# Paratypothorax

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Genus of reptiles

Paratypothorax Temporal range: Late Carnian? - Rhaetian, 216–201.6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Type specimen SMNS 5721 on display Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Clade: Pseudosuchia Order: †Aetosauria Family: †Stagonolepididae Tribe: †Paratypothoracini Genus: †Paratypothorax Long and Ballew, 1985 Type species †Paratypothorax andressi Long and Ballew, 1985 Species †P. andressorum Long and Ballew, 1985 emend. Heckert and Lucas, 2000 (type)

***Paratypothorax*** is an extinct [genus](/source/Genus) of [aetosaur](/source/Aetosaur), known from a single species, ***Paratypothorax andressorum***. It was a broadly distributed member of the group found in [Germany](/source/Germany), [North America](/source/North_America), and possibly parts of [Gondwana](/source/Gondwana). The best specimens come from Germany, though for more than a century they were mistakenly considered [phytosaur](/source/Phytosaur) armor. *Paratypothorax* was a large and wide-bodied [typothoracine](/source/Typothoracinae) aetosaur, as well as the namesake of the [tribe](/source/Tribe_(biology)) [Paratypothoracisini](/source/Paratypothoracisini).[1]

## Discovery and distribution

1894 restoration of "*[Belodon](/source/Belodon)*", based on the skull of *[Nicrosaurus](/source/Nicrosaurus)* and the carapace of the aetosaur now known as *Paratypothorax*

*Paratypothorax* was first known from specimens collected from the Heslach area near [Stuttgart](/source/Stuttgart) in [Germany](/source/Germany). These hail from the [Stubensandstein](/source/Stubensandstein) (also known as the Löwenstein Formation), a mid-[Norian](/source/Norian) age geological unit. Heslach has also produced many fossils of a smaller aetosaur, *[Aetosaurus](/source/Aetosaurus)*. The [holotype](/source/Holotype) specimen of *Paratypothorax*, [SMNS](/source/State_Museum_of_Natural_History_Stuttgart) 5721, consists of a series of articulated osteoderms alongside a few hip and leg bones. Large osteoderms of *Paratypothorax* were long misidentified as [phytosaur](/source/Phytosaur) armor, and referred to *[Belodon](/source/Belodon)*. Among this formerly misidentified material is SMNS 19003, a fossil unearthed in 1945 from the Schlipf Quarry near [Murrhardt](/source/Murrhardt). Further preparation revealed that SMNS 19003 was a complete skeleton with a well-preserved skull and fully articulated carapace.[1] *Paratypothorax* was first recognized as an aetosaur in 1953, and was named as a new genus in 1985.[2][3]

In 1992, *Paratypothorax* fossils were first identified in the [Chinle Group](/source/Chinle_Group) of the southwestern [United States](/source/United_States). It has been found in the [Sonsela Member](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonsela_Member&action=edit&redlink=1) of [Petrified Forest National Park](/source/Petrified_Forest_National_Park) in Arizona, as well as the [Bluewater Creek Formation](/source/Bluewater_Creek_Formation) of western [New Mexico](/source/New_Mexico). It is also common in strata of the [Dockum Group](/source/Dockum_Group) further in eastern New Mexico and [Texas](/source/Texas).[2][4] Osteoderms of *Paratypothorax* have also been reported from the [Norian](/source/Norian)-age [Fleming Fjord Formation](/source/Fleming_Fjord_Formation) in [Greenland](/source/Greenland),[5] the [Zarzaitine Series](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zarzaitine_Series&action=edit&redlink=1) of [Algeria](/source/Algeria), and an unverified occurrence in [India](/source/India).[6]

