Vellbergia bartholomaei Sobral, Simões, & Schoch, 2020

Sues, Hans-Dieter & Schoch, Rainer R., 2025, Synopsis of the Triassic reptiles from Germany, Fossil Record 28 (2), pp. 411-483 : 411-483

Vellbergia bartholomaei Sobral, Simões, & Schoch, 2020

Holotype.

SMNS 91590 , partial skull obliquely exposed in left lateral view (Fig. 11 B ).

Type locality.

Schumann Quarry, Bed E 6, near Eschenau, Vellberg municipality, Schwäbisch Hall district, Baden-Württemberg.

Type horizon.

Untere Graue Mergel, Erfurt Formation, Lower Keuper Subgroup. Age: Middle Triassic (Ladinian: Longobardian).

Diagnosis.

Distinguished by the following combination of features: frontal with distinct anterolateral and large posterolateral process; prefrontal dorsoventrally deep and not expanded; and symphyseal portion of hemimandible strongly turned medially (based on Sobral et al. 2020).

Comments.

The phylogenetic analysis by Sobral et al. (2020) found Vellbergia bartholomaei as an early-diverging lepidosauromorph. Ford et al. (2021) recovered this taxon as the sister-taxon to Rhynchocephalia.

References.

Sobral et al. (2020), Ford et al. (2021).

Figures

Figure 11. Reptiles from the Lower Keuper Subgroup. A. Lepidosauromorph Fraxinisaura rozynekae, holotype (SMNS 91547), disarticulated but associated bones of partial skeleton. Scale bar: 2 mm. B. Lepidosauromorph Vellbergia bartholomaei, holotype (SMNS 91590), incomplete skull in oblique lateral view. Scale bar: 5 mm. C. Loricatan pseudosuchian Batrachotomus kupferzellensis, holotype (SMNS 52970), left maxilla in lateral view. Scale bar: 3 cm.