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Plesiosauroidea

Reptilia - Plesiosauria

Taxonomy
Plesiosauroidea was named by Welles (1943). Its type is Plesiosaurus. It was considered monophyletic by Gasparini et al. (2002).

It was assigned to Neoplesiosauria by Ketchum and Benson (2010) and Benson et al. (2012); to Plesiosauria by Delair (1960), Persson (1963), Antunes (1964), Kuhn (1966), Welles and Gregg (1971), Thurmond and Jones (1981), Wiffen and Moisley (1986), Bardet et al. (1991), Hiller and Mannering (2005) and Gasparini et al. (2015); to Plesiosauria by Welles (1943), Welles (1962), Brown (1981), Gasparini and Goñi (1985), Carroll (1988), Chatterjee and Small (1989), Gasparini and Spalletti (1993), Cruickshank (1994), Carpenter (1996), Carpenter (1999), Gasparini and Salgado (2000), Fostowicz-Frelik and Gazdzicki (2001), O'Keefe (2001), Cruickshank and Fordyce (2002), Lazo and Cichowolski (2003), Hiller and Mannering (2004), Schumacher and Everhart (2005), O'Keefe (2008), Schwermann and Sander (2011), Ketchum and Benson (2011), O'Gorman et al. (2013), Hiller et al. (2014), O'Gorman et al. (2014), O'Gorman (2015), O'Gorman et al. (2016), O'Gorman (2016), O'Gorman (2016), O'Gorman (2016), O'Gorman et al. (2017), O'Gorman and Coria (2017), Hiller et al. (2017), O'Gorman et al. (2018), O'Gorman et al. (2019), O'Gorman et al. (2021), O'Gorman et al. (2021) and O'Gorman and Otero (2023); and to Plesiosauria by Gasparini et al. (2002), Hiller et al. (2005), Gasparini et al. (2007), Previtera and González Riga (2008), O'Gorman (2012), Mateus et al. (2012), O'Gorman and Gasparini (2013), O'Gorman et al. (2013), Otero and O'Gorman (2013), Benson and Druckenmiller (2014), O'Gorman et al. (2014), Otero et al. (2015), O'Gorman et al. (2015), O'Gorman et al. (2015), Otero et al. (2015), Frey et al. (2017), O'Gorman (2019), O'Gorman et al. (2019), Páramo-Fonseca et al. (2019), Vincent et al. (2019), O'Gorman (2020), Roberts et al. (2020), O'Gorman (2021), O'Gorman (2022), O'Gorman et al. (2023), Sachs et al. (2024) and Clark et al. (2024).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1887Plesiosaurus limnophilus Koken p. 109
1889Cimoliosaurus limnophilus Lydekker p. 224
1892Dolichodeira Seeley p. 151
1943Plesiosauroidea Welles
1960Plesiosauroidea Delair p. 53
1962Plesiosauroidea Welles p. 3
1963Plesiosauroidea Persson p. 2
1964Plesiosauroidea Antunes p. 133
1966Plesiosauroidea Kuhn p. 116
1971Plesiosauroidea Welles and Gregg p. 22
1981Plesiosauroidea Brown p. 339
1981Plesiosauroidea Thurmond and Jones p. 139
1985Plesiosauroidea Gasparini and Goñi
1986Plesiosauroidea Wiffen and Moisley p. 207
1988Plesiosauroidea Carroll
1989Plesiosauroidea Chatterjee and Small p. 199
1991Plesiosauroidea Bardet et al. p. 1346
1993Plesiosauroidea Gasparini and Spalletti p. 250
1994Plesiosauroidea Cruickshank p. 250
1996Plesiosauroidea Carpenter p. 267
1999Plesiosauroidea Carpenter p. 168 fig. 15
2000Plesiosauroidea Gasparini and Salgado p. 14
2001Plesiosauroidea Fostowicz-Frelik and Gazdzicki
2001Plesiosauroidea O'Keefe p. 19 fig. 20
2002Plesiosauroidea Cruickshank and Fordyce p. 562
2002Plesiosauroidea Gasparini et al.
