Etude de Kaosaurus spiniferus, un Sauropsida du Maastrichtien d'Afrique de l'ouest, découvert dans le bassin des Iullemmeden, Niger

Marc Michaut (1)

1 IPEST - Institut préparatoire aux études scientifiques et techniques

This article resumes the precedent one, with colour and a more complete set of photographs. Kaosaurus spiniferus Michaut, 2002 was initially discovered in the Maastrichtian levels of In Daman (Niger). That species shows, like Testudines, but in a very more accentuated manner, a vertebral column involution. Vertebrae are virtually absent and, like Testudines one's, its ribs are connected together by lamellar frontal osseous expansions. New investigations, in 2005, 2006 and 2007 (In Daman, Mentess) allowed us to clarify reconstruction, ecology and palaeogeographical extension of the species. Now we are able to propose a plausible phyletic position for Kaosaurus, as the sister-group of Testudines. Nevertheless this hypothesis must to be refined and definitely proved by means of more entire fossils discoveries. Keywords: Niger, Iullemmeden, Cretaceous, Maastrichtian, Vertebrate palaeontology, Sauropsida, Diapsida, Testudines, Kaosaurus, carapace

Mots clés: Niger; Iullemmeden; Cretaceous; Maastrichtian; Vertebrate palaeontology; Sauropsida; Diapsida; Testudines; Kaosaurus; carapace

Domaines: Paléontologie

Marc Michaut. Etude de Kaosaurus spiniferus, un Sauropsida du Maastrichtien d'Afrique de l'ouest, découvert dans le bassin des Iullemmeden, Niger. 2007. ⟨hal-00177285⟩