2022 In Reptile Paleontology

This list of fossil reptiles described in 2022 is a list of new taxa of fossil reptiles that were described during the year 2022, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to reptile paleontology that occurred in 2022.

Squamates

New taxa

Research

* A study aiming to determine whether the squamate fossil record contains reliable phylogenetic information in spite of its incompleteness is published by Woolley ''et al.'' (2022).
* The first fossil material of scincomorph lizards from the Campanian Nenjiang Formation (Jilin, China) is described by Yang ''et al.'' (2022).
* Vullo ''et al.'' (2022) reinterpret the fossil material of '' Jeddaherdan aleadonta'' as Quaternary in age, and consider it to be a fossil material of a member of the genus ''Uromastyx''.
* First fossil material of galliwasp from Cuba reported to date is described from the Late Pleistocene of El Abrón Cave by Syromyatnikova & Aranda (2022), providing the first data on tooth and jaw morphology of Pleistocene galliwasps from Cuba.
* Fossil material of ''Ophisaurus fejfari'' and ''Ophisaurus spinari'' is described from the early Pliocene by Syromyatnikova, Klembara & Redkozubov (2022), representing the first Pliocene records of the genus ''Ophisaurus'' in Eastern Europe, and the first record of ''O. fejfari'' from the Pliocene reported to date.
* Redescription of known fossil material of ''Saniwa orsmaelensis'', as well as description of new fossil material from the Eocene of Belgium and France, is published by Augé ''et al.'' (2022).
* A vertebra of a monitor lizard, representing the first published record of a non-snake squamate from the Neogene of Pakistan (probably Miocene Chinji Formation), is described by Villa & Delfino (2022), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of the Siwaliks during the Miocene.
* A study on the diversification of feeding and locomotory strategies of mosasauroids is published by Cross ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study on the evolution of morphofunctional diversity of mosasaurids prior to the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event is published by MacLaren ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret their findings as indicating that taxonomic turnover in mosasaurid community composition from Campanian to Maastrichtian was reflected by a notable global increase in morphofunctional diversity, and that mosasaurid morphofunctional diversity was in decline in multiple provincial communities in the Late Maastrichtian before the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction.
* A study on the evolution of the skull in mosasaurids and early cetaceans during the first 20 million years of their evolutionary histories, testing for possible instances of ecomorphological convergence in the skulls and teeth between the groups, is published by Bennion ''et al.'' (2022).
* Revision of the known mosasaur material from South Africa is published by Woolley, Chinsamy & Caldwell (2022), who recognize the presence of at least three mosasaur taxa in the Late Cretaceous deposits of South Africa, tentatively referred to cf. ''Prognathodon'', cf. ''Taniwhasaurus'' and cf. Plioplatecarpinae.
* A study on the individual age and life history of a halisaurine mosasaur known from a cervical vertebra from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Beloe Ozero locality (Saratov Oblast, Russia) is published by Grigoriev ''et al.'' (2022).
* The first occurrences of ''Mosasaurus hoffmannii'' are reported from the Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco) by Rempert ''et al.'' (2022), extending the known range of this species.
* Two isolated tooth crowns of a member of the genus ''Mosasaurus'' are described from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) of Cuba by Viñola-López ''et al.'' (2022), representing the first record of mosasaurs from West Indies reported to date.
* A study on the anatomy of the skull of ''Sanajeh indicus'' and on its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of features associated with wide-gaped feeding (macrostomy) in snakes, based on data from a new specimen, is published by Zaher ''et al.'' (2022).
* Wazir ''et al.'' (2022) describe an isolated dorsal vertebra of a madtsoiid snake from the Oligocene Kargil Formation of the Ladakh Molasse Group (Ladakh Himalaya), providing evidence of the survival of madtsoiids in the Indian subcontinent at least to the end of the Paleogene.
* Revision and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of ''Boavus'' is published by Onary ''et al.'' (2022).
* Chuliver, Scanferla & Smith (2022) describe a gravid female of '' Messelophis variatus'' from the Messel pit (Germany preserved with at least two embryos, documenting the first known occurrence of viviparity in a fossil snake.
* El-Hares ''et al.'' (2022) describe new fossil material of colubroidean snakes from the Eocene Birket Qarun Locality 2 (Egypt), including a vertebra of a member or a relative of the genus '' Procerophis'' (otherwise known from the early Eocene of India) and the first known caudal vertebrae of ''Renenutet enmerwer'', as well as a vertebra representing the first record of an amphisbaenian from the Paleogene of Egypt reported to date.

