Published December 4, 2025 | Version v1

Horaffia kugleri N. Klein & Hagdorn 2014

  • 1. Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, MRC 121, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
  • 2. Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany & Institut für Biologie, Universität Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany

Description

Horaffia kugleri N. Klein & Hagdorn, 2014

Holotype.

MHI 2112 / 5, left humerus.

Type locality.

Schneider Quarry, Obersontheim-Ummenhofen, Schwäbisch Hall district, Baden-Württemberg.

Type horizon.

Grenzbonebed, basal unit of Erfurt Formation, Lower Keuper Subgroup. Age: Middle Triassic (Ladinian: Fassanian).

Referred material.

Four additional humeri: MHI 2112 / 1, left humerus from former Feldner Quarry at Satteldorf-Barenhalden; MHI 2212 / 2, right humerus from Schumann Quarry, Vellberg-Eschenau; MHI 2112 / 3, left humerus from former Härer Quarry at Crailsheim-Tiefenbach; MHI 2112 / 4, right humerus from Schneider Quarry, Obersontheim-Ummenhofen.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished by the following combination of features: very robust, pachyosteosclerotic humerus; proximal head of humerus triangular with protruding preaxial margin and protruding ventral ridge; and distal end of humerus asymmetrical, with preaxially slanted margin (N. Klein and Hagdorn 2014).

Comments.

The distinctive bone histology of these unusual humeri resembles that of Cyamodus (N. Klein and Hagdorn 2014). Horaffia kugleri is currently known only from isolated humeri. Although it possibly represents a new clade of placodonts its phylogenetic position remains unresolved at present (N. Klein and Hagdorn 2014).

References.

N. Klein and Hagdorn (2014).

Notes

Published as part of Sues, Hans-Dieter & Schoch, Rainer R., 2025, Synopsis of the Triassic reptiles from Germany, pp. 411-483 in Fossil Record 28 (2) on pages 411-483, DOI: 10.3897/fr.28.164405

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Linked records

Additional details

Biodiversity

Scientific name authorship
N. Klein & Hagdorn
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Order
Plesiosauria
Family
Pistosauridae
Genus
Horaffia
Species
kugleri
Taxon rank
species
Taxonomic concept label
Horaffia kugleri Klein, 2014 sec. Sues & Schoch, 2025

References

  • Klein N, Hagdorn H (2014) Humerus morphology and histology of a new marine reptile (Diapsida) from the Muschelkalk-Keuper-Grenzbonebed (Middle Triassic, Ladinian) of Southwest Germany. Palaeodiversity 7: 23-38.
  • Klein N, Hagdorn H (2014) Humerus morphology and histology of a new marine reptile (Diapsida) from the Muschelkalk-Keuper-Grenzbonebed (Middle Triassic, Ladinian) of Southwest Germany. Palaeodiversity 7: 23–38.