Omphalosaurus
| Omphalosaurus Temporal range: Middle Triassic | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Family: | †Omphalosauridae |
| Genus: | †Omphalosaurus Merriam, 1906 |
| Species | |
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Omphalosaurus is an extinct genus of marine reptile from the Middle Triassic. It has generally been considered an ichthyopterygian until Motani (2000) showed that it lacks the basal synapomorphies of Ichthyopterygia. However, Maisch (2010) described a new species and restated its affinity with Ichthyosauria. Several species of Omphalosaurus have been described from the western United States, Germany, and the island of Spitsbergen off the northern coast of Norway.
References
- Motani, R. 2000. Is Omphalosaurus ichthyopterygian? — A phylogenetic perspective. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(2): 295-301.
- Maisch, M. 2010. Phylogeny, systematics, and origin of the Ichthyosauria – the state of the art. Palaeodiversiry 3: 151-214. (Full text PDF)
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