Pachypleurosaur

Taxobox
name = Pachypleurosaurs
fossil_range = Triassic

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Keichousaurus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Sauropterygia
ordo = Nothosauroidea
subordo = Pachypleurosauria
subordo_authority = Nopcsa, 1928
familia = Pachypleurosauridae
familia_authority = Nopcsa, 1928
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Anarosaurus"
"Dactylosaurus"
"Hanosaurus"
"Keichousaurus"
"Neusticosaurus"
"Pachypleurosaurus"
"Serpianosaurus"

Pachypleurosaurs were primitive sauropterygian reptiles that vaguely resembled aquatic lizards, and were limited to the Triassic period. They were elongate animals, ranging in size from 20 cm to about a meter in length, with small heads, long necks, paddle-like limbs, and long deep tails. The limb girdles are greatly reduced, so it is unlikely these animals could move about on land. The widely spaced peg-like teeth project at the front of the jaws, indicate that these animals fed on fish.Pachypleurosaurs were originally and are often still included among the Nothosaurs (Carroll 1988, Benton 2004). In some cladistic classifications however (Rieppel 2000), they are considered the sister group to the Eusauropterygia, the clade that includes the nothosaurs and plesiosaurs.

References

* Benton, M. J. (2004), "Vertebrate Paleontology", 3rd ed. Blackwell Science Ltd [http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=0632056371&site=1 classification]
* Carroll, R.L. (1988), "Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution", WH Freeman & Co.
* Rieppel, O., (2000), Sauropterygia I, placodontia, pachypleurosauria, nothosauroidea, pistosauroidea: In: Handbuch der Palaoherpetologie, part 12A, 134pp. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil [http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/07pala/d2_78d.html Table of contents]

External links

* [http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/220Lepidosauromorpha/220.200.html Lepidosauromorpha: Pachypleurosauridae] - Palaeos