A new species of Cymbospondylus (Diapsida, Ichthyosauria) from the Middle Triassic of Nevada and a re-evaluation of the skull osteology of the genus
Author
Fröbisch, Nadia B.
Author
Sander, P. Martin
Author
Rieppel, Olivier
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2006
2006-08-31
147
4
515
538
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-lookup/doi/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00225.x
journal article
5397
10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00225.x
4597f8e7-649f-4c70-bb57-a7e5fd48ada4
0024-4082
4634739
CYMBOSPONDYLUS
LEIDY, 1868
Diagnosis:
The diagnosis represents a synthesis of
Motani (1999)
,
Sander (2000)
,
Maisch & Matzke (2000)
,
McGowan & Motani (2003)
as well as our own observations.
Medium-sized to large ichthyosaur. Oval to eggshaped orbit. Nasal extends far posteriorly. Large temporal terrace; nasal and frontal reach anterior margin of temporal opening. Back of the skull formed by a large, paired skull bone (pp?, neomorphic?), positioned posteriorly to the parietal.
Occipital condyle concave. Elongate, anteriorly slanted diapophyses truncated by anterior margin of centrum in middle and posterior dorsal region. Ribs single headed, except in cervical region.
Coracoid with coracoid foramen.
Included species:
C. piscosus
Leidy, 1868
,
C. petrinus
Leidy, 1868
,
C. buchseri
Sander, 1989b
,
Cymbospondylus nichollsi
sp. nov.
Horizon and distribution:
Latest Early Triassic (Spathian) to Middle Triassic of western Tethys, Boreal and eastern Pacific region.