2003Plesiosauroidea Lazo and Cichowolski p. 785
2004Plesiosauroidea Hiller and Mannering p. 1
2005Plesiosauroidea Hiller and Mannering p. 30
2005Plesiosauroidea Schumacher and Everhart p. 48
2007Plesiosauroidea Gasparini et al. p. 190
2008Plesiosauroidea O'Keefe p. 665
2008Plesiosauroidea Previtera and González Riga
2010Plesiosauroidea Ketchum and Benson p. 15
2011Plesiosauroidea Ketchum and Benson p. 126
2011Plesiosauroidea Schwermann and Sander p. 49
2012Plesiosauroidea Benson et al.
2012Plesiosauroidea Mateus et al. p. 78
2012Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman
2013Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman and Gasparini
2013Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 262
2013Plesiosauroidea Otero and O'Gorman
2014Plesiosauroidea Benson and Druckenmiller figs. 2-3
2014Plesiosauroidea Hiller et al. p. 29
2014Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 43
2014Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al.
2015Plesiosauroidea Gasparini et al.
2015Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman p. 189
2015Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 376
2015Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al.
2015Plesiosauroidea Otero et al. p. 3
2015Plesiosauroidea Otero et al. p. 242
2016Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman p. 11
2016Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. pp. 62-65
2017Plesiosauroidea Frey et al. p. 94
2017Plesiosauroidea Hiller et al.
2017Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman and Coria p. 242
2017Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 120
2018Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 250
2019Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman
2019Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 215
2019Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al. p. 40
2019Plesiosauroidea Páramo-Fonseca et al.
2019Plesiosauroidea Vincent et al.
2020Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman
2020Plesiosauroidea Roberts et al.
2021Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman
2021Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al.
2021Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al.
2022Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman
2023Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman et al.
2023Plesiosauroidea O'Gorman and Otero p. 78
2024Plesiosauroidea Clark et al. p. 2
2024Plesiosauroidea Sachs et al. p. 2

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

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.

Superfm. †Plesiosauroidea Welles 1943
show all | hide all
Unr. †Cryptoclidia Ketchum and Benson 2010
+
Invalid names: Cryptocleidoidea Williston 1925 [replaced]
Fm. †Cryptoclididae Williston 1925
+
G. †Abyssosaurus Berezin 2011
+
Abyssosaurus nataliae Berezin 2011
G. †Colymbosaurus Seeley 1874
+
Colymbosaurus sclerodirus Bogolubov 1911
+
Invalid names: Colymbosaurus megadeirus Seeley 1869 [synonym], Plesiosaurus manselii Hulke 1870 [synonym], Pliosaurus portlandicus Owen 1869 [synonym]
G. †Cryptoclidus Seeley 1892
+
Cryptocleidus cuervoi caroli Torre and Rojas 1949
Cryptoclidus eurymerus Phillips 1871
+
