Toretocnemus

Toretocnemus
Temporal range: Upper Triassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Ichthyosauria
Family: Toretocnemidae
Genus: Toretocnemus
Merriam, 1903
species
  • T. californicus
  • T. zitelli
Synonyms
  • Leptocheirus Merriam, 1903
  • Merriamia Boulenger, 1904.

Toretocnemus is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur. Its remains have been found in California, U.S.A.,[1] in Triassic layers of the Carnian Hosselkus Limestone.

Toretocnemus was named in 1902 by John Campbell Merriam.[2] The generic name is derived from Greek toretos, "perforated" and kneme, "shinbone". The type species is Toretocnemus californicus. Its holotype is UCMP 8100, a skeleton lacking the skull. Merriamia zitteli (Merriam 1903) Boulenger 1904, previously Leptocherius zitteli,[3] was renamed Toretocnemus zitteli in 1999. Its holotype is UCMP 8099, a skull, lower jaws and front of the torso.

Toretocnemus is about two metres long.

References

  1. ↑ New Material of Qianichtyosaurus Li, 1999 (Reptilia, Ichthyosauria) from the late Triassic of southern China, and Implications for the Distribution of Triassic Ichthyosaurs. Elizabeth L. Nicholls, Chen Wei, Makoto Manabe.
  2. ↑ Merriam, J.C., 1902, "Triassic Ichthyopterygia from California and Nevada", Bulletin of the Department of Geology of the University of California, 3 (4): 63–108
  3. ↑ Merriam, J.C., 1903, "New ichthyosaurs from the Upper Triassic of California", Bulletin of the Department of Geology of the University of California, 3(12): 249–263