Sauropterygia

Life image of Ceresiosaurus calcagnii, a 2 to 3 feet long nothosaurs from the Middle Triassic of Europe

• Worldwide

The Sauropterygia ( " lizard flippers " ) are a group of Mesozoic marine reptiles. For this extinct taxon include Placodontier, Pachypleurosaurier, nothosaurs and plesiosaurs. Your fossil record includes all continents and ranges stratigraphically from the Middle Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous.

Features

In the Sauropterygia Reptiles groups are summarized, which have little resemblance to each other in habit. The common features ( synapomorphies ) of these groups can be found in the anatomy of the skull and skeleton. So all Sauropterygier have an enlarged upper jaw (maxilla ) and a typical arrangement of the collarbone ( clavicle ) and the shoulder blade ( scapula ).

System

The systematic position of the Sauropterygia is not completely clarified. It is undisputed their classification in the Diapsida, where they are usually placed in the relationship of Lepidosauria.

• Sauropterygia Placodontia
• Eusauropterygia Nothosauroidea Pachypleurosauria
• Nothosauria

• Corosaurus
• Chinchenia
• Kwangsisaurus
• Cymatosaurus
• Pistosauridae
• Plesiosauria