Ichthyosauromorphs

New Taxa

Research

* Qiao ''et al.'' (2022) describe a new specimen of ''Sclerocormus'' from the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) Nanlinghu Formation ( China), recover the clade Omphalosauridae containing ''Omphalosaurus'', ''Sclerocormus'' and ''Cartorhynchus'', and describe the anatomy of the feeding apparatus of omphalosaurids as indicated by data from the new specimen.
* Fossil material of ichthyopterygians, including a limb bone (probably a humerus) representing one of the largest specimens of early Spathian marine reptiles known to date, is described from the Lower Triassic Zhitkov Formation (Russky Island, Primorsky Krai, Russia) by Nakajima ''et al.'' (2022).
* Fossil material of giant ichthyosaurs is described from the Upper Triassic Kössen Formation ( Switzerland) by Sander ''et al.'' (2022), who evaluate the implications of the studied fossils for the knowledge of the global distribution and ecological diversity of giant Norian and Rhaetian ichthyosaurs.
* A study on ichthyosaur vertebral centra from the Upper Jurassic Bernbjerg Formation (Greenland), aiming to determine whether vertebral ratios can be used to assign disarticulated and possibly weathered centra to a region in the vertebral column of ichthyosaurs, is published by Holm, Delsett & Alsen (2022).
* Fossil material of ichthyosaurs is described from the Valanginian and Hauterivian of Austria by Lukeneder ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret the studied fossils as representing two distinct taxa, probably with different feeding ecologies, and evaluate the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of the diversity of ichthyosaurs in the Early Cretaceous.
* Roberts, Engelschiøn & Hurum (2022) describe a new specimen of ''Phalarodon fraasi'' from the Ladinian Blanknuten Member of the Botneheia Formation ( Svalbard, Norway), representing the first three-dimensional mixosaurid skull recovered from this formation.
* Kelley ''et al.'' (2022) interpret an assemblage of skeletons of ''Shonisaurus'' from the Triassic Luning Formation (Nevada, United States) as evidence of grouping behavior.
* A study on the dietary adaptations of juvenile specimens of ''Hauffiopteryx typicus'' and '' Stenopterygius triscissus'' from the Toarcian Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte (United Kingdom) is published by Jamison-Todd ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret their findings as indicating that ''S. triscissus'' had more robust rostrum and scavenged and hunting large fish or squid, while ''H. typicus'' relied more on bite speed than on bite force while hunting, and likely fished for smaller and softer prey.
* A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of ''"Ichthyosaurus" zetlandicus'' is published by Laboury ''et al.'' (2022), who transfer this species to the genus ''Temnodontosaurus''.
* Lomax & Massare (2022) report the discovery of two casts of the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton introduced to the scientific community in 1819 by Everard Home, and assign this specimen to the genus ''Ichthyosaurus''.
* Lomax, Sachs & Hall (2022) describe a composite ichthyosaur specimen from the collection of the Reutlingen Natural History Museum, including bones of at least three individuals recovered from the Sinemurian of Charmouth-Lyme Regis area (Dorset, United Kingdom) and from the Toarcian Posidonia Shale (Germany) as well as forged elements, and identify the hindfins and pelvic bones as fossil material of a rare species ''Ichthyosaurus conybeari''.
* A study on the pre- and postnatal ontogenetic changes in the skull of '' Stenopterygius quadriscissus'' is published by Miedema & Maxwell (2022).
* Two ichthyosaur specimens (a nearly complete skeleton of a member of the genus ''Aegirosaurus'' and an isolated tail of an indeterminate ichthyosaur) preserved with soft tissue are described from the Upper Jurassic (Tithonian) Eichstätt Plattenkalk (Germany) by Delsett ''et al.'' (2022).
* Description of two specimens of ''Baptanodon natans'' from the Upper Jurassic ( Oxfordian) Redwater Shale of the Sundance Formation (Wyoming, United States), providing new information on the morphology of the braincase of this ichthyosaur, is published by Massare & Connely (2022).
* Revision of the nomenclature of the families of Late Jurassic and Cretaceous ichthyosaurs is published by Zverkov (2022).

