page_title: Metriorhynchus
section_title: Valid species
hierarchical_section_title: Metriorhynchus / Discovery and species / Valid species
caption_attribution_description: English: Metriorhynchus superciliosum - Late Jurassic of Europa Русский: Metriorhynchus superciliosum - поздняя юра Европы
context_page_description: Metriorhynchus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform that lived in the oceans during the Middle to Late Jurassic. Metriorhynchus was named by the German palaeontologist Christian von Meyer in 1830. Metriorhynchus was a carnivore that spent much, if not all, its life out at sea. No Metriorhynchus eggs or nests have been discovered, so little is known of the reptile's life cycle, unlike other large marine reptiles of the Mesozoic, such as plesiosaurs or ichthyosaurs which are known to have given birth to live young out at sea. Where Metriorhynchus mated, whether on land or at sea, is currently unknown. The name Metriorhynchus means "Moderate snout", and is derived from the Greek Metrio- and -rhynchos.
context_section_description: Only two valid species are recognized today, the type species M. geoffroyi and M. superciliosus. "Metriorhynchus" hastifer and "M." palpebrosus are generically distinct from the Metriorhynchus type species, with hastifer being recovered as a geosaurine. Species in this genus were traditionally classed into two skull groups: longirostrine (long, narrow jaws) and brevirostrine (short, broad jaws). However, all brevirostrine species have been transferred to the genera Purranisaurus and Suchodus.
  Eudes-Deslongchamps (1867–69) recognized four Callovian species of Metriorhynchus, M. superciliosus, M. moreli, M. blainvillei, and M. brachyrhynchus. Later, Andrews (1913) considered there to be seven valid species: M. superciliosus, M. moreli, M. brachyrhynchus, M. durobrivensis, M. cultridens, M. leedsi and M. laeve. However, Adams-Tresman (1987), using linear morphometrics, could only distinguish between the two skull groups, so she found there to be two species from the Oxford Clay, M. superciliosus and M. brachyrhynchus. Vignaud (1997) however, considered there to be three Callovian species: M. superciliosus, M. brachyrhynchus and M. leedsi.
caption: Restoration of M. superciliosus
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