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Gengasaurus Nicosiai
''Gengasaurus'' is an extinct genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Jurassic. The type and only species, ''Gengasaurus nicosiai'', was named in 2017, after the locality of Genga, Marche. It lived in Italy about 152 million years ago. History The near complete holotype was discovered in 1976 in the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) Calcari ad aptici e Saccocoma Formation The Calcari ad aptici e Saccocoma Formation, also known as the Saccocoma Formation (known in English as the Haptic limestones and Saccocoma Formation), is a geologic formation in Camponocecchio, Italy that dates back to the Tithonian (152 Ma) - it ... at Camponocecchio and it was described in 1980 and 2000 as the "Genga ichthyosaur" before it was named and described in 2016Ilaria Paparella, Erin E. Maxwell, Angelo Cipriani, Scilla Roncacè and Michael W. Caldwell (2016) - The first ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Upper Jurassic of the Umbrian–Marchean Apennines (Marche, Central Italy). ''Geological Maga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Late Jurassic
The Late Jurassic is the third epoch of the Jurassic Period, and it spans the geologic time from 163.5 ± 1.0 to 145.0 ± 0.8 million years ago (Ma), which is preserved in Upper Jurassic strata.Owen 1987. In European lithostratigraphy, the name "Malm" indicates rocks of Late Jurassic age. In the past, ''Malm'' was also used to indicate the unit of geological time, but this usage is now discouraged to make a clear distinction between lithostratigraphic and geochronologic/chronostratigraphic units. Subdivisions The Late Jurassic is divided into three ages, which correspond with the three (faunal) stages of Upper Jurassic rock: Paleogeography During the Late Jurassic Epoch, Pangaea broke up into two supercontinents, Laurasia to the north, and Gondwana to the south. The result of this break-up was the spawning of the Atlantic Ocean. However, at this time, the Atlantic Ocean was relatively narrow. Life forms of the epoch This epoch is well known for many famous types of din ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ophthalmosaurus Icenicus
''Ophthalmosaurus'' (meaning "eye lizard" in Greek) is an ichthyosaur of the Jurassic period (165–150 million years ago). Possible remains from the Cretaceous, around 145 million years ago, are also known. It was a relatively medium-sized ichthyosaur, measuring long and weighing . Named for its extremely large eyes, it had a jaw containing many small but robust teeth. Major fossil finds of this genus have been recorded in Europe with a second species possibly being found in North America. Description ''Ophthalmosaurus'' was a medium-sized ichthyosaur, measuring long and weighing . It had a robust, streamlined body that was nearly as wide as it was tall in frontal view. Like other derived ichthyosaurs ''Ophthalmosaurus'' had a powerful tail ending in a pronounced bi-lobed caudal fluke whose lower half was formed around the caudal spine whereas the upper lobe was made up entirely from soft tissue. The limbs of ''Ophthalmosaurus'' were short and rounded with the forelimbs bein ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caypullisaurus Bonapartei
''Caypullisaurus'' is an extinct genus of platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous (Tithonian and Berriasian stages) of Argentina. Its holotype was collected from the Vaca Muerta Formation of Cerro Lotena, Neuquen, dating to the early Tithonian stage of the Late Jurassic, about 150 million years ago. ''Caypullisaurus'' was first named by Marta Fernández in 1997 and the type species is ''Caypullisaurus bonapartei''. It was a large ichthyosaur, measuring about long. Classification It is a member of the family Ophthalmosauridae, and closely related to ''Platypterygius'' and ''Brachypterygius''.Fernández M. 2007. Redescription and phylogenetic position of ''Caypullisaurus'' (Ichthyosauria: Ophthalmosauridae). ''Journal of Paleontology'' 81 (2): 368-375. In 2012, ''Caypullisaurus'' was found to be most closely related to ''Athabascasaurus'' and "''Platypterygius''" ''australis'', and to nest within the subfamily Platypterygiinae. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platypterygius Sachicarum
