SHASTASAURIDAE MERRIAM, 1902

Fröbisch, Nadia B., Sander, P. Martin & Rieppel, Olivier, 2006, A new species of Cymbospondylus (Diapsida, Ichthyosauria) from the Middle Triassic of Nevada and a re-evaluation of the skull osteology of the genus, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 147 (4), pp. 515-538 : 517

SHASTASAURIDAE MERRIAM, 1902

CYMBOSPONDYLUS LEIDY, 1868

Diagnosis: The diagnosis represents a synthesis of Motani (1999), Sander (2000), Maisch & Matzke (2000), McGowan & Motani (2003) as well as our own observations.

Medium-sized to large ichthyosaur. Oval to eggshaped orbit. Nasal extends far posteriorly. Large temporal terrace; nasal and frontal reach anterior margin of temporal opening. Back of the skull formed by a large, paired skull bone (pp?, neomorphic?), positioned posteriorly to the parietal.

Occipital condyle concave. Elongate, anteriorly slanted diapophyses truncated by anterior margin of centrum in middle and posterior dorsal region. Ribs single headed, except in cervical region.

Coracoid with coracoid foramen.

Included species: C. piscosus Leidy, 1868 , C. petrinus Leidy, 1868 , C. buchseri Sander, 1989b , Cymbospondylus nichollsi sp. nov.

Horizon and distribution: Latest Early Triassic (Spathian) to Middle Triassic of western Tethys, Boreal and eastern Pacific region.