Sauropterygians

New taxa

Research

* Description of two placodont dentaries from the Muschelkalk of the Netherlands and Germany, possibly belonging to a member of the genus ''Placodus'' belonging or related to the species ''P. gigas'', and a study on the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of the ontogenetic changes in placodont dentaries is published by Klein ''et al.'' (2022).
* Redescription of the holotype of ''Nothosaurus mirabilis'' is published by Klein, Eggmaier & Hagdorn (2022).
* Redescription of the type material of '' Ischyrodon meriani'' is published by Madzia, Sachs & Klug (2022).
* A study on the musculature of limbs of ''Cryptoclidus eurymerus'', and on its implications of the knowledge of the locomotion of plesiosaurs, is published by Krahl ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study comparing the flipper muscle functions and the ability to twist flippers in ''Cryptoclidus eurymerus'' and extant aquatic amniotes is published by Krahl & Werneburg (2022).
* A study on the diversity and ontogenetic changes of cervical vertebral shapes in elasmosaurids is published by Brum ''et al.'' (2022).
* Fossil material of plesiosaurs with features of Leptocleididae is described from the Cretaceous Kem Kem Group (Morocco) by Bunker ''et al.'' (2022), representing the first Moroccan plesiosaur material reported from a freshwater paleoenvironment and the youngest known representatives of Leptocleididae.
* Description of new polycotylid material from the Maastrichtian La Colonia Formation (Argentina) and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of ''Sulcusuchus erraini'' is published by O'Gorman (2022).
* Evidence from molecular analyses of modern and fossil skeletal samples, interpreted as indicating that the metabolic rates consistent with endothermy evolved independently in mammals and plesiosaurs, is presented by Wiemann ''et al.'' (2022).

Turtles

New taxa

Research

* Review of the development and evolutionary history of the scute patterns of the carapace of extant and fossil turtles is published by Ascarrunz & Sánchez-Villagra (2022).
* A study on the evolution of labyrinth morphology in living and fossil turtles is published by Evers ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret their findings as indicating that turtles have large relative labyrinth sizes that evolved independently to large labyrinths in other major vertebrate groups, and that labyrinth shape variation of turtles cannot be explained by ecology or neck function.
* A study on the biogeography of non-marine turtles over the last 100 million years is published by Chiarenza ''et al.'' (2022), indicative of a latitudinal shift in the distribution toward the equator, likely due to declining temperature.
* A clutch of turtle eggs with unique attributes of the eggshell is described from the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation (Utah, United States) by Ferguson & Tapanila (2022), who name a new oospecies '' Testudoolithus tuberi''.
* Silva ''et al.'' (2022) describe burrows from the Maastrichtian Adamantina Formation (Brazil) which were probably produced by freshwater turtles, and argue that this findings supports the interpretation of the original function of turtle shells as an adaptation to fossorial behavior.
* Description of the fossil material of turtles and tortoises from the Pleistocene of Crete (Greece) is published by Vlachos (2022), who rejects the validity of ''Testudo marginata cretensis'' as a distinct subspecies of the marginated tortoise.
* Scheyer ''et al.'' (2022) describe the first specimen of ''Proganochelys quenstedtii'' from the Norian Klettgau Formation ( Switzerland), providing new information on the cranial anatomy of this species.
* A study on the histology of the shell of ''Proterochersis porebensis'' is published by Szczygielski & Słowiak (2022).
* Revision of the helochelydrid shell remains from the Cretaceous (Albian to Cenomanian) English greensands is published by Joyce (2022), who considers the most likely type series of '' Trachydermochelys phlyctaenus'' to be a chimera, and designates a lectotype for this species.
* Tong, Buffetaut & Claude (2022) describe an isolated costal of '' Dortoka vasconica'' from the Late Cretaceous (late Campanian-early Maastrichtian) of the Massecaps locality, extending known geographic range of this species to southern France, and interpreted by the authors as supporting the presence of two distinct lineages of Dortokidae in Western and Eastern Europe during the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene.
* The first three-dimensional reconstructions of the skulls and main neuroanatomical structures (cranial, nasal and labyrinthic cavities, nervous and carotid canals) of two specimens belonging to the genus ''Galianemys'' are presented by Martín-Jiménez & Pérez-García (2022).
* Description of the anatomy of the skull of '' Lakotemys australodakotensis'' is published by Rollot ''et al.'' (2022).
* Description of the anatomy of the skull of '' Trinitichelys hiatti'' and a study on its affinities is published by Rollot ''et al.'' (2022).
* Fossil material of '' Boremys'' ''pulchra'', otherwise known from the Campanian of Montana and Alberta, is reported from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana by Adrian (2022), extending the stratigraphic range of the taxon through at minimum the latest Maastrichtian''.''
* Danilov ''et al.'' (2022) describe fossil material of Campanian pan- chelonioid turtles from the Beloe Ozero locality (Rybushka Formation; Saratov Oblast, Russia), including specimens of ''Protostega gigas'' with estimated size corresponding to those of the largest specimens from North America, representing the first record of this species outside North America reported to date.
* De La Garza ''et al.'' (2022) describe an exceptionally preserved pan-cheloniid sea turtle from the Eocene Fur Formation (Denmark), preserved with fossilized limb tissue revealing an originally soft, wrinkly skin devoid of scales, which coexisted with a bony carapace covered in scutes.
* A study on the anatomy of the cast of the holotype specimen of ''Chinemys pani'' from the Pleistocene of Taiwan is published by Liaw & Tsai (2022), who interpret the holotype as a specimen of the Chinese pond turtle.
* A study on the evolution of tortoise body size over the past 23 million years is published by Joos ''et al.'' (2022), who report evidence of limited variation of tortoise body size until the reduction of both mean body size and maximum body size in mainland tortoises in the Early Pleistocene and in island tortoises in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene.

