Platypterygius
Sign in to savePlatypterygius is a historically paraphyletic genus of platypterygiine ichthyosaur from the Cretaceous period. It was historically used as a wastebasket taxon, and most species within Platypterygius likely are undiagnostic at the genus or species level, or represent distinct genera, even being argued as invalid. While fossils referred to Platypterygius have been found throughout different continents, the holotype specimen was found in Germany.
Article
10 sectionsContents
- Description
- Discovery and species
- Accepted species
- Formerly assigned species
- Classification
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- Further reading
- External links
Platypterygius is a historically paraphyletic genus of platypterygiine ichthyosaur from the Cretaceous period. It was historically used as a wastebasket taxon, and most species within Platypterygius likely are undiagnostic at the genus or species level, or represent distinct genera, even being argued as invalid. While fossils referred to Platypterygius have been found throughout different continents, the holotype specimen was found in Germany.
== Description == thumb|left|Restoration of P. australis As Platypterygius contains multiple species not especially close to each other, little can be said in terms of shared characteristics. According to an analysis by Fischer (2012), all anatomical features used to unify Platypterygius species are either not actually present in each species, or much more widespread among unrelated ophthalmosaurs. Generally, species referred to this genus were large bodied macropredators based on their robust dentition. This is also supported by P. australis having been found with remains of hatchling protostegid sea turtles and enantiornithines (possibly Nanantius) in association with actinopterygian fish in its guts.