Aptychodon
| Aptychodon Temporal range: Late Cretaceous,
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| Teeth from the holotype of A. cretaceus | |
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| Genus: | †Aptychodon von Reuss, 1855
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| Type species | |
| †Aptychodon cretaceus von Reuss, 1855
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Aptychodon (meaning "unwrinkled tooth") is an extinct genus of plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous of the Czech Republic. The type species is A. cretaceus.[1]
Discovery and naming
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The holotype consists of incompletely preserved teeth and they were discovered at White Mountain near Prague, Czech Republic.[2][3] They were then sent to the Prague Museum before von Reuss (1855) described the teeth and created the species Aptychodon cretaceius.[3]
Description
[edit]The teeth of Aptychodon are conical and curved towards one side despite mostly being straight. They also measure between 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) and 13 centimetres (5.1 in) in length.[3]
Classification
[edit]Aptychodon has been classified as a potential synonym of Polyptychodon interruptus by later authors.[1] Most authors classify Aptychodon within a basal position in Plesiosauria.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Sepkoski, J.J. (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 363:1-560
- ^ Aptychodon in the Paleobiology Database
- ^ a b c von Reuss, August Emanuel (1855). "Paläontologishe Miscellen: IV. Reptilreste im pläner der umgebung von Prag" (PDF). WIRKLICHEM MITOLIEDE DER KAISERLICHEN AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN.