Rhaeticosaurus

Rhaeticosaurus (meaning 'Rhaetian lizard') is an extinct genus of basal pliosauroid from the Late Triassic (Rhaetian) rocks of the Exter Formation. The type and only species, R. mertensi, was named by Wintrich et al. in 2017.[1][2][3] It is known from a partial articulated skeleton.[3]

Rhaeticosaurus
Temporal range: Late Triassic,
Holotype
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Superorder:
†Sauropterygia
Order:
†Plesiosauria
Family:
†Pliosauroidea
Genus:
†Rhaeticosaurus

Wintrich et al., 2017
Type species
†Rhaeticosaurus mertensi
Wintrich et al., 2017

Discovery and naming

The holotype is LWL-MFN P 64047 and it was discovered in Clay pit #3 belonging to the Lücking brick company in 2013, in the section below the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and about 3.5 metres (11 ft) below a bonebed containing a vertebrate fauna of Rhaetian age.[2] It was acquired by an anonymous private collector, who notified authorities and the specimen was eventually prepared and named as Rhaeticosaurus mertensi in 2017.[2]

Description

Based on the holotype, Rhaeticosaurus grew up to 2.37 metres (7.8 ft) when fully grown.[2]

References
  1. "This is the oldest fossil of a plesiosaur from the dinosaur era". New Scientist. December 13, 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  2. Wintrich, Tanja; Hayashi, Shoji; Houssaye, Alexandra; Nakajima, Yasuhisa; Sander, P. Martin (2017-12-01). "A Triassic plesiosaurian skeleton and bone histology inform on evolution of a unique body plan". Science Advances. 3 (12): e1701144. Bibcode:2017SciA....3E1144W. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1701144. ISSN 2375-2548. PMC 5729018. PMID 29242826.
  3. "Paleo Profile: The Rhaetian Lizard - Scientific American Blog Network". Scientific American. December 22, 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
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