A procolophonoid reptile with temporal fenestration from the Middle Triassic of Brazil.
The small tetrapod Candelaria barbouri, from the Middle Triassic of southern Brazil, is the first example of an owenettid procolophonoid outside Africa and Madagascar. Candelaria barbouri was originally described as a primitive procolophonid; however, a re-examination of the holotype, as well as new material, reveals that C. barbouri is in fact the youngest member of the Owenettidae, extending the chronological range of the group by more than 10 million years. The recognition of C. barbouri as an owenettid points to a broader diversity and distribution for owenettids than hitherto thought. In addition, C. barbouri is the first member of the Owenettidae to exhibit temporal fenestrae, a discovery that draws attention to the significance of this feature in 'anapsid' reptiles.
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa. cisnerosj@science.pg.wits.ac.za
Juan C
JC
Cisneros
Ross
R
Damiani
Cesar
C
Schultz
Atila
A
da Rosa
Cibele
C
Schwanke
Leopoldo W
LW
Neto
Pedro L P
PL
Aurélio
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D005580:Fossils; D010802:Phylogeny; D012104:Reptiles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology*