Seeleyosaurus
Seeleyosaurus is an extinct genus of plesiosaur that was initially placed within the genus Plesiosaurus in 1895 and was given its own genus in 1940. Two species were known: the type, S. guilelmiimperatoris, and the now obsolete species S. holzmadensis, which has since been absorbed into S. guilelmiimperatoris. It was a relatively small plesiosaur, measuring 2.9–3.6 m (9.5–11.8 ft) long. The holotype is MB.R.1992, a large almost complete skeleton from the Upper Lias (Toarcian) Lias Group Formations of Württemberg, Germany. There seems to be the impression of a rhomboidal flap of skin in a vertical plane; if so, many plesiosaurs may have been equipped in this way. A second specimen (SMNS 12039), preserved in 3D, is the holotype of S. holzmadensis.
| Seeleyosaurus Temporal range: Early Jurassic, | |
|---|---|
| Cast of Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris fossil with reconstructed parts based on the holotype | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Family: | †Microcleididae |
| Genus: | †Seeleyosaurus White, 1940 |
| Type species | |
| †Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris (Dames, 1895) | |
| Synonyms | |
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