Aetosaur pes from the Upper Triassic of Krasiejów (Poland), with remarks on taxonomy of isolated bones

Abstract

The incomplete, articulated, right pes of an aetosaur, extracted from the lower bone-bearing horizon of the Krasiejów Late Triassic site, is larger than any other, known from among the Aetosauria. Its individual bones resemble those of at least three genera: Desmatosuchus (astragalus), Typothorax (ungual phalanges), and Stagonolepis (metatarsals). This underscores the highly speculative nature of the taxonomical classification of isolated postcranial bones and makes it impossible to assign the limb to any particular genus. The phalangeal formula is 2-3-4-5-?; for the fifth finger: 2/3/4 is possible. The anatomy of the pes indicates adaptation for digging.