Pistosaurus
Sign in to savethumb|Pistosaurus longaevus skull (cast) Pistosaurus (exact etymology uncertain) is an extinct genus of aquatic sauropterygian reptile closely related to plesiosaurs. Fossils have been found in France and Germany, and date to the Middle Triassic. It contains a single species, Pistosaurus longaevus. Pistosaurus is known as the oldest "subaquatic flying" reptile on earth.
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8 sectionsContents
- Description and paleobiology
- Post-cranial skeleton
- Pectoral girdle and forelimbs
- Pelvic girdle
- Classification
- Geological environment information
- Historical information and discovery
- References
thumb|Pistosaurus longaevus skull (cast) Pistosaurus (exact etymology uncertain) is an extinct genus of aquatic sauropterygian reptile closely related to plesiosaurs. Fossils have been found in France and Germany, and date to the Middle Triassic. It contains a single species, Pistosaurus longaevus. Pistosaurus is known as the oldest "subaquatic flying" reptile on earth.
The skull of Pistosaurus generally resembles that of other Triassic sauropterygians. However, there are several synapomorphies that make Pistosaurus distinguished: the long, slender, snout; the possession of splint-like nasals that are excluded from the external naris; and the posterior extension of the premaxilla to the frontals. Based on synapomorphies such as the small nasals size and the presence of interpterygoid vacuity, Pistosaurus is more closely related to Plesiosauria than to Nothosaurus.