A Glyptosaurine Lizard from the Eocene (late Uintan) of San Diego, California, and Implications for Glyptosaurine Evolution and Biogeography

<p>Glyptosaurinae is an extinct subfamily of lizards of the family Anguidae. Glyptosaurine lizards are known exclusively from the Paleogene of North America and Eurasia, reaching their peak of diversity and distribution in the Eocene. In North America these lizards are largely restricted to the intermontane basins along the Rocky Mountain range, with only sparse, indeterminately-identified skeletal elements known from outside of this region. Glyptosaurine lizards are split into two tribes: the monophyletic Glyptosaurini and paraphyletic “Melanosaurini”. Within Glyptosaurini, the most common and widespread genus is <em>Glyptosaurus</em>. In this study I describe a new specimen assignable to <em>G. sylvestris</em>, notable for being recovered from the late Uintan of the Santiago Formation in southern California, significantly outside the typical known geographic range of well-preserved glyptosaurine fossils. The presence of <em>Glyptosaurus </em>in southern California at a time of widespread tectonic and climatic change and increasing regional endemism in mammalian faunas, when also considering the results other studies of Eocene lizards, indicates a pattern of evolution for lizards of the time that is quite different from the dramatic turnovers and regional restrictions observed in Eocene mammals. The specimen described here also shows features consistent with ontogenetic variation and may help to provide insight into the life history of glyptosaurine lizards.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS (Master of Science)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geosciences

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Moscato, David

• Glyptosaurinae
• Glyptosaurus sylvestris
• Rancholabrean
• Santiago Formation
• Biodiversity
• Evolution
• Paleontology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1176

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2351