Californosaurus

Californosaurus Temporal range: 228–210 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Late Triassic
Californosaurus perrini
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Subclass:	?Diapsida
Order:	Ichthyopterygia
Suborder:	Shastasauria
Family:	Toretocnemidae
Genus:	Californosaurus Kuhn, 1934
Species
C. perrini

Californosaurus with a human to scale.

Californosaurus perrini ('Perrin's California lizard') was an ichthyosaur, an extinct reptile, from the Lower Hosselkus Limestone (Carnian, Late Triassic) of California. It has also been known as Shastasaurus perrini and Delphinosaurus ('dolphin lizard') perrini. It is the basal-most known true ichthyosaur (Euichthyosauria). The long-snouted head is small in comparison with the rest of the body, as in basal ichthyosaurs such as Mixosaurus and Cymbospondylus. The tail is sharply turned downwards, in common with more advanced ichthyosaurs, with a small vertical fluke. It may have had a small dorsal fin. There is a small number of pre-sacral vertebrae (45 or 50). The phalanges (digit bones) are circular and widely spaced, giving the flipper a round appearance. It was three metres long. It fed on fish and other small marine creatures. Like other ichthyosaurs it probably never ventured onto dry land, and gave birth in the water.

See also

• List of ichthyosaurs
• Timeline of ichthyosaur research

References

• 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.
• Kuhn, O., 1934. Ichthyosauria: Fossilium Catalogous, 1: Animalia, p. 1-75.
• Hilton, R. P., 2003, Dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles of California: University of California Press, 318pp.
• M. W. Maisch. 2010. Phylogeny, systematics, and origin of the Ichthyosauria - the state of the art. Palaeodiversity 3:151-214

External links

• Palaeos Vertebrates
• Ichthyosaurus

Ichthyosaurs
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Diapsida Superorder: Ichthyopterygia
Basal ichthyosaurs Quasianosteosauridae Quasianosteosaurus Hueneosauria Mixosauria Mixosauridae Mixosaurinae Barracudasauroides Mixosaurus Phalarodontinae ?Contectopalatus Phalarodon Wimaniidae Wimanius Longipinnati Cymbospondylidae Cymbospondylus Phantomosaurus Toretocnemidae Qianichthyosaurus Toretocnemus Merriamosauria Thalattoarchon ?Besanosauridae ?Besanosaurus Californosauridae Californosaurus ?Merriamosauridae ?Pessopteryx Shastasauria / Shastasauridae ?Besanosaurus ?Pessopteryx Shastasaurinae Guanlingsaurus Himalayasaurus Shastasaurus Shonisaurus Euichthyosauria Callawayia Guizhouichthyosaurus Mikadocephalus Parvipelvia Nomina dubia Pachygonosaurus Pessosaurus
Parvipelvia Hudsonelpidiidae Hudsonelpidia Macgowaniidae Macgowania Neoichthyosauria Hauffiopteryx Suevoleviathanidae Suevoleviathan Temnodontosauridae Temnodontosaurus Eurhinosauria / Leptonectidae Leptonectes Eurhinosaurus Excalibosaurus Wahlisaurus Thunnosauria Ichthyosauridae Ichthyosaurus Malawania Baracromia Chacaicosaurus Stenopterygius Ophthalmosauria / Ophthalmosauridae Arthropterygius Cryopterygius Palvennia Ophthalmosaurinae Acamptonectes Leninia Mollesaurus Ophthalmosaurus Platypterygiinae Aegirosaurus Athabascasaurus Brachypterygius Caypullisaurus Maiaspondylus ?Nannopterygius Platypterygius Sveltonectes Undorosaurus
Related categories Ichthyosaurs Marine reptiles Triassic reptiles