William G. Parker and Bronson J. Barton

ABSTRACT

Two new partial skeletons from the Petrified Forest Member (Chinle Formation) of Petrified Forest National Park are referable to Vancleavea campi Long and Murry 1995. Although lacking good skull material, the new specimens possess postcranial elements that are either absent or poorly preserved in the holotype specimen. A phylogenetic analysis tentatively suggests that Vancleavea campi represents a basal archosauriform more derived than Erythrosuchus , Proterosuchus , and possibly Euparkeria. Comparisons with undescribed material from the Chinle Formation near St. Johns, Arizona, and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, are needed to confirm this placement and also to determine the taxonomic validity of the genus Vancleavea.

William G. Parker. Division of Resource Management, Petrified Forest National Park, Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ, 86028, USA
Bronson J. Barton. Department of Geology, Utah State University, 4505 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84321, USA

KEY WORDS: Late Triassic; Vancleavea; Petrified Forest National Park; Archosauriformes; Chinle Formation; phylogenetic analysis

PE Article Number: 11.3.14A
Copyright: Society for Vertebrate Paleontology October 2008
Submission: 2 February 2008. Acceptance: 4 September 2008