Article: Osteology of the Jurassic lizard Ardeosaurus brevipes (Meyer)
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume:
25
Part:
3
Publication Date:
July
1982
Page(s):
461
–
469
Author(s):
Niall J. Mateer
Abstract
A description is given of a new and well-preserved specimen of Ardeosaurus brevipes from the Solnhofen facies of the Kimmeridgian of Bavaria, Germany. The specimen is in the Paleontological Museum of Uppsala University (PMU.R58). The type of A. brevipes is missing and only a cast represents the poorly preserved original. The new specimen has characters exemplifying the similarities between the two species of Ardeosaurus: A. brevipes and A. digitatellus. Differences between Ardeosaurus and a similar genus Eichstaetti-saurus are clarified and emphasized. The specimen is compared with other Jurassic lizards also probably belonging to the Gekkota: Yabeinosaurus, Bavarisaurus, and Palaeolacerta.