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Zarafasaura oceanis

Osteichthyes - Plesiosauria - Elasmosauridae

Taxonomy
Zarafasaura oceanis was named by Vincent et al. (2011). Its type specimen is OCP-DEK/GE 315, a partial skull (incomplete, dorsoventrally crushed skull and mandible), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Sidi Daoui area [C II, Couche III] (general), which is in a Maastrichtian marine phosphorite in the Couche III Formation of Morocco.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2011Zarafasaura oceanis Vincent et al. pp. 3-9 figs. 2-5
2019Zarafasaura oceanis O'Gorman

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
suborderSauropterygia
orderPlesiosauriade Blainville 1835
superfamilyPlesiosauroideaWelles 1943
familyElasmosauridaeCope 1869
genusZarafasaura
speciesoceanis

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Zarafasaura oceanis Vincent et al. 2011
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
P. Vincent et al. 2011A plesiosaurian with the following autapomorphies: 1) squamosals forming two gracile suspensorial rami extending well anteriorly along the temporal fenestrae and uniting with the parietal at the level of half the temporal fenestra length; 2) squamosal contacting laterally with the jugal in a long horizontal suture, so that it forms thewhole of the lateral temporal fenestra margin and contacts with the postorbital anteriorly; 3) pterygoids developed posteriorly into a very large laterally expanded plate bearing both longitudinally parallel rounded ridges on either side of the median suture and a cavity (?) just lateral to the posterior interpterygoid vacuities.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Environment: marineo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: aquatico
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: carnivoreo
Reproduction: viviparouso
Created: 2009-07-20 06:05:48
Modified: 2011-08-12 01:58:15
Source: o = order
Reference: Kiessling 2004

Age range: Late/Upper Maastrichtian or 72.20000 to 66.00000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Maastrichtian72.2 - 66.0Morocco Zarafasaura oceanis (type locality: 116628)