''Platypterygius'' is a historically paraphyletic genus of platypterygiine ichthyosaur from the Cretaceous period. It was historically used as a wastebasket taxon, and most species within ''Platypterygius'' likely are undiagnostic at the genus or species level, or represent distinct genera, even being argued as invalid. While fossils referred to ''Platypterygius'' have been found throughout different continents, the holotype specimen was found in Germany. Description As ''Platypterygius'' contains multiple species not especially close to each other, little can be said in terms of shared characteristics. According to an analysis by Fischer (2012), all anatomical features used to unify ''Platypterygius'' species are either not actually present in each species, or much more widespread among unrelated ophthalmosaurs. Generally, species referred to this genus were large bodied macropredators based on their robust dentition. This is also supported by ''P. australis'' having been foun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Acuetzpalin
''Acuetzpalin'' (meaning "water lizard" in Classical Nahuatl) is an extinct genus of platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur found in the Kimmeridgian La Casita Formation in Mexico. It is known from a partial skeleton (missing the limbs), of which the skull is surprisingly well preserved. Its length is estimated to have been more than long, considering the missing parts of the holotype. It was the first ichthyosaur described in 2020 and the first new ichthyosaur genus described since 2017 (both ''Gengasaurus'' and ''Keilhauia'' were described in 2017). Classification A phylogenetic analysis conducted in 2020 reveals that ''Acuetzpalin'' is a member of the subfamily Platypterygiinae Platypterygiinae is an extinct subfamily of ophthalmosaurid thunnosaur ichthyosaurs from the early Late Jurassic to the early Late Cretaceous (Kimmeridgian - Cenomanian) of Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Currently ... and is located among the most-derived platypt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platypterygius Americanus
''Platypterygius'' is a historically paraphyletic genus of platypterygiine ichthyosaur from the Cretaceous period. It was historically used as a wastebasket taxon, and most species within ''Platypterygius'' likely are undiagnostic at the genus or species level, or represent distinct genera, even being argued as invalid. While fossils referred to ''Platypterygius'' have been found throughout different continents, the holotype specimen was found in Germany. Description As ''Platypterygius'' contains multiple species not especially close to each other, little can be said in terms of shared characteristics. According to an analysis by Fischer (2012), all anatomical features used to unify ''Platypterygius'' species are either not actually present in each species, or much more widespread among unrelated ophthalmosaurs. Generally, species referred to this genus were large bodied macropredators based on their robust dentition. This is also supported by ''P. australis'' having been foun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Athabascasaurus Bitumineus
''Athabascasaurus'' is an extinct genus of platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur known from Alberta, Canada. Discovery and etymology ''Athabascasaurus'' is known from the holotype TMP 2000.29.01, articulated nearly complete postcranial skeleton and nearly complete skull preserved in dorsal view, missing the premaxilla. It was collected in 2000 on the western side of the Syncrude Canada Ltd.'s Base Mine, an open-pit mine near Fort McMurray. The specimen was found in the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation, which dates to the earliest Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous epoch, about 112 million years ago. The specimen resides at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. ''Athabascasaurus'' was first named by Patrick S. Druckenmiller and Erin E. Maxwell in 2010 and the type species is ''Athabascasaurus bitumineus''. The generic name is derived from the name of the Athabasca River, which runs through Athabasca oil sands area where the holotype was collected, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sveltonectes Insolitus
''Sveltonectes'' (meaning "agile swimmer" in Greek) is an extinct genus of platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs known from Ul’yanovsk region, western Russia. Etymology ''Sveltonectes'' was named by Valentin Fischer, Edwige Masure, Maxim S. Arkhangelsky, and Pascal Godefroit in 2011 and the type species is ''Sveltonectes insolitus''. The generic name is derived from ''sveltos'', Greek for "agile", and ''nektes'', Greek for "swimmer", and refers to its small size, streamlined skull, and powerful girdle musculature. The specific name is derived from ''insolitus'', Latin for "unusual", in reference to the numerous unusual features of this ichthyosaur, as well as its unusual tooth morphology. Description ''Sveltonectes'' is known from the holotype IRSNB R269, an almost complete three-dimensionally preserved skeleton including a partial skull. It was collected in unnamed locality, in Ul’yanovsk, dating to the late Barremian stage of the early Cretaceous, about 126 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leninia Stellans
