Macroplata
| Macroplata Temporal range: 199–195 Ma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Macroplata tenuiceps from the Early Jurassic of Europe | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Order: | Plesiosauria[1] |
| Genus: | Macroplata |
| Species: | M. tenuiceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Macroplata tenuiceps Swinton, 1930 | |
Macroplata (meaning "big plate") is an extinct genus of Early Jurassic basal plesiosaur which grew up to 4.5 metres (15 ft) in length. Like other plesiosaurs, Macroplata probably lived on a diet of fish, using its sharp needle-like teeth to catch prey. Its shoulder bones were fairly large, indicating a powerful forward stroke for fast swimming. Macroplata also had a relatively long neck, twice the length of the skull, in contrast to pliosaurs.[2]
Plesiosaurus longirostris was once assigned to this genus, but it has been re-assigned to Hauffiosaurus, as H. longirostris.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Ketchum HF, Benson RBJ. Global interrelationships of Plesiosauria (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) and the pivotal role of taxon sampling in determining the outcome of phylogenetic analyses. Biological Reviews
- ↑ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 76. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- ↑ R. B. J. Benson, H. F. Ketchum, L. F. Noe and M. Gomez-Perez. 2011. "New information on Hauffiosaurus (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) based on a new species from the Alum Shale Member (Lower Toarcian: Lower Jurassic) of Yorkshire, UK". Palaeontology 54(3):547-571.
External links
- Macroplata - the Plesiosaur Directory
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