Wirtembergia hauboldae Sues & Schoch, 2024

Sues, Hans-Dieter & Schoch, Rainer R., 2025, Synopsis of the Triassic reptiles from Germany, Fossil Record 28 (2), pp. 411-483 : 411-483

Wirtembergia hauboldae Sues & Schoch, 2024

Holotype.

SMNS 91313 , disarticulated but associated skeletal remains including complete right maxilla (Fig. 10 B ), incomplete right pterygoid, possible fragment of palatine, nearly complete left dentary, vertebrae, ribs, and limb bones.

Type locality.

Schumann Quarry, near Eschenau, Vellberg municipality, Schwäbisch Hall district, Baden-Würtemberg.

Type horizon.

Untere Graue Mergel, Bed E 6, Erfurt Formation, Lower Keuper Subgroup. Age: Middle Triassic (Ladinian: Longobardian).

Referred material.

See list in Sues and Schoch (2024).

Diagnosis.

Distinguished by the following combination of features: premaxilla with four teeth, decreasing in size from first to fourth; jugal with tiny, spur-like posterior process; lateral surface of dentary strongly convex dorsoventrally for much of bone, forming distinct longitudinal ridge in larger specimens; coronoid eminence of dentary low, roughly rectangular, and with dorsoventrally concave lateral surface in larger specimens; dentition comprising pleurodont anterior and acrodont posterior teeth; and posterior (= additional) teeth with (in labial / lingual view) triangular, at mid-crown level labiolingually slightly flattened crowns, and with oval bases ( Sues and Schoch 2024).

Comments.

Wirtembergia hauboldae is more plesiomorphic in some cranial features than Gephyrosaurus bridensis , which was long considered the earliest-diverging rhynchocephalian. However, it is more derived than the latter in the presence of anterior pleurodont and posterior acrodont teeth in each jaw.

References.

Jones et al. (2013), Sues and Schoch (2024).

Figures

Figure 10. Reptiles from the Lower Keuper Subgroup. A. Stem-turtle Pappochelys rosinae, holotype (SMNS 91360), partial postcranial skeleton. Scale bar: 1 cm. B. Rhynchocephalian Wirtembergia hauboldae, holotype (SMNS 91313), right maxilla in lateral view. Scale bar: 2 mm. C. Doswelliid archosauriform Jaxtasuchus salomoni (SMNS 91083), maxillary tooth. Scale bar: 1 mm. D. Colognathid Quasicolognathus eothen, holotype (SMNS 97019), left maxilla and prefrontal and possible palatine in lateral view. Scale bar: 2 mm. E. Doswelliid archosauriform Jaxtasuchus salomoni (SMNS 91085), lateral dorsal osteoderm in dorsal view. Scale bar: 1 cm.