Guanlingsaurus

Guanlingsaurus
Temporal range: Late Triassic
Juvenile specimen of Guanlingsaurus liangae (YGMIR SPCV03108)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: †Ichthyosauria
Node: †Merriamosauria
Infraorder: †Shastasauria
Family: †Shastasauridae
Genus: †Guanlingsaurus
Yin et al., 2000
Type species
†Guanlingsaurus liangae
Yin et al., 2000

Guanlingsaurus is an extinct genus of shastasaurid ichthyosaur from the Late Triassic of China. It grew up to 10 metres (33 ft) in length and has a wide, triangular skull with a short and toothless snout. It is known from a single species, Guanlingsaurus liangae, that was found in the Carnian-age Falang Formation of Guanling County, which is in the province of Guizhou. The genus and species were first named in 2000 on the basis of an incomplete adult skeleton. More complete skeletons were described in 2011, and a complete skeleton belonging to a juvenile was described in 2013. In 2011 Guanlingsaurus liangae was reassigned to the genus Shastasaurus, which includes two species from North America that are known from more complete fossils than Guanlingsaurus. However, the description of the juvenile specimen in 2013 revealed several features that make G. liangae distinct from Shastasaurus species, and the name was reinstated.[1]

Skull of specimen YGMIR SPCV03107

References

  1. ↑ Ji, C.; Jiang, D. Y.; Motani, R.; Hao, W. C.; Sun, Z. Y.; Cai, T. (2013). "A new juvenile specimen of Guanlingsaurus (Ichthyosauria, Shastasauridae) from the Upper Triassic of southwestern China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 33 (2): 340. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.723082.



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