Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Polycotylinae

Reptilia - Plesiosauria - Polycotylidae

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2007Polycotylinae Albright et al. p. 47
2024Polycotylinae Clark et al. p. 2

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
Romeriida
Diapsida()
suborderSauropterygia
orderPlesiosauriade Blainville 1835
superfamilyPlesiosauroideaWelles 1943
familyPolycotylidaeWilliston 1908
subfamilyPolycotylinae
subfamilyPolycotylinae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Subfm. †Polycotylinae Albright et al. 2007
show all | hide all
Unr. †Dolichorhynchia Clark et al. 2024
hide
G. †Dolichorhynchops Williston 1902
+
Dolichorhynchops osborni Williston 1902
+
Invalid names: Polycotylus osborni Watson 1951 [synonym]
Invalid names: Plesiosaurus ichthyospondylus Seeley 1869 [nomen vanum], Trinacromerum latimanus Williston 1908 [nomen vanum]
G. †Martinectes Clark et al. 2024
+
Martinectes bonneri Adams 1997
G. †Unktaheela Clark et al. 2024
+
Unktaheela specta Clark et al. 2024
G. †Eopolycotylus Albright et al. 2007
hide
Eopolycotylus rankini Albright et al. 2007
G. †Georgiasaurus Ochev 1977
hide
Georgiasaurus penzensis Otschev 1976
Invalid names: Georgia Otschev 1976 [replaced]
G. †Polycotylus Cope 1869
hide
+
Invalid names: Polycotylus dolichopus Williston 1906 [synonym]
Polycotylus sopozkoi Efimov et al. 2016
Polycotylus suprajurensis Sauvage 1876
G. †Scalamagnus Clark et al. 2024
hide
Scalamagnus tropicensis Schmeisser McKean 2012
G. †Serpentisuchops Persons IV et al. 2022
hide
Serpentisuchops pfisterae Persons IV et al. 2022
G. †Trinacromerum Cragin 1888
hide
+
Invalid names: Ceraunosaurus brownorum Thurmond 1968 [synonym], Trinacromerum anonymum Williston 1903 [synonym], Trinacromerum willistoni Riggs 1944 [synonym]
Trinacromerum kirki Russell 1935
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
L. B. Albright et al. 2007Small to large polycotylid plesiosaurs with short and broad radius and ulna in forelimb and tibia and fibula in hindlimb, in contrast to the Palmulainae in which previously noted elements are distinctly polygonal, i.e., nearly equidimensional in length and width.
R. O. Clark et al. 2024Polycotylid plesiosaur subfamily possessing the following synapomorphies: jugal shortened to terminate near posterior orbital margin, temporal fenestra anteroposteriorly short (temporal fenestra length to cranial length ratio 0.19 or less),
squamosal extends anteriorly to postorbital bar, parasphenoid lacks a midline keel, anterior interpterygoid vacuity broad (at least 1/3 of combined pterygoid width at vacuity midlength), caudal vertebrae chevron facets located equally on anterior and posterior edges of centra (although this is reversed in a clade within Polycotylinae), coracoid perforated by foramina, epipodial foramen short (proximodistal length less than half epipodial length).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Environment: marineo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: aquatico
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: carnivoreo
Reproduction: viviparouso
Created: 2009-07-20 06:05:48
Modified: 2011-08-12 01:58:15
Source: o = order
Reference: Kiessling 2004

Age range: base of the Late/Upper Kimmeridgian to the top of the Early/Lower Maastrichtian or 155.70000 to 66.00000 Ma

Collections (51 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) Polycotylus suprajurensis (94534)
Late/Upper Albian105.3 - 99.6USA (Wyoming) Trinacromerum sp. (105789)
Early/Lower Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Wyoming) Polycotylus sp. (27889)
Late/Upper Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Utah) Pliosauroidea indet. (5609)
Late/Upper Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Texas) Ceraunosaurus brownorum (90465)
Late/Upper Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Kansas) Trinacromerum willistoni (106182)
Middle Cenomanian - Middle Turonian99.6 - 89.3USA (Kansas) Trinacromerum bentonianum (117814)
Turonian - Coniacian93.9 - 86.3Russian Federation (Kaliningrad) Plesiosaurus ichthyospondylus (227272)
Turonian - Coniacian93.9 - 86.3Poland (Warmińsko-Mazurskie) Plesiosaurus ichthyospondylus (227270 227271)
Turonian - Santonian93.9 - 83.6USA (Kansas) Polycotylidae indet. (31690)
Early/Lower Turonian93.5 - 89.3Canada (Manitoba) Trinacromerum kirki (102074)
Early/Lower Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Kansas) Trinacromerum bentonianum (117806)
Early/Lower Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Utah) Dolichorhynchops tropicensis (132356 132357) Eopolycotylus rankini (67973)
Early/Lower Turonian - Middle Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Kansas) Trinacromerum bentonianum (117807 117809 117811 117812)
Middle Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Kansas) Trinacromerum anonymum (117813 117815) Trinacromerum bentonianum (117805 117808 117810)
Late/Upper Coniacian - Santonian89.3 - 83.6USA (Kansas) Dolichorhynchops osborni (117856) Polycotylus dolichopus (118879) Polycotylus latipinnis (117847)
Santonian86.3 - 83.6USA (Kansas) Dolichorhynchops osborni (117851) Polycotylus latipinnis (117846 118183)
Santonian86.3 - 83.6Canada (Manitoba) Dolichorhynchops sp. ROM 29010 (107803)
Santonian86.3 - 83.6Russian Federation (Penza) Georgia penzensis (127412)
Late/Upper Santonian85.8 - 83.5USA (South Dakota) Polycotylus latipinnis (194130)
Late/Upper Santonian - Early/Lower Campanian85.8 - 70.6USA (Alabama) Polycotylus latipinnis (81934)
Campanian83.6 - 72.1USA (Texas) Trinacromerum bonneri (118185)
Campanian83.6 - 72.1Canada (Manitoba) Dolichorhynchops kirki (36746 36754)
Early/Lower Campanian83.5 - 70.6Canada (Northwest Territories) Dolichorhynchops osborni (106333)
Early/Lower Campanian83.5 - 70.6Russian Federation (Orenburg) Polycotylus sopozkoi (224094)
Early/Lower Campanian - Middle Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Wyoming) Trinacromerum bonneri (77312)
Early/Lower Campanian - Middle Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Kansas) Polycotylus latippinus (114240)
Early/Lower Campanian - Middle Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (South Dakota) Dolichorhynchops osborni (117861) Dolichorhynchops osborni, Trinacromerum bonneri (77316)
Judithian83.5 - 70.6USA (Wyoming) Dolichorhynchops sp. (14465 14480)
Middle Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Wyoming) Dolichorhynchops osborni (117860) Unktaheela specta (233170)
Middle Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (South Dakota) Unktaheela specta (94640)
Late/Upper Campanian - Early/Lower Maastrichtian83.5 - 66.0Canada (Saskatchewan) Dolichorhynchops herschelensis (100237)
Early/Lower Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0USA (Wyoming) Serpentisuchops pfisterae (229344)