## Description

*Paratypothorax* specimen SMNS 19003, an articulated skull with dorsal armor

*Paratypothorax* possesses paramedian [scutes](/source/Scute) that are wide, strap-like, and have grooves and pits on them forming radial patterns. Like other [typothoracisines](/source/Typothoracisinae) such as *[Typothorax](/source/Typothorax)*, the lateral scutes bear large horns that are posteriorly hooked.[7] The rear of each scute is overlapped by a prominent knob.[8]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) Schoch, Rainer R.; Desojo, Julia Brenda (2016). ["Cranial anatomy of the aetosaur Paratypothorax andressorum Long & Ballew, 1985, from the Upper Triassic of Germany and its bearing on aetosaur phylogeny"](http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/108331). *Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen*. **279** (1). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1127/njgpa/2016/0542](https://doi.org/10.1127%2Fnjgpa%2F2016%2F0542). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[11336/46965](https://hdl.handle.net/11336%2F46965). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0077-7749](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0077-7749).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LB85_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LB85_2-1) Long, R. A.; Ballew, K. L. (1985). "Aetosaur dermal armor from the Late Triassic of southwestern North America, with special reference to material from the Chinle Formation of Petrified Forest National Park". *Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin*. **47**: 45–68.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PJM94_3-0)** Parrish, J. M. (1994). "Cranial osteology of *Longosuchus meadei* and the phylogeny and distribution of the Aetosauria". *Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology*. **14** (2): 196–209. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.1994.10011552](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.1994.10011552).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HL92_4-0)** Hunt, A. P.; Lucas, S. G. (1992). "The first occurrence of the aetosaur *Paratypothorax andressi* (Reptilia:Aetosauria) in the western United States and its biochronological significance". *Paläontologische Zeitschrift*. **66** (1–2): 147–157. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/BF02989485](https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF02989485). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [129434871](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:129434871).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-JEA94_5-0)** Jenkins, F. A. Jr.; Shubin, N. H.; Amaral, W. W.; Gatesy, S. M.; Schaff, C. R.; Clemmensen, L. B.; Downs, W. R.; Davidson, A. R.; Bonde, N.; Osbaeck, F. (1994). "Late Triassic continental vertebrates and depositional environments of the Fleming Fjord Formation, Jameson Land, East Greenland". *Meddelelser om Grønland, Geoscience*. **32**: 1–25.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Lucas, Spencer G.; Heckert, Andrew B.; Rinehart, Larry F. (2006). ["The Late Triassic aetosaur *Paratypothorax*"](https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/149233195.pdf) (PDF). *New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin*. **37**: 575–580.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-MPA86_7-0)** Murry, P. A. (1986). "Vertebrate paleontology of the Dockum Group". In K. Padian (ed.). *The Beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 109–138.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HL99_8-0)** Heckert, A. B.; Lucas, S. G. (1999). "A new aetosaur (Reptilia: Archosauria) from the Upper Triassic of Texas and the phylogeny of aetosaurs". *Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology*. **19** (1): 50–68. [CiteSeerX](/source/CiteSeerX_(identifier)) [10.1.1.563.9516](https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.563.9516). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.1999.10011122](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.1999.10011122).

## External links

- [*Paratypothorax*](https://web.archive.org/web/20091021112410/http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/270Archosauromorpha/270.850.html#Paratypothorax) at [Palaeos](/source/Palaeos)

- [*Paratypothorax*](https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=64939) in the [Paleobiology Database](/source/Paleobiology_Database)

- [Paleontology portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Paleontology)

v t e Aetosauria Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Pseudosuchia Clade: Aetosauriformes Pseudosuchia see Pseudosuchia Aetosauria see below↓ Aetosauria †Aetosauria Aetosauroides Stagonolepididae Aetosaurinae Aetosaurus Coahomasuchus? Stenomyti? Typothoracinae? Apachesuchus Chilenosuchus? Gorgetosuchus? Kryphioparma Redondasuchus Typothorax Paratypothoracini Garzapelta? Kocurypelta Kuttysuchus Paratypothorax Rioarribasuchus Tecovasuchus Venkatasuchus Desmatosuchia Stagonolepidinae? Polesinesuchus Stagonolepis Desmatosuchinae sensu lato Adamanasuchus? Aetobarbakinoides? Calyptosuchus? Chilenosuchus? Neoaetosauroides? Olkasuchus Scutarx? Desmatosuchini (Desmatosuchinae sensu stricto) Desmatosuchus Gorgetosuchus? Longosuchus Lucasuchus Sierritasuchus Category

Taxon identifiers Paratypothorax Wikidata: Q4162516 GBIF: 4817576 IRMNG: 1174192 Open Tree of Life: 4128048 Paleobiology Database: 64939

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paratypothorax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratypothorax) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratypothorax?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.