Latonia gigantea ( Lartet, 1851 )
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/10.17111/FragmPalHung.2019.36.141 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16782910 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/782E879C-D625-FFF3-FE5E-FA29AEB73FC0 |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Latonia gigantea ( Lartet, 1851 ) |
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Latonia gigantea ( Lartet, 1851)
Referred material – Esztramos 6 lower: Right maxilla (VER 2019.109.); frontoparietal (VER 2019.110.); right prooticooccipital (VER 2019.111.); right angulosplenial (VER 2019.112.); 3 vertebrae (VER 2019.113.1–3.); urostyl (VER
2019.114.); 2 right (VER 2019.115.1–2.) and 1 left ilia (VER 2019.115.3.); right humerus (VER 2019.116.); calcaneum (VER 2019.117.).
Esztramos 6 upper: Left humerus (VER 2019.108.).
TAPHONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS
The here described specimens are all isolated but almost complete or identifiable. These anuran fossils show smooth (frontoparietal) to strongly eroded (e.g. calcaneus) red or reddish-brown surfaces. Some bones have patchily coatings of manganese oxides which probably originate from mobilized soluble manganese compounds transported by artesian water which attributable to the nature of the cave site.
Description – Maxilla. The labial surface of this specimen (VER 2019.109.) is covered by secondary sculpture. Sculpture is formed of prominent tubercles which stay dispersed (mainly posteriorly) or usually constitute different rows (mainly anteriorly) ( Fig. 4 View Figs 3–12 ). The most prominent tubercles are in the area of processus zygomaticomaxillaris. Between the anterior and posterior ornamentation, the labial surface is relatively smooth especially on the ventral part of bone.
Lingually, the slender and long pterygoid process projects posteromedially ( Fig. 3 View Figs 3–12 ). The posterior depression is shallow and limited anteriorly by a transversal bony ridge at the level of the pterygoid process. The processus palatinus, p. frontalis and p. zygomaticomaxillaris are relatively low, but the latter one is a bit taller. The fossa maxillaris is deep, the prominent lamina horizontalis widens posteriorly and conveys lingually. The tooth row extends posteriorly to the posterior end of pterygoid process. The teeth are broken and not preserved along the entire length of the bone. The bone is curved labiolingually.
Frontoparietal – The dorsal surface is broad on this fused bone, which is covered with a dense secondary sculpture (VER 2019.110.). The posterior part is mostly covered with unique tubercles, whereas anteriorly, the tubercles are united and form ridges which extend mainly anterolaterally. The paraoccipital processes are well-developed, between these the zigzag edged margo occipitalis is situated with broad contacting surface posteriorly.
The ventral surface exhibits the roughly circular, well-defined posterior frontoparietal incrassation with a rim and a less defined, elongated (elliptical) anterior incrassation. This latter structure is bordered laterally by prominent bony laminae which diverge posteriorly, and represent the pars contacta. The pars contacta extends ventrolaterally; the rounded foramen parietale is situated anteriorly from the frontoparietal incrassation. The well-developed margo prootica is rounded lateroventrally. The contacting surfaces between the frontoparietal and sphenethmoid and respectively the frontoparietal and prooticooccipital are strongly striated with lateroventrally projecting grooves. The anterolateral end of the anterior horns is damaged.
Prooticooccipital – The dorsal part of the bone (VER 2019.111., Figs 8–11 View Figs 3–12 ) is slender and widening towards the crista parotica. The crista is V-shaped, with its shorter anterior branch, and longer posterior branch. The contact area for the frontoparietal is indented and strongly striated, separated with deep, irregularly situated furrows or grooves. The prominentia ducti semicircularis posterioris is prominent as an extensive thin lamina ( Fig. 8 View Figs 3–12 ), which is terminated by a knob; its dorsal end is broken. The thin horizontal lamina runs from the lower and from the latter mentioned structure towards the crista parotica. On the anterior surface of the bone there is a rather prominent elevation which is devoid of periost. Its ventral margin is adjoined by the ramus pterygoidei. Immediately dorsally from this elevation there is a horizontal groove (sulcus venae jugularis) which is not roofed. The well-developed condylus occipitalis has a slightly curved drop shape.
Angulosplenial – The slightly eroded angulosplenial (VER 2019.112., Fig. 12 View Figs 3–12 ) is bearing two coronoid processes (p. coronoideus and p. paracoronoideus), having a distinct recess in the bottom of the sulcus for the Meckel’s cartilage (= sulcus pro cartilage Meckeli) at the level of the coronoid process and having a distinct depression on the posterior part of the outer surface of the bone above the crista mandibulae externa.
Presacral vertebrae – One (VER 2019.113.1.) of the three vertebrae is almost completely preserved ( Figs 13–15 View Figs 13–23 ). This opisthocoelous vertebra has a cylindrical centrum, provided with well-developed interzygapophyseal ridges, a low neural ridge with relatively long spinal process and a massive, and laterally oriented cylindrical processus transversus.
