Sveltonectes

Name: Sveltonectes ‭(‬Agile swimmer‭)‬.
Phonetic: Svel-toe-nek-tees.
Named By: Valentin Fischer,‭ ‬Maxim S.‭ ‬Arkhangelsky,‭ ‬Pascal Godefroit‭ & ‬Edwige Masure‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Ichthyosauria,‭ ‬Ophthalmosauridae,‭ ‬Platypterygiinae.
Species: S.‭ ‬insolitus‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Piscivore/Carnivore.
Size: Unavailable.
Known locations: Russia,‭ ‬Ul’yanovsk.
Time period: Barremian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Almost complete specimen.

       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 teeth that are thin and pointed.‭ ‬These teeth have been interpreted as being for a different kind‭ ‬of prey specialisation,‭ ‬even though Sveltonectes probably ate either fish or cephalopods like squid,‭ ‬just like the more closely related ichthyosaurs of these groups.‭ ‬The specialisation here is implied for a certain type of fish and/or squid.

Further reading
- A new Barremian (Early Cretaceous) ichthyosaur from western Russia. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31(5):1010-1025. - V. Fischer, E. Masure, M. S. Arkhangelsky & P. Godefroit - 2011.

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