Article: Stretosaurus gen. nov., a giant pliosaur from the Kimeridge Clay

A giant Pliosaur is described. This is the second Pliosaur from the Kimeridge Clay in which limb girdles are known associated with the axial skeleton, but it is the only giant one of any age (with the exception of Kronosaurus from the Lower Cretaceous) in which the post-cranial skeleton is adequately known. The pectoral girdle of this animal is so unusual that a new generic name is considered necessary for its reception; the name Stretosaurus gen. nov. is proposed. However, the characters of the anterior cervical vertebrae enable it to be placed in the species S. macromerus (Phillips). Finally, it is shown that two quite distinct giant Pliosaurs, S. macromerus (Phillips) and Pliosaurus brachydeirus Owen, must have inhabited Kimeridgian seas.