Invalid names: Apractocleidus teretipes Smellie 1915 [synonym], Cryptoclidus platymerus Seeley 1892 [synonym], Plesiosaurus durobrivensis Seeley 1892 [synonym]
Cryptoclidus richardsoni Lydekker 1889
+
Invalid names: Plesiosaurus plicatus Mansel-Pleydell 1888 [synonym]
Invalid names: Apractocleidus Smellie 1915 [objective synonym], Cryptocleidus cuervoi Torre and Rojas 1949 [nomen dubium], Cryptoclidus vignalensis Torre and Cuervo 1939 [nomen dubium], Plesiosaurus oxfordiensis Seeley 1869 [nomen nudum], Plesiosaurus oxoniensis Phillips 1871 [nomen dubium]
G. †Djupedalia Knutsen et al. 2012
+
Djupedalia engeri Knutsen et al. 2012
G. †Kimmerosaurus Brown 1981
+
Kimmerosaurus langhami Brown 1981
G. †Muraenosaurus Seeley 1874
+
Muraenosaurus fahrenkohli Waldheim 1846
Muraenosaurus leedsii Seeley 1874
+
Invalid names: Cimoliosaurus plicatus Phillips 1871 [synonym], Muraenosaurus platyclis Seeley 1892 [synonym], Muraenosaurus plicatus Phillips 1871 [synonym], Tremamesacleis durobrivensis Lydekker 1889 [synonym]
Muraenosaurus purbecki Bogolubov 1911
Invalid names: Tremamesacleis White 1940 [synonym]
G. †Ophthalmothule Roberts et al. 2020
+
Ophthalmothule cryostea Roberts et al. 2020
G. †Pantosaurus Marsh 1893
+
Pantosaurus striatus Marsh 1891
+
Invalid names: Muraenosaurus reedii Mehl 1912 [synonym]
Invalid names: Parasaurus Marsh 1891 [replaced]
G. †Picrocleidus Andrews 1909
+
Picrocleidus beloclis Seeley 1892
G. †Spitrasaurus Knutsen et al. 2012
+
Spitrasaurus larseni Knutsen et al. 2012
Spitrasaurus wensaasi Knutsen et al. 2012
G. †Tatenectes O'Keefe and Wahl, Jr. 2003
+
Tatenectes laramiensis Knight 1900
G. †Tricleidus Andrews 1909
+
Tricleidus seeleyi Andrews 1909
G. †Vinialesaurus Gasparini et al. 2002
+
Vinialesaurus caroli Torre and Rojas 1949
Invalid names: Cryptoclidus aldingeri von Huene 1932 [nomen dubium]
Fm. †Elasmosauridae Cope 1869 [elasmosaur]
+
G. †Alexeyisaurus Sennikov and Arkhangelsky 2010
+
Alexeyisaurus karnoushenkoi Sennikov and Arkhangelsky 2010
Subfm. †Alzadasaurinae
+
G. †Alzadasaurus Welles 1943
G. †Ogmodirus Williston and Moodie 1913
+
Invalid names: Ogmodirus martinii Williston and Moodie 1917 [nomen dubium]
G. †Callawayasaurus Carpenter 1999
+
G. †Cardiocorax Araújo et al. 2015
+
Cardiocorax mukulu Araújo et al. 2015
G. †Chubutinectes O'Gorman et al. 2023
+
Chubutinectes carmeloi O'Gorman et al. 2023
G. †Cimoliasaurus Leidy 1851
+
Cimoliasaurus magnus Leidy 1851
Cimoliosaurus magnus Leidy 1851
Cimoliosaurus snowii Williston 1890
Invalid names: Brimosaurus grandis Leidy 1855 [nomen dubium], Cimoliasaurus brevior Lydekker 1889 [nomen dubium], Cimoliasaurus maccoyi Etheridge 1904 [nomen dubium], Hunosaurus Fritsch 1905 [synonym], Iserosaurus Fritsch 1905 [synonym]
G. †Eromangasaurus Kear 2005
+
Unr. †Euelasmosaurida O'Gorman 2019
+
+
G. †Albertonectes Kubo et al. 2012
+
Albertonectes vanderveldei Kubo et al. 2012
G. †Hydrotherosaurus Welles 1943
+
G. †Nakonanectes Serratos et al. 2017
+
Nakonanectes bradti Serratos et al. 2017
G. †Styxosaurus Welles 1943
+
Styxosaurus browni Welles 1952
Styxosaurus snowii Williston 1890
+
Invalid names: Alzadasaurus pembertoni Welles and Bump 1949 [synonym]
Invalid names: Hydralmosaurus Welles 1943 [synonym], Thalassonomosaurus marshii Williston 1906 [nomen dubium]
