查看文章

Sauropoda is among the most diverse and widespread dinosaurlineages, having attained a near‐global distribution by the MiddleJurassic that was built on throughout the Cretaceous. These giganticherbivores are characterized by numerous skeletal specializationsthat accrued over a 140 million‐year history. This fascinating evolutionaryhistory has fuelled interest for more than a century, yet aspectsof sauropod interrelationships remain unresolved. This paper presentsa lower‐level phylogenetic analysis of Sauropoda in two parts. First,the two most comprehensive analyses of Sauropoda are critiqued toidentify points of agreement and difference and to create a coreof character data for subsequent analyses. Second, a generic‐levelphylogenetic analysis of 234 characters in 27 sauropod taxa is presentedthat identifies well supported nodes as well as areas of poorerresolution. The analysis resolves six sauropod …