Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Spitrasaurus wensaasi

Osteichthyes - Plesiosauria - Cryptoclididae

Taxonomy
Spitrasaurus wensaasi was named by Knutsen et al. (2012) [urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CAC47CF3-3358-41F8-92D8-0808593C9759]. Its type specimen is PMO 219.718, a set of postcrania (an articulated postcranial juvenile skeleton including an articulated axial column from the atlasaxis to the 12th dorsal vertebra, cervical and dorsal ribs, num), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is The north slope of Janusfjellet (Spitrasaurus wensaasi type), which is in a Tithonian deep-water mudstone in the Agardhfjellet Formation of Norway. It is the type species of Spitrasaurus.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2012Spitrasaurus wensaasi Knutsen et al. p. 189 figs. 2-12

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

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
familyCryptoclididaeWilliston 1925
genusSpitrasaurus
specieswensaasi

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.

†Spitrasaurus wensaasi Knutsen et al. 2012
show all | hide all
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. M. Knutsen et al. 2012Plesiosaur exhibiting the following unique combination of characters and autapomorphies: 60 cervical vertebrae with very slightly concave to flat articular surfaces; cervical centra longer than tall in lateral view, and wider than tall in articular view (equally long and tall in S. larseni); cervical centra with a ventral keel that becomes fainter in posterior centra (ventral keel absent in S. larseni); posterior cervical neural arches with two triangular depressions just ventral to the postzygapophyses (unknown in S. larseni); rib facets on cervical centra elongate and distinctly rhomboid (oval in S. larseni); cervical ribs lacking an distal anteriorly-projectingprocess (present in S. larseni).
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: Tithonian or 149.20000 to 143.10000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Tithonian149.2 - 143.1Norway (Spitsbergen) Spitrasaurus wensaasi (type locality: 134761)