Archosauriformes

Archosaurs

Other archosauriforms

New taxa

Research

* Fossils of possible members of the genera ''Chasmatosuchus'' and ''Proterosuchus'' are described from the Sanga do Cabral Formation pennsylvanicus'' is published by Ezcurra & Sues (2022), who reinterpret this taxon as a doswelliid.
* Redescription and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of ''Proterochampsa nodosa'' is published by De Simão-Oliveira ''et al.'' (2022).
* Fabbri & Bhullar (2022) describe the endocast of ''Euparkeria capensis'', interpreting the brain morphology of ''Euparkeria'' as overall similar to those of phytosaurs, crocodilians and early dinosaurs.

Other reptiles

New taxa

Research

* A study on the proportions of skull and limb bones in mesosaur specimens, aiming to determine whether there are statistically significant morphological differences through ontogenetic development among mesosaurs coming from Africa, Brazil and Uruguay, and evaluating the implications of the developmental pattern found in mesosaurs for the knowledge of the phylogeny and evolution of growth patterns of early amniotes, is published by Núñez Demarco, Ferigolo & Piñeiro (2022).
* A study on the ontogenetic changes in mesosaurs is published by Verrière & Fröbisch (2022), who interpret their findings as indicative of a progressive ecological shift during the growth of mesosaurs, and supporting the interpretation of ''Mesosaurus tenuidens'' as the only valid species within Mesosauridae, with specimens assigned to ''Stereosternum tumidum'' and ''Brazilosaurus sanpauloensis'' representing immature stages or incomplete specimens of ''Mesosaurus''.
* A study on tooth implantation, replacement and attachment in '' Scoloparia glyphanodon'' is published by Jenkins & Bhullar (2022).
* Revision and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of bradysaurian pareiasaurs from the Guadalupian of the Karoo Basin (South Africa) is published by Van den Brandt ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study on the anatomy of the skull of ''Captorhinus aguti'', indicative of the presence of distinct anatomical modules on each side of the skull, and evaluating the implications of this modularity pattern for the knowledge of the evolution and function of temporal openings in amniote skulls, is published by Werneburg & Abel (2022).
* Description of the suture morphology within the dermatocranium of ''Captorhinus aguti'' is published by Abel ''et al.'' (2022), who also reconstruct the jaw adductor musculature of this reptile, and attempt to determine whether the reconstructed cranial mechanics in ''C. aguti'' could be treated as a model for the ancestor of fenestrated amniotes.
* Bazzana ''et al.'' (2022) study the virtual cranial and otic endocasts of two captorhinid specimens, providing evidence of more complex and diverse neuroanatomy of early sauropsids than previously anticipated.
* New fossil material of '' Moradisaurus grandis'' (two partial skulls of juvenile individuals) is described from the Permian Moradi Formation (Niger elivensis'' is published by Buffa ''et al.'' (2022).
* Redescription and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of ''Palacrodon'' is published by Jenkins ''et al.'' (2022).
* A new specimen of ''Helveticosaurus zollingeri'' is described from the outcrops of the Middle Triassic Besano Formation in the province of Varese (Italy by Bindellini & Dal Sasso (2022), who provide an updated skeletal reconstruction of this species, and study its phylogenetic affinities, swimming mode and possible ecological niche.
* Redescription of the type specimens of ''Opisthias rarus'' is published by Herrera-Flores, Stubbs & Sour-Tovar (2022), who also describe a new specimen of ''Theretairus antiquus'' from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation (Como Bluff, Wyoming, United States), and interpret ''T. antiquus'' as a taxon distinct from ''O. rarus''.
* Partial dentary of a rhynchocephalian is described from an intertrappean deposit from the Naskal locality within the Deccan Traps Volcanic Province (India) by Anantharaman ''et al.'' (2022), representing the first known record of a rhynchocephalian from the Cretaceous–Paleogene transition outside of Patagonia.
* Description of a near-complete skeleton of ''Bellairsia gracilis'' from the Bathonian Kilmaluag Formation (Scotland, United Kingdom) and a study on the affinities of this stem-squamate is published by Tałanda ''et al.'' (2022).
