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Parvipelvia
Parvipelvia (Latin for "little pelvis" - ''parvus'' meaning "little" and ''pelvis'' meaning "pelvis") is an extinct clade of euichthyosaur ichthyosaurs that existed from the Late Triassic to the early Late Cretaceous (middle Norian to Cenomanian) of Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Named by Ryosuke Motani, in 1999, it contains the basal taxa like ''Macgowania'' and '' Hudsonelpidia''. Maisch and Matzke (2000) found in their analysis seven synapomorphies that support Parvipelvia. They also found 10 synapomorphies that support the existence of post-Triassic clade of ichthyosaurs (all parvipelvians excluding ''Macgowania'' and ''Hudsonelpidia''), for which the name Neoichthyosauria was found to be available. Parvipelvians were the only ichthyosaurs to survive the Triassic-Jurassic extinction event. Phylogeny Parvipelvia is a node-based taxon defined in 1999 as "the last common ancestor of ''Hudsonelpidia'', ''Macgowania'', '' Ichthyosaurus'' and all of it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Temnodontosaurus
''Temnodontosaurus'' (meaning "cutting-tooth lizard") is an extinct genus of large ichthyosaurs that lived during the Lower Jurassic in what is now Europe and possibly Chile. The first known fossil is a specimen consisting of a complete skull and partial skeleton discovered on a cliff by Joseph and Mary Anning around the early 1810s in Dorset, England. The anatomy of this specimen was subsequently analyzed in a series of articles written by Sir Everard Home between 1814 and 1819, making it the very first ichthyosaur to have been scientifically described. In 1822, the specimen was assigned to the genus '' Ichthyosaurus'' by William Conybeare, and more precisely to the species ''I. platyodon''. Noting the large dental differences with other species of ''Ichthyosaurus'', Richard Lydekker suggested in 1889 moving this species into a separate genus, which he named ''Temnodontosaurus''. While many species have been assigned to the genus, only five are currently recognized as valid, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Temnodontosaurus Trigonodon
''Temnodontosaurus'' (meaning "cutting-tooth lizard") is an extinct genus of large ichthyosaurs that lived during the Lower Jurassic in what is now Europe and possibly Chile. The first known fossil is a specimen consisting of a complete skull and partial skeleton discovered on a cliff by Joseph and Mary Anning around the early 1810s in Dorset, England. The anatomy of this specimen was subsequently analyzed in a series of articles written by Sir Everard Home between 1814 and 1819, making it the very first ichthyosaur to have been scientifically described. In 1822, the specimen was assigned to the genus ''Ichthyosaurus'' by William Conybeare, and more precisely to the species ''I. platyodon''. Noting the large dental differences with other species of ''Ichthyosaurus'', Richard Lydekker suggested in 1889 moving this species into a separate genus, which he named ''Temnodontosaurus''. While many species have been assigned to the genus, only five are currently recognized as valid, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ichthyosaur
Ichthyosauria is an order of large extinct marine reptiles sometimes referred to as "ichthyosaurs", although the term is also used for wider clades in which the order resides. Ichthyosaurians thrived during much of the Mesozoic era; based on fossil evidence, they first appeared around 250 million years ago ( Ma) and at least one species survived until about 90 million years ago, into the Late Cretaceous. During the Early Triassic epoch, ichthyosaurs and other ichthyosauromorphs evolved from a group of unidentified land reptiles that returned to the sea, in a development similar to how the mammalian land-dwelling ancestors of modern-day dolphins and whales returned to the sea millions of years later, which they gradually came to resemble in a case of convergent evolution. Ichthyosaurians were particularly abundant in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic periods, until they were replaced as the top aquatic predators by another marine reptilian group, the Plesiosauria, i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suevoleviathan
''Suevoleviathan'' is an extinct genus of primitive ichthyosaur found in the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) of Holzmaden, Germany. Taxonomy The genus was named in 1998 by Michael Maisch for ''Leptopterygius disinteger'' and ''Ichthyosaurus integer'', both found in the Toarcian-age Posidonia Shale of Holzmaden. The generic name means "Swabian Leviathan". The type species is ''Leptopterygius disinteger'' Huene 1926. ''Ichthyosaurus integer'' Bronn 1844 was also reassigned to the genus by Maisch to create the new combination ''Suevoleviathan integer''. Based on the relocation of the holotype of ''Suevoleviathan integer'' and an updated description of the specimen, Maxwell (2018) concluded that the two ''Suevoleviathan'' species are growth stages of the same species, meaning that ''S. integer'' has priority and becomes the epithet of the ''Suevoleviathan'' type species. However, in 2020, Maisch disagreed after reassessing a specimen he tentatively assigned to ''S. integer''. This specim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Excalibosaurus BW
''Excalibosaurus'' (meaning "Excalibur's lizard") is a monotypic genus of marine prehistoric reptiles (ichthyosaurs) that lived during the Sinemurian stage (approximately 199.5 ± 0.3 Ma to 192.9 ± 0.3 Ma (million years ago)) of the Early Jurassic period in what is now England. It is characterized by the extreme elongation of the rostrum, with the lower jaw about three-quarters the length of the upper jaw, giving the animal a swordfish-like look. The only known species is ''Excalibosaurus costini''. History of research This relatively rare animal is known from two skeletons. The holotype, discovered in 1984 near a beach on the Somerset coast, consists of the skull, forefin, part of the pectoral girdle and some vertebrae and ribs. It has been described in 1986 by Christopher McGowan. The fossil is hosted in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. The second specimen is an almost complete skeleton collected in the same area in 1996, and was purchased by the Royal Ontario Museum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leptopterygiidae
