Pachypleurosaur

Fossil of Keichousaurus hui in the North American Museum of Ancient Life

• Europe, Asia

The Pachypleurosauria are an extinct group of marine reptiles. Well-preserved fossils have been discovered, among others, in Ticino ( CH) on the Monte San Giorgio and in China.

Features

Pachypleurosauria were elongated, had small heads, long necks, a flattened tail rudder and paddle-like limbs. The skull was slightly built and elongated. Eyes and nasal cavities were large, the pace Ralf Most small. The teeth were pin-shaped and pointed. Between them there were large gaps. At the front of the jaw, the teeth stood out. Pelvic and shoulder girdle are greatly reduced, the Gelenkung the body is weak. Probably the limbs were not able to carry the animals on land. The 20 centimeters to one meter long expectant animals swam with lateral movements of their flattened tails and covered a distance the hind legs to the body. The forelimbs were possibly still used to control or even to drive. Pachypleurosauria were probably fish eaters.

Genera

• Anarosaurus DAMES, 1890
• Dactylosaurus Gürich, 1884
• Hanosaurus YOUNG, 1972
• Keichousaurus YOUNG, 1958
• Neusticosaurus SEELEY, 1882
• Pachypleurosaurus Cornalia, 1854
• Psilotrachelosaurus Nopcsa, 1928
• Serpianosaurus Rieppel, 1989