Agkistrognathus is an extinct genus of thalattosaurian which lived in the early to middle Triassic of British Columbia, Canada. There is only one species known in this genus, Agkistrognathus campbelli. The genus name translates to "hook jaw" while the species name refers to Bob Campbell, who discovered the only known specimen.[1]
Agkistrognathus is a thalattosaurian, a group of marine reptiles with long, paddle-like tails and independently movable digits. Agkistrognathus can be distinguished from other thalattosaurians due to having conical, closely spaced teeth which are smallest in the middle of the jaw and deep dentaries with hooked front ends. These features may have given it a powerful bite . The dentaries are also bifurcated at their posterior ends, with both forks being the same length but the dorsal one being much deeper. This combination is unique to Agkistrognathus.[1]
Agkistrognathus was discovered in the Sulphur Mountain formation in eastern British Columbia. It was described in a 1993 article along with several other new thalattosaurs from the same locality: Thalattosaurus borealis, Paralonectes merriami, an additional specimen referred to Paralonectes, and an unnamed species. Based on the conodont fauna, this locality is believed to be early to mid triassic in age, probably from the late Anisian to early Ladinian. Thus, these species may be the oldest thalattosaurians known.[1]
^ abcdeNicholls, Elizabeth L.; Brinkman, Donald (March 1993). "New thalattosaurs (Reptilia: Diapsida) from the Triassic Sulphur Mountain Formation of Wapiti Lake, British Columbia". Journal of Paleontology. 67 (2): 263–278. doi:10.1017/S0022336000032194. ISSN 0022-3360.
agkistrognathus, extinct, genus, thalattosaurian, which, lived, early, middle, triassic, british, columbia, canada, there, only, species, known, this, genus, campbelli, genus, name, translates, hook, while, species, name, refers, campbell, discovered, only, kn. Agkistrognathus is an extinct genus of thalattosaurian which lived in the early to middle Triassic of British Columbia Canada There is only one species known in this genus Agkistrognathus campbelli The genus name translates to hook jaw while the species name refers to Bob Campbell who discovered the only known specimen 1 AgkistrognathusTemporal range Middle Triassic Anisian Ladinian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg NScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder ThalattosauriaFamily ThalattosauridaeGenus AgkistrognathusNicholls 1993Type species Agkistrognathus campbelliNicholls 1993Description editAgkistrognathus is a thalattosaurian a group of marine reptiles with long paddle like tails and independently movable digits Agkistrognathus can be distinguished from other thalattosaurians due to having conical closely spaced teeth which are smallest in the middle of the jaw and deep dentaries with hooked front ends These features may have given it a powerful bite The dentaries are also bifurcated at their posterior ends with both forks being the same length but the dorsal one being much deeper This combination is unique to Agkistrognathus 1 Agkistrognathus is probably closely related to Thalattosaurus and Paralonectes due to having conical teeth at the mandibular symphysis 1 History editAgkistrognathus was discovered in the Sulphur Mountain formation in eastern British Columbia It was described in a 1993 article along with several other new thalattosaurs from the same locality Thalattosaurus borealis Paralonectes merriami an additional specimen referred to Paralonectes and an unnamed species Based on the conodont fauna this locality is believed to be early to mid triassic in age probably from the late Anisian to early Ladinian Thus these species may be the oldest thalattosaurians known 1 The holotype of Agkistrognathus campbelli TMP 89 127 6 is a disarticulated skull including a maxilla premaxilla vomer dentaries angular splenial and other unidentified fragments 1 References edit a b c d e Nicholls Elizabeth L Brinkman Donald March 1993 New thalattosaurs Reptilia Diapsida from the Triassic Sulphur Mountain Formation of Wapiti Lake British Columbia Journal of Paleontology 67 2 263 278 doi 10 1017 S0022336000032194 ISSN 0022 3360 nbsp Paleontology portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Agkistrognathus amp oldid 1058466746, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
