Sapheosaurus is an extinct genus of Late Jurassic sphenodont. Its skull was longer and narrower than that of Homoeosaurus.[2] It was classified as a genus of sapheosaur by Michael Benton in 1985.[3] It reached a length of 70 cm from snout to tail.[4] Sapheosaurus belongs to the clade Sapheosauridae, that also includes other taxa like Kallimodon. It is believed to be one of two aquatic sphenodont lineages, with Pleurosauridae being the other.[5][6]
| Sapheosaurus Temporal range: Late Jurassic[1]
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| Sapheosaurus thiollierei | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Family: | †Sapheosauridae |
| Genus: | †Sapheosaurus |
| Species | |
Species
editSapheosaurus laticeps (also known as Piocormus) differed from Sapheosaurus thiollierei by its smaller size and more vertebrae. S. thiollierei had 22 back and neck vertebrae, while S. laticeps had 26. Also, the two differ in relative limb length. S. laticeps lived in France and Germany.[2]
References
edit- ^ BOULENGER, G. (1919). Sur le genre Sapheosaurus, Rhynchocephalien du Kiméridgien de Cerin. CR Acad. Sci. Paris, 605-607.
- ^ a b c d British Museum (Natural History). Dept. of Geology; Lydekker, R. (1888). Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia in the British Museum (Natural History): The orders Ornithosauria, Crocodilia, Dinosauria, Squamata, Rhynochocephalia, and Proterosauria. order of the Trustees. p. 292. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ^ "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ "GenusSpecies Skull Height Length Weight Stage Ablepharus L". docstoc.com. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ^ Jones, Marc E.H. (2008). "Skull Shape and Feeding Strategy in Sphenodon and Other Rhynchocephalia (Diapsida: Lepidosauria". Journal of Morphology. 269 (8): 945–966. doi:10.1002/jmor.10634. PMID 18512698.
- ^ Marc E. H. Jones, Skull shape and feeding strategy in Sphenodon and other Rhynchocephalia (Diapsida: Lepidosauria), Article in Journal of Morphology 269(8):945-66 · August 2008 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10634 · Source: PubMed
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