Revision of the Sauropterygian reptile genus Cymatosaurus v. Fritsch, 1894, and the relationships of Germanosaurus Nopcsa, 1928, from the Middle Triassic of Europe
By: Olivier Rieppel --.
Contributors: Field Museum of Natural History.
Series: Fieldiana -- new ser., no. 36; Publication -- 1484; Publication (Field Museum of Natural History) -- 1484.
Publisher: Field Museum of Natural History
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Chicago, Ill
Language: eng
Number of pages: 38
Subjects: Cymatosaurus -- Classification.; Sauropterygia -- Phylogeny.; Reptiles, Fossil -- Europe.; Paleontology -- Triassic.; Germanosaurus -- Classification.
Other titles: Revision of Cymatosaurus
Description: Three species are currently recognized within the genus Cymatosaurus from the late Scythian and early Anisian of Europe, viz. Cymatosaurus fridericianus v. Fritsch, 1894, Cymatosaurus latifrons Guerich, 1884, and Cymatosaurus multidentatus (F.v. Huene, 1958). All other previously described species of Cymatosaurus are considered either junior synonyms of Cymatosaurus latifrons (C. gracilis Schrammen, 1899; C. silesiacus Schrammen, 1899) or a nomen dubium (C. erythreus E.v. Huene, 1944). Germanosaurus schafferi Arthaber, 1924, is recognized as a separate genus and species within the Nothosauridae, sister-group of the Nothosaurinae (including Nothosaurus and the Silvestrosaurus-Ceresiosaurus-Lariosaurus clade). Germanosaurus (Eurysaurus) latissimus (Guerich, 1891) is treated as a nomen dubium. A cladistic analysis based on the critical revision of the genera and Cymatosaurus and Germanosaurus improves resolution among Triassic stem-group Eosauropterygia. The resulting cladogram is used as the basis for a comparison of phylogenetic pattern and stratigraphic distribution of the Sauropterygia.