Platypterygius
| Platypterygius Temporal range: Early - Late Cretaceous
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| Genus: | Platypterygius von Huene, 1922
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Platypterygius ('Flat wing (flipper)', von Huene 1922) was an ichthyosaur, an extinct group of reptiles that resembled dolphins, of the family Ophthalmosauridae. It is most closely related to the genera Caypullisaurus and Brachypterygius.[1]
Discovery and species
Fossils are known from Australia, Russia, United States of America, Western Europe and possibly New Zealand. There are six named species. Both adults and juveniles have been unearthed, including new borns and pregnant females.
The remains from Australia were originally called Ichthyosaurus australis. They are from the Toolebuc Formation and Allaru Mudstone (Albian, Lower Cretaceous) of Flinders River and other localities in north central Queensland. In 1990 Wade erected the species name P. longmani to include all remains previously referred to I.australis .
Palaeobiology
It reached a length of about 7 meters. It had a long snout and a powerful finned tail. It is unusual however, in that there are more digits in the front flippers than is usual in ichthyosaurs; they are tightly bound in rows, giving a broad, flat appearance [citation needed]. Hence the name, 'flat wing.' Further, some of the wrist bones have disappeared entirely [citation needed]. CAT scans on a juvenile specimen strongly suggest that Platypterygius was deaf [citation needed].
References
- ^ Fernández M. 2007. Redescription and phylogenetic position of Caypullisaurus (Ichthyosauria: Ophthalmosauridae). Journal of Paleontology 81 (2): 368-375.
- Long, J.A., Dinosaurs of Australia and New Zealand, UNSW Press, Australia 1998
