A gharial from the Oligocene of Puerto Rico; transoceanic dispersal in the history of a non-marine reptile

Jorge Velez-Juarbe; Christopher A Brochu; Hernan Santos

doi:10.1098/rspb.2006.0455

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A gharial from the Oligocene of Puerto Rico; transoceanic dispersal in the history of a non-marine reptile

Journal article

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A gharial from the Oligocene of Puerto Rico; transoceanic dispersal in the history of a non-marine reptile

Jorge Velez-Juarbe, Christopher A Brochu and Hernan Santos

Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.274(1615), pp.1245-1254

05/22/2007

DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2006.0455

PMCID: PMC2176176

PMID: 17341454

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Abstract

The Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is not found in saltwater, but the geographical distribution of fossil relatives suggests a derivation from ancestors that lived in, or were at least able to withstand, saline conditions. Here, we describe a new Oligocene gharial, Aktiogavialis puertoricensis, from deltaic-coastal deposits of northern Puerto Rico. It is related to a clade of Neogene gharials otherwise restricted to South America. Its geological and geographical settings, along with its phylogenetic relationships, are consistent with two scenarios: (i) that a single trans-Atlantic dispersal event during the Tertiary explains the South American Neogene gharial assemblage and (ii) that stem gharials were coastal animals and their current restriction to freshwater settings is a comparatively recent environmental shift for the group. This discovery highlights the importance of including fossil information in a phylogenetic context when assessing the ecological history of modern organisms.

Aktiogavialis puertoricensis

Antilles

Archosauria

biogeography

Caribbean region

Chordata

cladistics

Crocodilia

Diapsida

Gavialidae

Gavialis gangeticus

Greater Antilles

Gryposuchinae

morphology

new taxa

phylogeny

Puerto Rico

Reptilia

San Sebastian Formation

San Sebastian Puerto Rico

skull

taxonomy

Tetrapoda

Vertebrata

Vertebrate paleontology

West Indies

Details

Title: Subtitle: A gharial from the Oligocene of Puerto Rico; transoceanic dispersal in the history of a non-marine reptile
Creators: Jorge Velez-Juarbe - University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Christopher A Brochu - University of Iowa
Hernan Santos - University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.274(1615), pp.1245-1254
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2006.0455
PMID: 17341454
PMCID: PMC2176176
NLM abbreviation: Proc Biol Sci
ISSN: 0962-8452
eISSN: 1471-2954
Publisher: Royal Society of London
Language: English
Date published: 05/22/2007
Academic Unit: Earth and Environmental Sciences; University College Courses
Record Identifier: 9984229299302771

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