G. †Terminonatator Sato 2003
+
Invalid names: Styxosaurinae Otero 2016 [synonym]
G. †Libonectes Carpenter 1997 [southwest diver]
+
Libonectes morgani Welles 1949
+
Invalid names: Libonectes atlasense Buchy 2005 [synonym]
G. †Thalassomedon Welles 1943
+
+
Invalid names: Alzadasaurus riggsi Welles 1943 [synonym]
G. †Fluvionectes Campbell et al. 2021
+
Fluvionectes sloanae Campbell et al. 2021
G. †Fresnosaurus Welles 1943
+
Fresnosaurus drescheri Welles 1943
G. †Gronausaurus Hampe 2013
+
Gronausaurus wegneri Hampe 2013
G. †Jucha Fischer et al. 2020
+
Jucha squalea Fischer et al. 2020
Jucha squalea Fischer et al. 2020
Jucha squalea Fischer et al. 2020
G. †Lagenanectes Sachs et al. 2017
+
Lagenanectes richterae Sachs et al. 2017
G. †Leivanectes Páramo-Fonseca et al. 2019
+
Leivanectes bernardoi Páramo-Fonseca et al. 2019
G. †Leurospondylus Brown 1913
+
Leurospondylus ultimus Brown 1913
G. †Scanisaurus Persson 1960
G. †Stereosaurus Seeley 1869
G. †Thalassiosaurus Welles 1943
G. †Thalassonomosaurus Welles 1943
G. †Wapuskanectes Druckenmiller and Russell 2006
+
Wapuskanectes betsynichollsae Druckenmiller and Russell 2006
Unr. †Weddellonectia O'Gorman and Coria 2017
+
G. †Aphrosaurus Welles 1943
+
Aphrosaurus furlongi Welles 1943
Subfm. †Aristonectinae Otero et al. 2012
+
G. †Alexandronectes Otero et al. 2016
+
Alexandronectes zealandiensis Otero et al. 2016
G. †Aristonectes Cabrera 1941
+
Aristonectes parvidens Cabrera 1941
Aristonectes quiriquinensis Otero et al. 2014
Invalid names: Turneria Chatterjee and Small 1989 [synonym]
G. †Morturneria Chatterjee and Creisler 1994
+
Morturneria seymourensis Chatterjee and Creisler 1994
+
Invalid names: Turneria seymourensis Chatterjee and Small 1989 [replaced]
G. †Wunyelfia Otero and Soto-Acuña 2021
+
Wunyelfia maulensis Otero and Soto-Acuña 2021
Invalid names: Mauisaurus Hector 1874 [nomen dubium], Mauisaurus haasti Hector 1874 [nomen dubium], Tuarangisaurus cabazai Gasparini et al. 2003 [nomen dubium]
G. †Futabasaurus Sato et al. 2006
+
Futabasaurus suzukii Sato et al. 2006 [Futaba Suzuki Ryu]
G. †Kaiwhekea Cruickshank and Fordyce 2002
+
Kaiwhekea katiki Cruickshank and Fordyce 2002
G. †Kawanectes O'Gorman 2016
+
Kawanectes lafquenianum Gasparini and Goni 1985
G. †Morenosaurus Welles 1943
+
Morenosaurus stocki Welles 1943
G. †Tuarangisaurus Wiffen and Moisley 1986
+
Tuarangisaurus keyesi Wiffen and Moisley 1986
G. †Vegasaurus O'Gorman et al. 2015
+
Vegasaurus molyi O'Gorman et al. 2015
G. †Zarafasaura Vincent et al. 2011
+
Zarafasaura oceanis Vincent et al. 2011
Invalid names: Alzadasaurus kansasensis Welles 1952 [nomen dubium], Alzadasaurus tropicus Colbert 1949 [nomen vanum], Cimoliasauridae Delair 1959 [synonym], Cimoliasaurus andium Deecke 1895 [nomen dubium], Cimoliasaurus cantabrigiensis Lydekker 1889 [nomen vanum], Cimoliasaurus caudalis Hutton 1894 [nomen vanum], Elasmosaurus amalitskii Pravoslavlev 1916 [nomen vanum], Elasmosaurus kurskensis Bogolubov 1911 [nomen vanum], Elasmosaurus orskensis Bogolubov 1911 [nomen vanum], Elasmosaurus serdobensis Bogolubov 1911 [nomen vanum], Elasmosaurus sternbergi Williston 1906 [nomen dubium], Mauisaurus gardneri Seeley 1878 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus constrictus Owen 1850 