Platypterygius americanus Nace 1939 (ichthyosaur)

Reptilia - Ichthyosauria - Ophthalmosauridae

Alternative combination: Myopterygius americanus

Synonym: Myopterygius petersoni Nace 1941

Full reference: R. L. Nace. 1939. A new ichthyosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Mowry Formation of Wyoming. American Journal of Science 237(9):673-686

Belongs to Platypterygius according to M. W. Maisch 2010

See also Ji et al. 2016, Maisch and Matzke 2000, McGowan 1972, McGowan and Motani 2003, Motani 1999, Nace 1939 and Nace 1941

Sister taxa: Ichthyosaurus marathonensis, Platypterygius australis, Platypterygius bedengensis, Platypterygius compylodon, Platypterygius hauthali, Platypterygius hercynicus, Platypterygius kiprijanoffi, Platypterygius ochevi, Platypterygius platydactylus, Platypterygius sachicarum, Myobradypterygius mollensis

Type specimens:

  • Platypterygius americanus: University of Wyoming Geological Museum No. VP50, a partial skeleton. Its type locality is Myopterygius americanus type locality, which is in an Albian marine shale in the Mowry Shale Formation of Wyoming.
  • Myopterygius petersoni: University of Wyoming Geological Museum, No. VP-190, a partial skeleton. Its type locality is north of Upton, which is in a Cenomanian marine shale in the Belle Fourche Formation of Wyoming.

Ecology: nektonic carnivore

Distribution:

• Cretaceous of Canada (1: Saskatchewan collection), United States (4: Oregon, Wyoming)

Total: 5 collections each including a single occurrence

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Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.


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