Glyptogenys
| Glyptogenys Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Teiidae |
| Genus: | †Glyptogenys Gao & Fox, 1991 |
| Species: | †G. ornata
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Glyptogenys ornata Gao & Fox, 1991
| |
Glyptogenys is a genus of extinct teiid lizard described by Gao and Fox in 1991. It is known from one subtaxa, which is Glyptogenys ornata. It is inferred to be a ground dwelling insectivore-carnivore, which is based on Teiidae, and lived in the Cretaceous of Canada.[1]
Description
[edit]Glyptogenys is described as being a "relatively large" teiid.[2] It differs from modern teiids with the following traits: deep massively built dentary with heavy ornamentation below inferior alveolar foramina (at least in adults); A subdental shelf significantly deeper than in other primitive teiids with the maximum depth almost equaling the height of the anterior dentary teeth; Deep but narrow sulcus dentalis with the medial wall appressed close to tooth bases; Weak mandibular symphysis lacking robust ventral buttress; Heterodont dentary closely spaced and anteroposteriorly compressed, standing parallel to each other to form a comb like structure and obliquely to long axis of jaw; Slightly recurved crowns with unicuspid anteriorly and bicuspid posteriorly, with the main cusp in posterior position and anterior cusp smaller but prominent; strongly widened tooth bases transversely having thick ring like deposits of cementum; and subpleurodont tooth attachments with lateral parapets about half of the tooth height.[3][2][4]
Etymology
[edit]Glyptogenys means "carved jaw", with "glypto" meaning carved, and "genys" meaning jaw. "Ornata" means ornamented, referencing the sculpture on the external surface of the holotype.[3]
Other information
[edit]Its type specimen is UALVP 29735, which is a mandible bearing 12 well-preserved teeth.[4]
Although there are several other uncatalogued specimens in the UALVP collection which have a jaw configuration that resembles UALVP 29735, when describing Glyptogenys ornata Gao and Fox considered the other specimens to be too fragmentary to be confidently assigned to Glyptogenys ornata and left UALVP 29735 as the only known specimen.[3]
In 1996, Gao and Fox also assigned UALVP 2036, UALVP 29756, UALVP 29758, UALVP 29759, UALVP 29913, UALVP 29767. and UALVP 29769.[2] All specimens are tooth-bearing dentaries with the exception of UALVP 29758.[2] They also found unnumbered dentary fragments from the Milk River Formation to possibly represent Glyptogenys ornata although support from better preserved specimens is needed.[2]
The fossil was found near Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada. Another fossil was found near Dinosaur Provincial Park.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Fossilworks: Glyptogenys". Paleobiology Database.
- ^ a b c d e Gao, Keqin; Fox, Richard C. (1996). "Taxonomy and evoluition of late Cretaceous lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from western Canada". Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History (33): 31–32. ISSN 0145-9058.
- ^ a b c Gao, Keqin; Fox, Richard C. (1991). "New teiid lizards from the Upper Cretaceous Oldman Formation (Judithian) of southeastern Alberta, Canada, with a review of the Cretaceous record of teiids". Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 60 (2). Pittsburgh: Carnegie Museum: 145–162. doi:10.5962/p.330465 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- ^ a b "Glyptogenys ornata". Paleobiology Database.
- ^ "Glyptogenys ornata". mindat.org.