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus crassicostatus Owen 1870 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus gulo Cope 1872 [nomen dubium], Plesiosaurus gurgitis Renevier 1858 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus helmersenii Kiprijanoff 1882 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus holmesii Hector 1874 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus hoodii Owen 1870 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus mackayii Hector 1874 [nomen vanum], Plesiosaurus mauritanicus Arambourg 1952 [nomen dubium], Plesiosaurus sutherlandi McCoy 1867 [nomen dubium], Pliosaurus gigas Schröder 1885 [nomen vanum], Pliosaurus macrospondylus McCoy 1867 [nomen dubium], Thalassiosaurus ischiadicus Williston 1903 [nomen dubium], Thalassonomosaurus nobilis Williston 1906 [nomen dubium], Woolungasaurus Persson 1960 [nomen dubium], Woolungasaurus glendowerensis Persson 1960 [nomen dubium]
G. †Franconiasaurus Sachs et al. 2024
+
Franconiasaurus brevispinus Sachs et al. 2024
Unr. †Leptocleidia Ketchum and Benson 2010
+
Fm. †Leptocleididae White 1940
+
G. †Brancasaurus Wegner 1914
+
Brancasaurus brancai Wegner 1914
G. †Hastanectes Benson et al. 2013
+
Hastanectes valdensis Lydekker 1889
G. †Leptocleidus Andrews 1922
+
Leptocleidus capensis Andrews 1911
Leptocleidus clemai Cruickshank and Long 1997
Leptocleidus superstes Andrews 1922
Invalid names: Peyerus Stromer 1935 [synonym]
G. †Nichollssaura Druckenmiller and Russell 2009
+
Nichollssaura borealis Druckenmiller and Russell 2009
+
Invalid names: Nichollsia borealis Druckenmiller and Russell 2008 [replaced]
Invalid names: Nichollsia Druckenmiller and Russell 2008 [replaced]
G. †Umoonasaurus Kear et al. 2006
+
Umoonasaurus demoscyllus Kear et al. 2006
G. †Vectocleidus Benson et al. 2013
+
Vectocleidus pastorum Benson et al. 2013
Invalid names: Leptocleidoidea Druckenmiller and Russell 2008 [replaced]
Fm. †Microcleididae Benson et al. 2012
+
G. †Microcleidus Watson 1909
+
Microcleidus macropterus Seeley 1865
Microcleidus melusinae Vincent et al. 2019
Microcleidus tournemirensis Sciau et al. 1990
Invalid names: Occitanosaurus Bardet et al. 1999 [synonym]
G. †Seeleyosaurus White 1940
+
+
Invalid names: Seeleyosaurus holzmadensis White 1940 [synonym]
G. †Opallionectes Kear 2006
+
G. †Plesiopharos Puértolas-Pascual et al. 2021
+
Plesiopharos moelensis Puértolas-Pascual et al. 2021
G. †Plesiopterys O'Keefe 2004
+
Plesiopterys wildi O'Keefe 2004
Fm. †Plesiosauridae Gray 1825
+
G. †Hydrorion Grossmann 2007
G. †Lusonectes Smith et al. 2012
+
Lusonectes sauvagei Smith et al. 2012
G. †Thaumatosaurus Meyer 1841
+
+
Invalid names: Liopleurodon bucklandi Sauvage 1873 [synonym]
Invalid names: Brancasauridae White 1940 [synonym], Muraenosauridae White 1940 [synonym], Plesiosaurus neogaeus Burmeister 1861 [nomen vanum], Tremamesacleididae White 1940 [synonym]
G. †Plesiosaurus de la Beche and Conybeare 1821
+
Plesiosaurus bavaricus Dames 1895
Plesiosaurus bitractensis Sauvage 1883
Plesiosaurus carinatus Cuvier 1824
Plesiosaurus cliduchus Seeley 1865
Plesiosaurus costatus Owen 1840
Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus Conybeare 1824
+
Invalid names: Plesiosaurus homei Gray 1831 [synonym], Plesiosaurus macromus Owen 1840 [synonym]
