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Article: Neuroanatomical and neurosensorial analysis of the Late Cretaceous basal eusuchian Agaresuchus fontisensis (Cuenca, Spain)

Papers in Palaeontology - Volume 7 Issue 1 - Cover
Publication: Papers in Palaeontology
Volume: 7
Part: 1
Publication Date: Febuary 2021
Page(s): 641 656
Author(s): Alejandro Serrano‐Martínez, Fabien Knoll, Iván Narváez, Stephan Lautenschlager, and Francisco Ortega
DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1296
Addition Information

How to Cite

SERRANO‐MARTíNEZ, A., KNOLL, F., NARVáEZ, I., LAUTENSCHLAGER, S., ORTEGA, F. 2021. . Papers in Palaeontology, 7, 1, 641-656. DOI: /doi/10.1002/spp2.1296

Author Information

  • Alejandro Serrano‐Martínez - Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia Paseo Senda del Rey 9 Madrid 28040 Spain
  • Fabien Knoll - ARAID‐Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico Teruel‐Dinópolis Avda. Sagunto, S/N Teruel 44002 Spain
  • Fabien Knoll - School of Earth & Environmental Sciences University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL UK
  • Iván Narváez - Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia Paseo Senda del Rey 9 Madrid 28040 Spain
  • Stephan Lautenschlager - School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham Birmingham B15 2TT UK
  • Francisco Ortega - Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia Paseo Senda del Rey 9 Madrid 28040 Spain

Publication History

  • Issue published online: 08 March 2021
  • Manuscript Accepted: 06 November 2019
  • Manuscript Received: 30 January 2019

Funded By

Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Spain. Grant Number: CGL2015‐68363‐P and CGL2017‐89123‐P
Junta de Comunidades de Castilla‐La Mancha, Spain. Grant Number: SBPLY/14180601/000074
FPU grantee. Grant Number: FPU13/03362

Online Version Hosted By

Wiley Online Library
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Abstract

Agaresuchus fontisensis is an allodaposuchid crocodile from the Campanian–Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of Lo Hueco (Cuenca, Spain). Allodaposuchidae is a clade of European basal eusuchians, which is considered a part of the stem group of Crocodylia. The holotype and paratype skulls of Agaresuchus fontisensis were scanned on computed tomography and their internal cavities, including those of the brain, nerves and blood vessels, as well as the paratympanic sinus system and the paranasal sinuses, digitally reconstructed. The cranial endocast and pneumatic sinuses were then compared with those of other crocodyliforms. The neuroanatomy of Agaresuchus fontisensis resembles those of other mesoeucrocodylians, sharing some morphological traits with extant crocodiles. The neurosensorial and cognitive capabilities inferred from the inner skull cavity reconstructions of Agaresuchus fontisensis are similar to those of other eusuchians. The olfactory acuity of Agaresuchus fontisensis is low by crocodylian standards, closer to that of the alligatoroids rather than to that of the crocodyloids. Its visual acuity is similar to that of Lohuecosuchus megadontos, a sympatric allodaposuchid also found in the fossil site of Lo Hueco.

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