Urostyle – The tips of posteriorly extended transverse processes are broken (VER 2019.114., Figs 16–17 View Figs 13–23 ); in anterior view these processes slightly curve dorsally. The fossa condyloidea is elliptical dorsoventrally and the neural canal is cylindrical anteriorly. The crista dorsalis is relatively tall anteriorly and it becomes lower posteriorly and almost disappears by the posterior end of the bone.
Ilium – On the best preserved specimen (VER 2019.115.1.) the acetabulum is large and rounded with prominent acetabular rim anteroventrally projecting laterally ( Figs 18–20 View Figs 13–23 ). On the small preacetabular region a small fossa is present. The pars ascendens is prominent, extends strongly posterodorsally, but the pars descendens is extremely small. The tuber superius (= tuber superior and dorsal protuberance) is well-defined without a lateral projection. Anteriorly, under the dorsal protuberance a fossula tuberis superioris is present. The crista ilii (= iliac crest) is rather high, the ala ossis ilii (= vexillum) is concave anteroventrally. Posteriorly, the ilioischiadic junction is wide ventrally with a well-developed interiliac tubercle and significantly narrower dorsally.
Humerus – The humerus (VER 2019.116., Figs 21–22 View Figs 13–23 ) is having laterally placed caput humeri with larger epicondylus medialis, which continues dorsally with a well-developed crista medialis. The epicondylus lateralis is smaller, continued dorsally in a less prominent crista lateralis having a concave shape, when viewed ventrally or dorsally. The bone has a well-developed crista ventralis, which is damaged proximally. The left humerus (VER 2019.108., not figured) is significantly smaller, about half of the other (VER 2019.116.) therefore it does not belong to the same frog even if it turns out that the two sites are of the same age.
Calcaneum – This eroded bone (VER 2019.117.) is robust with stout epiphyses ( Fig. 23 View Figs 13–23 ). Its lateral edge is slightly S-shaped, and medially concave.
Remarks – The fused and strongly sculptured frontoparietal, the frontoparietal incrassation consisting of two parts (elongated anterior and circular posterior); two coronoid processes on angulosplenial, distinct recess on bottom of sulcus pro cartilago Meckeli at level of processus coronoideus; processus pterygoideus maxillae slender and long, present a large depression on the inner posterior part of the maxilla; on prooticooccipital, prominentia ducti semicircularis running out with prominent ridge; the contacting surfaces between frontoparietal and sphenethmoid and frontoparietal and prootociooccipital are distinctly and irregularly striated; the prominent crista ventralis on humerus, the laterally shifted caput humeri; the thin crista ossis ilii with sharp edge which declined dorsomedially, upper margin of acetabulum terminates posteriorly with marked and nearly pointed elevation; the calcaneum is not fused with astralagus: these detected characters on this frog material are typical for the genus Latonia ( ROČEK 1994, SYROMYATNIKOVA et al. 2019).
The sculpture on frontoparietal consists of small, irregularly and densely scattered tubercles on its posterior part, and tubercles which fuse usually into irregular ridges extending anteriorly on its anterior part; the labially sculptured processus zygomaticomaxillaris of the maxilla suggests these remains belong to Latonia gigantea ( ROČEK 1994) .
It differs from Latonia ragei in sculptured maxilla ( HOSSINI 1993, Fig. 1A 1 View Fig ; ROČEK 1994, Fig. 9A View Figs 3–12 ); and the shape of processus coronoideus on the prearticular ( HOSSINI 1993, Fig. 1A View Fig 2; ROČEK 1994, Fig. 13B–E View Figs 13–23 ). It differs from L. vertazioni in more concave margo orbitalis, a significantly deeper fossa maxillaris, the shape of the processus pterygoideus, and the posterior depression ( ROČEK 1994, Fig. 9C View Figs 3–12 ); and in the more prominent processus coronoideus ( ROČEK 1994, Fig. 12F, K View Figs 3–12 ).
PALAEOECOLOGICAL AND PALAEOBIOGEOGRAPHICAL NOTES
The revision of the material previously studied and screen-washed by Jánossy in 1969 from Esztramos 6 ( JÁNOSSY & KORDOS 1977) provides new insights into the fauna. According to JÁNOSSY & KORDOS (1977) this is an insignificant site however they mentioned the presence of bats (Chiroptera, only mentioned in the text), anuran amphibians ( Anura ), and snakes (Ophidia). The faunal list of Esztramos 6 has been expanded with an urodela taxon, 8 anuran taxa; presence of anguid lizards ( Anguidae indet.) has been verified; two species of colubrid ( Colubridae ) snakes has been identified thanks to this study. The mammalian faunal list has also been expanded by demonstrating the presence of mice ( Muridae indet.).
The revised faunal list of the middle Pleistocene Esztramos 6 locality is the following (the lower and the upper parts are listed separately):
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