Muraenosaurus   SEELEY 1874a  

Type Species

leedsii

Species recorded

Muraenosaurus beloclis
Muraenosaurus brevior
Muraenosaurus durobrivensis
Muraenosaurus elasmosauroides
Muraenosaurus kamensis
Muraenosaurus leedsii
Muraenosaurus mazetieri
Muraenosaurus platyclis
Muraenosaurus purbecki
Muraenosaurus reedii
Muraenosaurus sp.
Muraenosaurus truncatus

Etymology

Greek, myraina, 'eel, lamprey', Greek, sauros, 'lizard': Eel lizard.

Diagnosis    BROWN 1981b

Plesiosauroids in which the teeth are ornamented with many longitudinal ridges; the dentary bears 19 to 22 teeth on each ramus; the premaxillae bear 5 teeth each, of which the 1st and 5th are small, and the 2nd to 4th are large; the most anterior maxilliary tooth (6th upper tooth) is small and the 8th and 9th are large; the parietals form a sagital crest; the quadrate overlaps the quadrate ramus of the pterygoid posteromedially; the paroccipital process of the exoccipital-ophisthotic is relatively long and slender; eth occipital condyle is ringed by a groove, and is formed by the basioccipital only; there are about 66 pre-sacral vertebrae, of which usually 44 are cervical; the cervical vertebrae have relatively platycoelous centra, the length of which exceeds the height in the anterior vertebrae, and exceeds or is approximataly equal to the height in posterior vertebrae; the clavicles are reduced or absent; the inteclavicle is developed and may be plate-like or reduced and lanceolate; the coracoids meet the scapulae in the midline in 'adults'; the width across the posterior cornua of the coracoids is equal to or only just in excess of the interglenoid width in 'adults'; the elements of the pectoral girdle tend to fuse in old individuals; there are normally only two epipodials in the manus; a foramen is present between epipodials even in juveniles

Genus List

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