In Depth Platypterygius was a medium sized ichthyosaur that lived towards the end of the reign of this group of marine reptiles. The name which means ‘flat wing’ seems to have been in reference to the arrangement of the bones inside the front flippers which were tightly bound to produce the flat form. This feature … Read more
In Depth Jabalisaurus is a genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived during the late Jurassic. Further reading - A new ophthalmosaurid (Ichthyosauria) from the Upper Kimmeridgian deposits of the La Casita Formation, near G�mez Far�as, Coahuila, northern Mexico. Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 111: 103499. - Jair Israel Barrientos-Lara & Jes�s Alvarado-Ortega - 2021.
In Depth First discovered in 2009, the holotype specimen of Cryopterygius was found quite complete, only the posterior portion of the tail is missing. The main length of Cryopterygius from the tip of the snout to the posterior regions of the body is just over four and a half meters long, Depending upon how long … Read more
In Depth Sumpalla ia a genus of ichthyosaur that lived in the waters around South America during the late Jurassic. The holotype fossil of Sumpalla was originally assigned to the Aegirosaurus genus, before being re-described in 2021. Further reading - Morphological disparity in the evolution of the ophthalmosaurid forefin: new clues from the Upper Jurassic … Read more
In Depth Gengasaurus is a genus of ichthyosaur that lived in European waters during the late Jurassic. Further Reading - The first ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Upper Jurassic of the Umbrian-Marchean Apennines (Marche, Central Italy). - Geological Magazine 154(4):837-858. - I. Paparella, E. E. Maxwell, A. Cipriani, S. Roncace & M. W. Caldwell - 2017.
In Depth Catutosaurus is a genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived in waters around South America during the late Jurassic. Ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs like Catutosaurus were among the most successful marine reptiles of that time with fossils of them being found all over the world. Further reading - Catutosaurus gaspariniae , gen. et sp. nov. (Ichthyosauria, … Read more
In Depth Muiscasaurus is a genus of opthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous. Opthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs like Muiscasaurus are thought to have been specialists that hunted in deep water where there was very little light. Further Reading - A new ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Colombia. - Papers in Palaeontology. - E. … Read more
In Depth Palvennia is a genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that is noted for having a very short rostrum. The orbit (skull opening for the eye) also seems quite large, though the original describers have noted that this may be due to the specimen being crushed while it was being fossilised. Ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs are noted for … Read more
In Depth Described in 1997, Caypullisaurus is classed as a member of the Platypterygiinae ichthyosaurs, with related genera including Aegirosaurus, Athabascasaurus, Platypterygius and Sveltonectes amongst others. Further Reading – A new Ichthyosaur from the Tithonian (Late Jurassic) of the Neuquen Basin, Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. – Journal of Paleontology 71(3):479-484. – M. S. Fern�ndez – 1997. … Read more
In Depth Sveltonectes is a member of the Platypterygiinae ichthyosaurs due to is resemblance to others of this group such as Platyptergius. This group is nested within the Ophthalmosauridae which is typified by the genus Ophthalmosaurus. Sveltonectes stands out from its relatives for its even more streamlined, lightweight build, as well as possessing differently formed … Read more