Omphalosaurus

Omphalosaurus Temporal range: Early Triassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Ichthyosauria
Genus:	Omphalosaurus Merriam, 1906

Omphalosaurus is an extinct genus of marine reptile from the Early Triassic of Spitsbergen.

It has generally been considered an ichthyopterygian until Motani (2000) showed that it lacks the basal synapomorphies of Ichthyopterygia. However, Maisch (2010) described a new species and restated the affinity with Ichthyosauria.

References

• Motani, R. 2000. Is Omphalosaurus ichthyopterygian? — A phylogenetic perspective. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(2): 295-301.
• Maisch, M. 2010. Phylogeny, systematics, and origin of the Ichthyosauria – the state of the art. Palaeodiversiry 3: 151-214. (Full text PDF)