* Description of a nearly complete skeleton of ''Hanosaurus hupehensis'' from the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) Jialingjiang Formation (Hubei, China) is published by Wang ''et al.'' (2022), who find ''Hanosaurus'' to be an aquatic reptile with slender and elongate trunk and shortened limbs (a convergence in body plan with members of other groups of marine reptiles, such as ''Chaohusaurus'', ''Nanchangosaurus'' and ''Pleurosaurus''), and recover it as the basalmost member of the new clade Sauropterygiformes (which additionally includes ''Atopodentatus'', ''Helveticosaurus'', saurosphargids, placodontiforms and eosauropterygians).
* A large rib bearing an osteoderm is described from the Upper Triassic Kössen Formation ( Switzerland) by Scheyer ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret this specimen as a member or a relative of the family Saurosphargidae with potential affinities to the genus ''Largocephalosaurus'', potentially extending the occurrence of saurosphargids about 35 million years into the Late Triassic.
* Description of the neomorphic ossification between the parietal, quadrate and squamosal in the skulls of ''Coeruleodraco jurassicus'' and ''Philydrosaurus proseilus'' is published by Qin, Yi & Gao (2022).
* New specimen of '' Hyphalosaurus lingyuanensis'' with well preserved integumentary remains is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (China) by Wang ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study aiming to model the type of respiratory system able to meet the metabolic demands of ''Tanystropheus'' is published by de Souza & Klein (2022).
* Description of new specimens of ''Hyperodapedon'' from Brazil with apically serrated teeth crowns, representing new maxillary tooth morphotype and the first records of serrated teeth in rhynchosaurs, and a study aiming to determine whether the maxillary crown morphology of rhynchosaurs is taxonomically informative or reflects ontogeny, is published by Scartezini & Soares (2022).
* A study on the external morphology and microanatomy of premaxillae of ''Hyperodapedon'' is published by Mukherjee & Ray (2022), who report evidence of morphological correlates for innervation in the studied premaxillae, and argue that the ''Hyperodapedon'' premaxillae had heightened sensory capabilities.
* A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic affinities of ''Tricuspisaurus thomasi'' and ''Variodens inopinatus'' is published by Chambi-Trowell ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study on the morphology of the braincase of ''Trilophosaurus buettneri'', and on its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of neurocranium in early pan-archosaurs, is published by Wilson ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic affinities of ''Shringasaurus indicus'' is published by Sengupta & Bandyopadhyay (2022).

Reptiles in general

* A new time tree for the evolution of early amniotes and reptiles is presented by Simões ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret their findings as indicative of a close association between climate changes and reptile evolutionary dynamics across the Permian and Triassic.
* A study on the impact of the body size and shape on drag in ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, and on the impact of this relationship on the evolution of trunk length and neck proportions in Sauropterygia, is published by Gutarra ''et al.'' (2022).
* A study on the morphospace distribution, morphological diversity and evolutionary rates of lepidosaurs throughout their evolutionary history is published by Bolet ''et al.'' (2022).
* Tracks produced by squamates or rhynchocephalians are described from the Lower Cretaceous Botucatu Formation (Brazil) by Buck ''et al.'' (2022), representing the first known evidence of the presence of lepidosaurs in the ancient Botucatu desert.
* A study on the evolution of relative skull sizes in Paleozoic and Mesozoic archosauromorph reptiles is published by Bestwick ''et al.'' (2022), who interpret their findings as indicating that relative skull sizes of erythrosuchids and theropod dinosaurs are distinct from each other, and that the disproportionately large skulls of erythrosuchids were unique among all terrestrial archosauromorphs.

References

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2022 in paleontology