Pathological vertebrae in the holotype of Paludidraco multidentatus (Sauropterygia, Simosauridae) from the Upper Triassic of El Atance (Central Spain)

Abstract

The record of paleopathologies in Mesozoic marine reptiles is relatively scarce in the literature compared to that on other lineages such as Dinosauria. In the case of Sauropterygia, these pathologies generally correspond to avascular necrosis, vertebral lesions or anomalies, or bite marks, mostly reported in Jurassic and Cretaceous plesiosaurs. The documented pathologies in Triassic sauropterygians are very limited. Among the Triassic eosauropterygians, Simosauridae is a relatively poorly known lineage, being restricted to the western margin of the Tethys Sea, recorded from Europe and the Middle East. To date, no pathologies have been reported for Simosauridae. In this study, we describe several abnormal vertebral centra corresponding to the most posterior dorsal region of the holotype of the Spanish simosaurid Paludidraco multidentatus. These centra exhibit paired and symmetrical bulks located on their articular facets. The bulks cannot be differentiated externally or internally from their surrounding healthy bone tissue, and there are no signs of reactive new bone formation, fractures, or remodeling. These pathologic structures have never been reported for any other Sauropterygia or marine reptiles, having only been rarely documented in some dinosaurs. A differential diagnosis rules out several possible pathological origins for these structures, suggesting that long-term biomechanical stress or a congenital disorder may be the potential causes.