Leptonectidae is a family of ichthyosaurs Ichthyosauria is an taxonomy (biology), order of large extinction, extinct marine reptiles sometimes referred to as "ichthyosaurs", although the term is also used for wider clades in which the order resides. Ichthyosaurians thrived during much of ... known from Late Triassic to Early Jurassic marine deposits in Europe. They were all small to medium-sized creatures, most noted for their very long, swordfish-like snouts, which could have been used like a weapon, slashing through schools of fish.McGowan and Motani, 2003. Handbook of Paleoherpetology: Ichthyopterygia, Part 8. 175 pp. References Late Triassic ichthyosaurs Late Triassic first appearances Early Jurassic extinctions Prehistoric reptile families {{ichthyosaur-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ophthalmosaurus Icenicus
''Ophthalmosaurus'' (Greek ὀφθάλμος ''ophthalmos'' 'eye' and σαῦρος ''sauros'' 'lizard') is a genus of ichthyosaur known from the Middle-Late Jurassic. Possible remains from the earliest 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, growing to measure in length and weighing between . 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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thunnosauria
Thunnosauria (Ancient Greek, Greek for "tuna lizard" – ''thunnos'' meaning "tuna" and ''sauros'' meaning "lizard") is an extinct clade of parvipelvian ichthyosaurs from the Early Jurassic to the early Late Cretaceous (Hettangian–Cenomanian) of Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Named by Ryosuke Motani in 1999, it contains the basal taxa ''Ichthyosaurus'' and ''Stenopterygius'' and the family Ophthalmosauridae. In thunnosaurs, the fore fin is at least twice as long as the hind fin. Phylogeny Thunnosauria is a node-based taxon defined in 1999 as "the last common ancestor of ''Ichthyosaurus communis'' and ''Stenopterygius quadriscissus'' and all of its descendants". The cladogram below follows the topology from a 2010 analysis by Patrick S. Druckenmiller and Erin E. Maxwell. References Hettangian first appearances Ichthyosauria Turonian extinctions {{ichthyosaur-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leptonectidae
Leptonectidae is a family of ichthyosaurs Ichthyosauria is an taxonomy (biology), order of large extinction, extinct marine reptiles sometimes referred to as "ichthyosaurs", although the term is also used for wider clades in which the order resides. Ichthyosaurians thrived during much of ... known from Late Triassic to Early Jurassic marine deposits in Europe. They were all small to medium-sized creatures, most noted for their very long, swordfish-like snouts, which could have been used like a weapon, slashing through schools of fish.McGowan and Motani, 2003. Handbook of Paleoherpetology: Ichthyopterygia, Part 8. 175 pp. References Late Triassic ichthyosaurs Late Triassic first appearances Early Jurassic extinctions Prehistoric reptile families {{ichthyosaur-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Euichthyosaur
Merriamosauria is an extinct clade of ichthyosaurs. It was named by Ryosuke Motani in his 1999 analysis of the relationships of ichthyopterygian marine reptiles and was defined in phylogenetic terms as a stem-based taxon including "the last common ancestor of '' Shastasaurus pacificus'' and ''Ichthyosaurus communis'', and all of its descendants." The name honours John Campbell Merriam. Based on this definition, Merriamosauria includes most ichthyosaurs except for several Triassic groups such as the clade Mixosauria, the family Cymbospondylidae, and perhaps the family Toretocnemidae. Merriamosaurs are characterized by features in their pectoral girdles and limb bones, including an extensive connection between the scapula and the coracoid bone, the absence of the first metacarpal and the absence of a pisiform bone. In addition to '' Shastasaurus,'' this clade includes ''Shonisaurus, Guizhouichthyosaurus,'' an unnamed Norian The Norian is a division of the Triassic geologic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hauffiopteryx
''Hauffiopteryx'' is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur known from Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Somerset of the United Kingdom. Two species are known: ''H. typicus'' and ''H. altera''. History of study ''Hauffiopteryx'' was first described by Michael W. Maisch on the basis of some specimens that previously referred to '' Stenopterygius hauffianus''. Maisch found that the lectotype of ''S. hauffianus'' can be determined as ''Stenopterygius cf. S. quadriscissus'' at best, and therefore this species should be considered a nomen dubium. He also found out that most specimens previously referred to ''S. hauffianus'' can be referred to ''S. quadriscissus'', while the rest belongs to a highly distinctive new taxon that can't be referred to any valid species of ''Stenopterygius''. ''Hauffiopteryx'' is known from the lectotype GPIT 1491/4, articulated complete skeleton which preserved the skull and some soft tissues. The animal is about in length. It was collected from the '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macgowania
''Macgowania'' is an extinct genus of parvipelvian ichthyosaur known from British Columbia of Canada. It was a small ichthyosaur around in total body length. History of research The first specimen of ''Macgowania'' is the holotype ROM 41992 ( RBCM EH 91.2.5), a partial skeleton which preserved nearly complete skull, almost complete forefin and other postcranial elements. It was collected in the Jewitt Spur locality from the Pardonet Formation, dating to the middle Norian stage of the Late Triassic, about 210 million years ago. It was found on the northern shore of the Peace Reach branch of Williston Lake. A second specimen from the same locality, ROM 41991, may be referable to this genus based on its forefin structure, but this cannot be confirmed due to its poor preservation. ''Macgowania'' has a very stable position in many cladistic analyses. The family Macgowaniidae was named by McGowan and Motani in 2003 to include this genus.McGowan C, Motani R. 2003. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