''Leninia'' is an extinct genus of basal ophthalmosaurine ichthyosaur known from the late Early Cretaceous (lower Aptian stage) of western Russia. ''Leninia'' was first named by Valentin Fischer, Maxim S. Arkhangelsky, Gleb N. Uspensky, Ilya M. Stenshin and Pascal Godefroit in 2013 and the type species is ''Leninia stellans''. It was named for Vladimir Lenin, one of the leaders of the Communist Revolution in Russia, as the museum it is currently housed in is also named for him. The specimen was discovered in 2012, on the banks of the river Volga near the town of Kriushi in a limestone nodule. There are several other fossils from the same time period near it, including ammonites, lamellibranchs and fish remains. Only part of the skull was found. Features The skull is incomplete, and without any teeth. it is partially crushed transversely, and nothing further forward than the naris remains, with what seems to be a fairly clean break. It is not known whether this was due to oro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Muiscasaurus Catheti
''Muiscasaurus'' is an extinct genus of ophthalmosaurid Ichthyosaur that lived in modern Colombia during the Early Cretaceous. The only known species is the type ''Muiscasaurus catheti''. Discovery The fossils of ''Muiscasaurus'' were found in the Paja Formation, whose sediments are exposed near the town of Villa de Leyva in Boyacá Department. These remains were found in 2010 in the middle of a limestone concretion, known as the Arcillolitas abigarradas Member, dating from the Barremian to Aptian epochs of the Lower Cretaceous. Although ammonites were found attached to the fossils, their poor preservation prevented identifying them and thereby establish the stratigraphy and precise age of the specimen. The fossil found, listed as the holotype specimen CIP-FCG-CBP-74, consists of a partial skull and some vertebrae with ribs that were found associated with the skull. These remains were designated in 2015 as the new genus and species ''Muiscasaurus catheti''; the genus name bein ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aegirosaurus Leptospondylus
''Aegirosaurus'' is an extinct genus of platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs known from the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous of Europe. It was originally named as a species of ''Ichthyosaurus''. Discovery and species Originally described by Wagner (1853) as a species of the genus ''Ichthyosaurus'' (''I. leptospondylus''), the species ''Aegirosaurus leptospondylus'' has had an unstable taxonomic history. It has been referred to the species '' Ichthyosaurus trigonus posthumus'' (later reclassified in the dubious genus ''Macropterygius'') in the past, and sometimes identified with ''Brachypterygius extremus''. In 2000, Bardet and Fernández selected a complete skeleton in a private collection as the neotype for the species ''I. leptospondylus'', as the only other described specimen was destroyed in World War II. A second specimen from the Munich collection was referred to the same taxon. Bardet and Fernández concluded that the neotype should be assigned to a new genus, ''A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brachypterygius Extremus
''Brachypterygius'' (meaning ″short wing/paddle″ in Greek) is an extinct genus of platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur known from the Late Jurassic of England.McGowan, C. & Motani, R. ''Ichthyopterygia''. In Sues, H.-D. (ed.) Handbook of Paleoherpetology, vol. 8. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, Munich, 175 pp., 19 pls. The type species was originally described and named as ''Ichthyosaurus extremus'' by Boulenger in 1904.Boulenger, G. A. 1904. Exhibition of, and remarks upon, a paddle of a new species of ichthyosaur. ''Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London'', 1904, 424–426. ''Brachypterygius'' was named by Huene in 1922 for the width and shortness of the forepaddle, and the type species is therefore ''Brachypterygius extremus''.Huene, F. F. von 1922. ''Die Ichthyosaurier des Lias und ihre Zusammenhänge''. Verlag von Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin, 114 pp., 22 pls. The holotype of ''B. extremus'' was originally thought to be from the Lias Group of Bath, United Ki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
