Mesosaurus (meaning "middle lizard") is an extinct genus of reptile from the Early Permian of southern Africa and South America. Along with it, the genera Brazilosaurus and Stereosternum, it is a member of the family Mesosauridae and the order Mesosauria. Mesosaurus was long thought to have been one of the first marine reptiles, although new data suggests that at least those of Uruguay inhabited a hypersaline water body, rather than a typical marine environment.[3] In any case, it had many adaptations to a fully aquatic lifestyle. It is usually considered to have been anapsid, although Friedrich von Huene considered it to be a synapsid.[4] Recent study of Mesosauridae phylogeny places the group as either the basal most clade within Parareptilia or the basal most clade within Sauropsida (with the latter being the less supported position)[5] despite the skull of Mesosaurus possessing the "Synapsid condition" of one temporal fenestra.[6][7]
^ abGervais, P. (1865). Description du Mesosaurus tenuidens. Reptile fossile de l'Afrique australe. Académie des Sciences et Lettres de Montpellier. Mémoires de la Section des Sciences 6(2):169-175
^ abcPiñeiro, G.; Ferigolo, J.; Mones, A.; Núñez Demarco, P. (2021). "Mesosaur taxonomy reappraisal: are Stereosternum and Brazilosaurus valid taxa?". Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia. 24 (3): 205–235. doi:10.4072/rbp.2021.3.04. hdl:11336/175571. S2CID 244188443.
^Piñeiro, G.; Ramos, A.; Goso, C.; Scarabino, F.; Laurin, M. (2012). "Unusual environmental conditions preserve a Permian mesosaur-bearing Konservat-Lagerstätte from Uruguay". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 57 (2): 299–318. doi:10.4202/app.2010.0113.
^Huene, F. von (1940). "Osteologie und systematische Stellung von Mesosaurus". Palaeontographica Abteilung A. 92: 45–58.
^Laurin, Michael; Piñeiro, Graciela (2017-11-02). "A Reassessment of the Taxonomic Position of Mesosaurs, and a Surprising Phylogeny of Early Amniotes". Frontiers in Earth Science. 5: 88. Bibcode:2017FrEaS...5...88L. doi:10.3389/feart.2017.00088. hdl:20.500.12008/33548.
^Piñeiro, Graciela (2008). "Los mesosaurios y otros fosiles de fines del Paleozoico". In D. Perera (ed.). Fósiles de Uruguay. DIRAC, Montevideo.
^Piñeiro, G.; Ferigolo, J.; Ramos, A.; Laurin, M. (2012). "Cranial morphology of the Early Permian mesosaurid Mesosaurus tenuidens and the evolution of the lower temporal fenestration reassessed". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 11 (5): 379–391. Bibcode:2012CRPal..11..379P. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2012.02.001.
the holotype of a new genus and species he named Mesosaurus tenuidens in 1865. Since then, Mesosaurus remains have also been identified from South America...
Diapsida as the sister group to Neodiapsida. In 2012 it was revealed that Mesosaurus has holes at the back of the skull called lower temporal fenestrae, a...
sea turtles, and saltwater crocodiles. The earliest marine reptile was Mesosaurus (not to be confused with Mosasaurus), which arose in the Permian period...
Brazilosaurus sanpauloensis and Mesosaurus tenuidens. For most of the 20th century, information of Stereosternum was reported as Mesosaurus. Unlike previous interpretations...
different continents, suggesting that they were once joined. The fossils of Mesosaurus, a freshwater reptile rather like a small crocodile, found both in Brazil...
and presumably similar habit. One of the best known early reptiles is Mesosaurus, a genus from the Early Permian that had returned to water, feeding on...
had been in their present position; similarly, the freshwater reptile Mesosaurus has been found in only localized regions of the coasts of Brazil and West...
stacked by giants. Near Keetsmanshoop are notable localities for fossil Mesosaurus, an extinct genus of reptile from the Early Permian of southern Africa...
to life in the marine realm: Mesosauridae: Early Permian Stereosternum Mesosaurus Pseudopalatinae: Late Triassic Mystriosuchus Dolichosauridae: Late Cretaceous...
Laurin, Michel (2012). "Cranial morphology of the Early Permian mesosaurid Mesosaurus tenuidens and the evolution of the lower temporal fenestration reassessed"...
1095-8312.2010.01431.x. ISSN 0024-4066. Pablo Nuñez Demarco et al. Was Mesosaurus a Fully Aquatic Reptile? Front. Ecol. Evol, published online July 27,...
as the Age of Reptiles). One of the best known early stem-reptiles is Mesosaurus, a genus from the Early Permian that had returned to water, feeding on...
they were protected by a cap of dolerite. The genera present include: Mesosaurus, aquatic Dwyka carnivore Bradysaurus, Beaufort Group herbivore Owenetta...
the northern shores of the inland sea, several early reptiles such as Mesosaurus are found in these Ecca deposits. This is a fossil reptile found only...
synonymous with Arthropleura. 1865 Gervais described the new genus Mesosaurus and species Mesosaurus tenuidens. 1870 Cope described the new genus Lystrosaurus...
from them A collage of five parareptile fossils. Clockwise from top, Mesosaurus tenuidens (a mesosaur), Delorhynchus cifellii (a probable acleistorhinid)...
Huene, Friedrich von (1940). "Osteologie und systematische Stellung von Mesosaurus". Palaeontographica Abteilung A. 92: 45–58. Modesto, S.P. (1999). "Observations...
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