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The taxonomic status of the phytosaurs (Archosauriformes) Machaeroprosopus and Pseudopalatus from the Late Triassic of the western United States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2013

William G. Parker ,
Axel Hungerbühler  and
Jeffrey W. Martz
William G. Parker
Affiliation:
P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest National Park, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028, USA. Email: William_Parker@nps.gov Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Axel Hungerbühler
Affiliation:
Mesalands Community College, Tucumcari, NM 88401, USA
Jeffrey W. Martz
Affiliation:
Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA
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Abstract

The genus Machaeroprosopus has long been considered invalid because the type specimen of the Late Triassic phytosaur species, M. validus, has been lost. Re-examination of the primary literature regarding the establishment of the Late Triassic phytosaur genus Machaeroprosopus demonstrates that M. buceros is the correct type species, not M. validus. Thus, the genus level name Machaeroprosopus has priority over the genera Pseudopalatus and Arribasuchus and all nominal species should be reassigned. Reassignment of these species to Machaeroprosopus satisfies the requirements of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) and preserves historical context. The name Pseudopalatinae is retained as the valid clade name for these phytosaurs because its usage falls outside of the ICZN.

Keywords

ICZNNorth Americataxonomytype species
Type
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Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 103 , Issue 3-4: The Full Profession: A Celebration of the Life and Career of Wann Langston, Jr., Quintessential Vertebrate Palaeontologist , September 2012 , pp. 265 - 268
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Society of Edinburgh 2013 

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