Plateosauridae
A family of Late Triassic sauropodomorph dinosaurs from multiple continents.
Plateosauridae is a family of sauropodomorph dinosaurs from the Late Triassic, known from fossils discovered in Europe, Greenland, Africa, and Asia. Today, the family is limited to the genera *Plateosaurus*, *Yimenosaurus*, *Euskelosaurus*, and *Issi*. Some earlier classifications included other genera, but *Sellosaurus* was reassigned as a species of *Plateosaurus* (as *P. gracilis*) in a 2003 study, and *Gresslyosaurus* is sometimes treated as a separate genus or as a synonym of *Plateosaurus*.
The family was first named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1895. It has been defined in several ways: in 1998, as all animals more closely related to *Plateosaurus engelhardti* than to *Massospondylus carinatus*; in 2004, as all animals more closely related to *P. engelhardti* than to either *M. carinatus* or *Yunnanosaurus huangi*; and in 2007, as all animals more closely related to *P. engelhardti* than to *Diplodocus longus*. Recent cladistic analyses suggest that the group Prosauropoda, named in 1920 and defined in 1998 as all animals more closely related to *P. engelhardti* than to *Saltasaurus loricatus*, contains the same taxa as Plateosauridae, making the two names synonyms. A 2017 study by Baron, Norman, and Barrett recovered Plateosauridae as a monophyletic group within the clade Plateosauria, with Massopoda as its sister group. A 2021 study by Beccari et al. describing *Issi saaneq* found it to be the sister taxon of *Plateosaurus*, and also placed *Macrocollum* and *Unaysaurus* within Plateosauridae.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Plateosauridae
- Type Species
- Plateosaurus trossingensis
- Type Species Authority
- Fraas, 1913
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Plateosauridae was first named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1895. It is a stem-based taxon, defined by Sereno in 1998 as all animals more closely related to Plateosaurus engelhardti than to Massospondylus carinatus. Later definitions by Galton and Upchurch (2004) and Yates (2007) expanded or refined the group's boundaries, with Yates defining it as all animals more closely related to Plateosaurus engelhardti than to Diplodocus longus. Recent cladistic analyses suggest that the clade Prosauropoda, named by Huene in 1920, is a synonym of Plateosauridae as both contain the same taxa.
Reader's Guide
Plateosauridae holds significance as a well-defined group of early sauropodomorphs that helps clarify the evolutionary relationships among basal dinosaurs. The family was recovered as a monophyletic group in the large phylogenetic analysis of early dinosaurs by Baron, Norman & Barrett (2017), where it was found to be sister to Massopoda within the clade Plateosauria. A 2021 study by Beccari et al. describing Issi saaneq recovered it as the sister taxon of Plateosaurus, and also placed Macrocollum and Unaysaurus within Plateosauridae. The taxonomic history of Plateosauridae includes uncertainty: Yates (2003) sunk Sellosaurus into Plateosaurus as P. gracilis, and Gresslyosaurus is alternatively considered its own genus or a synonym of Plateosaurus. These debates highlight the ongoing refinement of dinosaur classification.
Did You Know?
- The family is currently restricted to Plateosaurus, Yimenosaurus, Euskelosaurus, and Issi.
- The 2021 study by Beccari et al. recovered Macrocollum and Unaysaurus within Plateosauridae.
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