyosaurs from the former Gondwanan continents. Based on the preserved length of the axial skeleton and anterior part of the snout and taking into account the missing parts of the skull and postflexural region, it is suggested that the specimen may represent an adult possibly reaching a length of 5.0–5.5 m. The widespread occurrence of ophthalmosaurids in the Upper Jurassic deposits of western Tethys, Madagascar, South America and India points to possible faunal exchanges between the western Tethys and Gondwanan continents through a southern seaway.

Authors with CRIS profile

Franz Fürsich Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät

Involved external institutions

University of Delhi IN India (IN) University of Rajasthan IN India (IN) Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Prasad, G.V.R., Pandey, D.K., Alberti, M., Fürsich, F., Thakkar, M.G., & Chauhan, G.D. (2017). Discovery of the first ichthyosaur from the Jurassic of India: Implications for Gondwanan palaeobiogeography. PLoS ONE, 12(10), e0185851. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185851

MLA:

Prasad, Guntupalli Veera Raghavendra, et al. "Discovery of the first ichthyosaur from the Jurassic of India: Implications for Gondwanan palaeobiogeography." PLoS ONE 12.10 (2017): e0185851.

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