Plesiosaurus exarsostinus Hawkins 1834
Plesiosaurus grandis Owen 1840
Plesiosaurus hesternus Welles 1953
Plesiosaurus houzeaui Dollo 1909
+
Invalid names: Plesiosaurus brachycephalus Owen 1840 [synonym]
Plesiosaurus macrodeirus Seeley 1869
Plesiosaurus mexicanus Wieland 1910
Plesiosaurus nitidus Phillips 1871
Plesiosaurus trigonus Cuvier 1824
Invalid names: Plesiosaurus elasmosaurus Finzel 1964 [nomen nudum], Plesiosaurus priscus Parkinson 1822 [nomen dubium]
Fm. †Polycotylidae Williston 1908
+
G. †Ceraunosaurus Thurmond 1968
G. †Edgarosaurus Druckenmiller 2002
+
Edgarosaurus muddi Druckenmiller 2002
G. †Manemergus Buchy et al. 2005
+
Manemergus anguirostris Buchy et al. 2005
G. †Mauriciosaurus Frey et al. 2017
+
Mauriciosaurus fernandezi Frey et al. 2017
G. †Pahasapasaurus Schumacher 2007
+
Pahasapasaurus haasi Schumacher 2007
Subfm. †Palmulainae Albright et al. 2007
+
G. †Palmulasaurus Albright et al. 2007
+
Palmulasaurus quadratus Albright et al. 2007
Invalid names: Palmula Albright et al. 2007 [replaced]
G. †Plesiopleurodon Carpenter 1996
+
Plesiopleurodon wellesi Carpenter 1996
Subfm. †Polycotylinae Albright et al. 2007
+
Unr. †Dolichorhynchia Clark et al. 2024
+
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
+
Eopolycotylus rankini Albright et al. 2007
G. †Georgiasaurus Ochev 1977
+
Georgiasaurus penzensis Otschev 1976
Invalid names: Georgia Otschev 1976 [replaced]
G. †Polycotylus Cope 1869
+
+
Invalid names: Polycotylus dolichopus Williston 1906 [synonym]
Polycotylus sopozkoi Efimov et al. 2016
Polycotylus suprajurensis Sauvage 1876
G. †Scalamagnus Clark et al. 2024
+
Scalamagnus tropicensis Schmeisser McKean 2012
G. †Serpentisuchops Persons IV et al. 2022
+
Serpentisuchops pfisterae Persons IV et al. 2022
G. †Trinacromerum Cragin 1888
+
+
Invalid names: Ceraunosaurus brownorum Thurmond 1968 [synonym], Trinacromerum anonymum Williston 1903 [synonym], Trinacromerum willistoni Riggs 1944 [synonym]
Trinacromerum kirki Russell 1935
G. †Sulcusuchus Gasparini and Spalletti 1990
+
Sulcusuchus erraini Gasparini and Spalletti 1990
G. †Thililua Bardet et al. 2003
+
Thililua longicollis Bardet et al. 2003
Invalid names: Cimoliasaurus leucoscopelus Etheridge, Jr. 1897 [nomen dubium], Dolichorhynchopidae Welles 1962 [synonym], Palmulasaurinae Albright et al. 2007 [empty], Polycotyilnae Albright et al. 2007 [empty]
G. †Sthenarosaurus Watson 1909
+
Sthenarosaurus dawkinsi Watson 1909
G. †Westphaliasaurus Schwermann and Sander 2011
+
Westphaliasaurus simonsensii Schwermann and Sander 2011
Invalid names: Cimoliosaurus limnophilus Koken 1887 [nomen dubium], Dolichodeira Seeley 1892 [synonym], Euplesiosauria O'Keefe 2001 [empty]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. S. Brown 1981Plesiosauria with relatively small skulls; mandibular symphysis short, being between the first pair of alveoli only, these not bearing especially enlarged teeth; teeth with slim crowns which do not usually show wear on their tips; at least 28 cervical vertebrae; cervical centra of moderate relative length or elongated; the ventral rami of the scapulae becoming broad; ischia relatively short anteroposteriorly; propodials massive, humerus generally larger than femur.
