Stratesaurus
| Stratesaurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Holotype of Stratesaurus taylori | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Family: | †Rhomaleosauridae |
| Genus: | †Stratesaurus Benson, Evans & Druckenmiller, 2012 |
| Type species | |
| †Stratesaurus taylori Benson, Evans & Druckenmiller, 2012
| |
Stratesaurus is an
period (most likely earliest Hettangian stage) of the United Kingdom. It contains a single species, S. taylori.[1] It was a small plesiosaur, with a skull length of 18 cm (7.1 in) and a body length of 2 m (6.6 ft).[1][2]
Discovery
Stratesaurus is known from the
Plesiosauria. Hence, Stratesaurus is one of the oldest plesiosaurs to date.[1]
Description
Stratesaurus is a small-bodied rhomaleosaurid, with a skull length of 180 mm (7.1 in) in the holotype. Its snout is not constricted, and it has five of tooth sockets in its
phylogenetic analysis performed by Benson et al. (2012) found it to be the basalmost rhomaleosaurid. The cladogram below shows Stratesaurus phylogenetic position among other plesiosaurs following Benson et al. (2012).[1]
Plesiosauria
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Etymology
Stratesaurus was first described and named by
generic name is derived from "Strate", the name for Street as it recorded in the Domesday Book and from Greek sauros, meaning "lizard". The specific name honors the paleontologist Michael A. Taylor, who performed acid preparation of the holotype.[1]
See also
References
- ^ PMID 22438869.
- .