Vladlenosaurus

{{Short description|Extinct genus of temnospondyls}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = [[Early Triassic]] | taxon = Vladlenosaurus | authority = Morkovin and Novikov, [[2000 in paleontology|2000]] | type_species = †''V. alexeyevi'' | type_species_authority = Morkovin and Novikov, 2000 }}

'''''Vladlenosaurus''''' is an extinct [[genus]] of [[capitosauria]]n [[temnospondyl]] from Russia. It lived during the late [[Vetlugian]] ([[Early Triassic]]). Based on the type of deposits it was found in, ''Vladlenosaurus'' probably inhabited [[Lake|lacustrine]], or lake, habitats. The [[type species]] is ''V. alexeyevi'', named in 2000.

==Description== Unlike the flatter, more rounded snouts of other capitosaurs, ''Vladlenosaurus'' had a wedge-shaped snout. This characteristic is also seen in [[trematosauria]]ns, although it was independently acquired in both cases as a result of [[convergent evolution]].<ref name=FGS11>{{cite journal |last=Fortuny |first=Josep |author2=Galobart, À |author3=De Santisteban, C. |year=2011 |title=A new capitosaur from the Middle Triassic of Spain and the relationships within the Capitosauria |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=56 |issue=3 |pages=553–566 |doi=10.4202/app.2010.0025 |url=http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app56/app20100025_acc.pdf |doi-access=free |archive-date=2011-05-22 |access-date=2011-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522161402/http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app56/app20100025_acc.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Classification== ''Vladlenosaurus'' is similar in appearance to the [[Benthosuchus|benthosuchids]], a group of [[Trematosauroidea|trematosauroid]] temnospondyls, but is more closely related to [[Mastodonsauroidea|mastodonsauroid]]s. Among capitosaurs, it shares many features with the [[basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] form ''[[Wetlugasaurus]]'', also from the Early Triassic of Russia. ''Vladlenosaurus alexeyevi'' was even considered to be a species of ''Wetlugasaurus'' in a 2006 study.<ref name=Setal06>{{cite journal |last=Shishkin |first=M.A. |author2=Sennikov, A.G |author3=Novikov, I.V. |author4= Ilyina, N.V. |year=2006 |title=Differentiation of tetrapod communities and some aspects of biotic events in the early triassic of Eastern Europe |journal=Paleontological Journal |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1134/S0031030106010011|s2cid=129895753 }}</ref> In a 2011 [[phylogenetic]] analysis, the first to incorporate ''Vladlenosaurus'', the genus was found to be most closely related to ''[[Odenwaldia]]''.<ref name=FGS11/> It and ''Odenwaldia'' formed a basal clade of capitosaurs more derived than ''Wetlugasaurus'', the most basal capitosaur. Below is a modified [[cladogram]] from Fortuny ''et al'' (in press) showing the relationship of ''Vladlenosaurus'' to other [[stereospondyl]]s:<ref name=FGS11/>

{{clade| style=font-size:90%;line-height:85% |label1=[[Stereospondyli]] |1={{clade |1=''[[Lydekkerina]]'' |2=[[Rhinesuchidae]] |3={{clade |label1=[[Capitosauria]] |1={{clade |1=''[[Wetlugasaurus]]'' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Odenwaldia]]'' |2='''''Vladlenosaurus'''''}} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Edingerella]]'' |2=''[[Watsonisuchus]]''}} |2={{clade |1=''[[Xenotosuchus]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Cherninia]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Paracyclotosaurus]]'' |2={{clade |1=[[Stenotosauridae]] |2=[[Heylerosauridae]]}} }} }} }} }} |2=[[Mastodonsauridae]] }} }} }} |2=[[Trematosauria]] }} }} }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Capitosauria]] [[Category:Triassic temnospondyls of Asia]] [[Category:Triassic temnospondyls of Europe]]