Microcleidus is an extinct genus of sauropterygian reptile belonging to the Plesiosauroidea. The species has 40 neck vertebrae and a short tail of 28 vertebrae. Fossils of the genus have been found in France, the Posidonia Shale in Germany and Luxembourg, and the Alum Shale Formation of England.
Restoration of M. homalospondylusFossils of M. tournemirensis alongside belemnites
The type species, M. homalospondylus, was the largest, measuring 5.1 m (17 ft) long and weighing 650 kg (1,430 lb). Other species were smaller: M. tournemirensis was about 4 m (13 ft) long and weighed 300 kg (660 lb), and M. melusinae was about 3 m (9.8 ft) long and weighed 120 kg (260 lb).[1][2][3]
Classificationedit
Species include: Microcleidus homalospondylus (Owen 1865) and Microcleidus macropterus (Seeley 1865).
Occitanosaurus tournemirensis (originally "Plesiosaurus" tournemirensis), was named by Sciau et al. in 1990, based on a nearly complete skeleton of an animal approximately 4 meters (13 ft) long.[1] It was later found to be a species of Microcleidus.
Fossils and reconstruction of Microcleidus tournemirensis
The following cladogram follows an analysis by Ketchum & Benson, 2011.[4]
^ abKetchum HF, Benson RBJ. Global interrelationships of Plesiosaur (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) and the pivotal role of taxon sampling in determining the outcome of phylogenetic analyses. Biological Reviews
^Valentin Fischer; Nikolay G. Zverkov; Maxim S. Arkhangelsky; Ilya M. Stenshin; Ivan V. Blagovetshensky; Gleb N. Uspensky (2020). "A new elasmosaurid plesiosaurian from the Early Cretaceous of Russia marks an early attempt at neck elongation". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 192 (4): 1167–1194. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa103. hdl:2268/251614.Supplementary Information
^Paul, Gregory S. (2022). The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles. Princeton University Press. pp. 108–109. doi:10.1515/9780691241456. ISBN9780691193809. S2CID 251553177.
^Hilary F. Ketchum; Roger B. J. Benson (2011). "A new pliosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Oxford Clay Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian) of England: evidence for a gracile, longirostrine grade of Early-Middle Jurassic pliosaurids". Special Papers in Palaeontology. 86: 109–129.
Bibliographyedit
Bardet, Nathalie; Fernandez, Marta; Garcia-Ramos, Jose Carlos; Superbiola, Xabier Pereda; Pinuela, Laura; Ruiz-Omenaca, Jose Ignacio; and Vincent, Peggy (2008). "". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(1): 258–263
microcleidus, extinct, genus, sauropterygian, reptile, belonging, plesiosauroidea, species, neck, vertebrae, short, tail, vertebrae, fossils, genus, have, been, found, france, posidonia, shale, germany, luxembourg, alum, shale, formation, england, temporal, ra. Microcleidus is an extinct genus of sauropterygian reptile belonging to the Plesiosauroidea The species has 40 neck vertebrae and a short tail of 28 vertebrae Fossils of the genus have been found in France the Posidonia Shale in Germany and Luxembourg and the Alum Shale Formation of England MicrocleidusTemporal range Toarcian 182 175 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg NFossil M homalospondylusScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaSuperorder SauropterygiaOrder PlesiosauriaFamily MicrocleididaeGenus MicrocleidusWatson 1909Type speciesPlesiosaurus homalospondylus Owen 1865 Other speciesM macropterus Seeley 1865 M tournemirensis Sciau et al 1990 M melusinae Vincent et al 2019SynonymsM macropteus Plesiosaurus macropteus Seeley 1865 Eretmosaurus macropterus Benton and Spencer 1995M tournemirensis Plesiosaurus tournemirensis Sciau et al 1990 Occitanosaurus tournemirensis Bardet et al 1999 Contents 1 Description 2 Classification 3 See also 4 References 4 1 BibliographyDescription edit nbsp Restoration of M homalospondylus nbsp Fossils of M tournemirensis alongside belemnitesThe type species M homalospondylus was the largest measuring 5 1 m 17 ft long and weighing 650 kg 1 430 lb Other species were smaller M tournemirensis was about 4 m 13 ft long and weighed 300 kg 660 lb and M melusinae was about 3 m 9 8 ft long and weighed 120 kg 260 lb 1 2 3 Classification editSpecies include Microcleidus homalospondylus Owen 1865 and Microcleidus macropterus Seeley 1865 Occitanosaurus tournemirensis originally Plesiosaurus tournemirensis was named by Sciau et al in 1990 based on a nearly complete skeleton of an animal approximately 4 meters 13 ft long 1 It was later found to be a species of Microcleidus nbsp Fossils and reconstruction of Microcleidus tournemirensisThe following cladogram follows an analysis by Ketchum amp Benson 2011 4 Pistosauria Pistosaurus postcranium Augustasaurus hagdorniBobosaurus forojuliensisPistosaurusYunguisaurus liae Plesiosauria Pliosauroidea Pliosauridae Thalassiodracon hawkinsiiHauffiosaurus spp Attenborosaurus conybeariadvanced pliosaurids Rhomaleosauridae NHMUK 49202 now Anningasaura lymense advanced rhomaleosaurids Plesiosaurus macrocephalusArchaeonectrus rostratusMacroplata tenuiceps Plesiosauroidea OUMNH J 10337 now Stratesaurus taylori Plesiosauridae Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatorisOUMNH J 28585Plesiosaurus dolichodeirusElasmosauridae and CryptoclidiaMicrocleidus homalospondylusHydrorion brachypterygiusOccitanosaurus tournemiensisSee also editList of plesiosaur genera Timeline of plesiosaur researchReferences edit a b Ketchum HF Benson RBJ Global interrelationships of Plesiosaur Reptilia Sauropterygia and the pivotal role of taxon sampling in determining the outcome of phylogenetic analyses Biological Reviews Valentin Fischer Nikolay G Zverkov Maxim S Arkhangelsky Ilya M Stenshin Ivan V Blagovetshensky Gleb N Uspensky 2020 A new elasmosaurid plesiosaurian from the Early Cretaceous of Russia marks an early attempt at neck elongation Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 192 4 1167 1194 doi 10 1093 zoolinnean zlaa103 hdl 2268 251614 Supplementary Information Paul Gregory S 2022 The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles Princeton University Press pp 108 109 doi 10 1515 9780691241456 ISBN 9780691193809 S2CID 251553177 Hilary F Ketchum Roger B J Benson 2011 A new pliosaurid Sauropterygia Plesiosauria from the Oxford Clay Formation Middle Jurassic Callovian of England evidence for a gracile longirostrine grade of Early Middle Jurassic pliosaurids Special Papers in Palaeontology 86 109 129 Bibliography edit Bardet Nathalie Fernandez Marta Garcia Ramos Jose Carlos Superbiola Xabier Pereda Pinuela Laura Ruiz Omenaca Jose Ignacio and Vincent Peggy 2008 A juvenile plesiosaur from the Pliensbackian Lower Jurassic of Asturias Spain Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28 1 258 263 1 Plesiosaur com 13 Oct 2006 2 permanent dead link Palaeos com 13 Oct 2006 3 nbsp This article about a plesiosaur is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Microcleidus amp oldid 1216088032, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
