From the ESCONI Members in the News Department: The Lauer Foundation has announced that they have published their first paper.  It’s titled “The integument of pelagic crocodylomorphs” and is a detailed description of Metriorhynchidae integrument (skin) and how that group shows adaptations to a highly pelagic lifestyle.  It was published in the journal Palaeoelectonica in July 2021.  The authors include Frederik Spindler, Helmut Tischlinger, Matthias Mäuser. and Rene Lauer!  Congratulations to ESCONI members Bruce and Rene!

ABSTRACT

Metriorhynchidae are the only archosaurs that show adaptations to a highly pelagic lifestyle. This morphology is paralleled by ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, which share a streamlined, largely scaleless skin surface. Although published metriorhynchid material indicates a similar condition, no detailed description of their integument has been carried out. New data from several specimens representing at least three genera are shown here, revealing a uniform skin type lacking any traces of scales or scutes and instead showing folded and transverse fibers. A hypocercal tail fluke comparable to that of ichthyosaurs is present in metrorhynchids. Surface anomalies on metriorhynchid skin are interpreted as potential epizootic scars, similar to those from barnacles, or bite marks. A broad comparison implies deep homologies with plesiosaur and ichthyosaur skin. We also describe skin details of early (teleosauroid) thalattosuchians for the first time. Unlike Metriorhynchidae, their integument is demonstrated to be very similar to that of extant crocodylians, which can be partially explained by their inferred onshore behavior. There is generally a high threshold for extensive skin modifications in aquatic reptiles.

Frederik Spindler. Dinosaurier Museum Altmühltal, Dinopark 1, 85095 Denkendorf, Germany. mail@frederik-spindler.de
René Lauer. Lauer Foundation for Paleontology, Science and Education, Wheaton, Illinois, USA. rene@lauerfoundationpse.org
Helmut Tischlinger. Tannenweg 16, 85134 Stammham, Germany and Jura-Museum Eichstätt, Willibaldsburg, 85072 Eichstätt, Germany. htischlinger@online.de
Matthias Mäuser. Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns, Naturkunde-Museum Bamberg, Fleischstr. 2, 96047 Bamberg, Germany. maeuser@snsb.de