F. R. O'Keefe 2001"Prefrontal contacts margin of external naris; nasal absent; cervical neural spines not angled backward; dorsal neural spines compressed and blade-like."
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 Norian to the top of the Late/Upper Maastrichtian or 228.00000 to 66.00000 Ma

Collections (526 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Norian228.0 - 208.5Russian Federation (Nenets) Alexeyisaurus karnoushenkoi (103802)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3France (Champagne-Ardennes) Plesiosaurus carinatus (139922)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3Belgium (Gaume) Plesiosaurus sp. (139199 139202)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3Germany (Sachsen-Anhalt) Plesiosaurus keuperinus (139489)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3United Kingdom (England) Plesiosaurus costatus, Plesiosaurus trigonus (122362) Plesiosaurus dibothrius (57958) Plesiosaurus rostratus (122365) Plesiosaurus sp. (96617 163310)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3Germany (Baden-Württemberg) Plesiosaurus sp. (131422)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3France (Burgundy) Plesiosaurus costatus, Plesiosaurus bitractensis (144758 144759)
Angulata201.3 - 196.5France (Lorraine) Plesiosaurus sp. (53947)
Early/Lower Hettangian201.3 - 196.5United Kingdom (England) Plesiosaurus cliduchus (119083)
Early/Lower Hettangian - Early/Lower Pliensbachian201.3 - 183.0United Kingdom (England) Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus, Plesiosaurus macrocephalus, Plesiosaurus macromus, Plesiosaurus platydeirus (118938)

Youngest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state PBDB collection number
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Antarctica Aristonectes parvidens (140323) Aristonectes sp., Euelasmosaurida indet. (232357) Aristonectinae indet. (232334) Elasmosauridae indet. (149632 232349 232350 232351 232353 232354 232355 232356 232781 232782 232783) Turneria seymourensis (13106) Weddellonectia indet. (51962 232333)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0New Zealand (South Island) Elasmosauridae indet., Polycotylidae indet. (232396 232399 232400) Mauisaurus haasti (232391 232393 232401) Polycotylidae indet., Mauisaurus haasti (232392)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Morocco Elasmosauridae indet. (99627 213665 213666) Elasmosauridae indet., Zarafasaura oceanis (116628) Plesiosaurus mauritanicus (143257 143258)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Argentina (Santa Cruz) Elasmosauridae indet. (140330 181059)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0USA (New Jersey) Cimoliasaurus magnus (167650) Ichthyosauria indet. (88034)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Belgium (Liège) Elasmosauridae indet. (143253)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Chile (Concepción) Aristonectes parvidens (118945)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Chile (Puerto Natales) Aristonectes sp., Elasmosauridae indet. (208356) Aristonectinae indet. (208357 208358) Elasmosauridae indet. (140919)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Chile (Biobio) Aristonectes sp. (150921)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Chile Aristonectinae indet. (221030) Aristonectinae indet., Mauisaurus sp. (91416) Elasmosauridae indet., Aristonectinae indet. (157301)