A new species of Platypterygius (Ophthalmosauridae) from the lower Barremian of Colombia and assessment of the species composition of the genus

In this paper, we describe a new ophthalmosaurid specimen found in the lower Barremian beds of the Paja Formation at Villa de Leiva, Boyac & aacute;, Colombia. The specimen represents a new species of Platypterygius, , P. elsuntuoso sp. nov. defined by three unique features within the genus: a small ventral peg in the anterior ventral border of the extracondylar area of the basioccipital; a supratemporal groove in the quadrate; and a shallow neck at the base of the acellular cementum ring on the teeth root. In support of our taxonomic determination, in this contribution we also assess the species composition of the genus Platypterygius, , comparing the known anatomy of the type species P. platydactylus with that of the other species previously assigned to the genus. We found that a great morphological affinity in the forelimb of the species P. americanus, , P. australis, , P. hercynicus, , and P. sachicarum (lower Barremian to lower Cenomanian) with that of the type species (Aptian) is unquestionable and differentiate them from all other ophthalmosaurids. Three new diagnostic features (synapomorphies of the genus) support their inclusion in Platypterygius. . Consequently, the genus name " Kyhytysuka ", recently proposed to differentiate P. sachicarum from the genus Platypterygius is here rejected. A careful comparison of the cranial characteristics of Platypterygius specimens preserving associated cranial and fin remains demonstrate that Platypterygius is a genus distinguishable from other ophthalmosaurids not only by a typical forelimb but also by a particular combination of skull features. In this context, the skull morphology of " Simbirskiasaurus " concurs with that defining Platypterygius and its minor differences are not sufficient to support its generic distinction. The morphological comparisons and our phylogenetic analysis show the new species P. elsuntuoso more closely related to the Colombian species P. sachicarum than to other species of Platypterygius. . Given that the new species came from the lower Barremian and P. sachicarum came from the upper Barremian, the minor differences in dentition found between the two species suggest a speciation by adaptation to new food sources in the Cretaceous epicontinental sea of Colombia.