Avalonnectes
Name:
Avalonnectes
(Avalon swimmer).
Phonetic: Av-ah-lon-ek-teez.
Named By: Roger B. J. Benson, Mark Evans and
Patrick S. Druckenmiller - 2012.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria, Rhomaleosauridae.
Species: A. arturi (type).
Diet: Piscivore.
Size: Roughly About 2 meters long for the
holotype.
Known locations: England, Somerset - Blue Lias
Formation.
Time period: Hettangian of the Jurassic.
Fossil representation: (NHMUK 14550) Post
cranial skeleton missing parts of the limbs and the end of the tail.
Partial posterior (rear) of the skull also known. A second
specimen is also known but uncatalogued at the time of writing.
Named after the legendary island of Avalon (and supposed resting place of King Arthur), Avalonnectes was a rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur. Aside from being related to the type genus of the group, Rhomaleosaurus, this meant that Avalonnectes is noted as being a genus of shorter necked plesiosaurs. Avalonnectes has been considered to be a more primitive member of these.
Further reading
- High Diversity, Low Disparity and Small Body Size in Plesiosaurs
(Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Triassic–Jurassic Boundary -
Roger B. J. Benson, Mark Evans and Patrick S. Druckenmiller
- 2012.
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