The taxonomic status of the Upper Liassic ichthyosaur Eurhinosaurus longirostris

37 4 Sun, 01/01/1995 - 12:00 March 747 753

MCGOWAN, C. 1995. The taxonomic status of the Upper Liassic ichthyosaur Eurhinosaurus longirostris. Palaeontology, 37, 4, 747–753.

C. McGowan The swordfish-like ichthyosaur Eurhinosaurus, primarily from the German Upper Liassic, is generally considered to be monotypic. The authority of the type species, E. longirostris, has usually been given as Jaeger, 1856, but it is shown that Mantell, 1851 is the correct authority. The subject of Mantell's description (BMNH 14566) is from the Upper Liassic of Yorkshire. Recent preparation confirms the presence of an abbreviated mandible, confirming its eurhinosaurian status. E. longirostris (Mantell 1851) is thus unequivocall; the type species of Eurhinosaurus, and BMNH 14566 is the holotype. Eurhinosaurus huenei Swinton, 1930, is shown to be a junior synonym of E. longirostris. The Palaeontological Association (Free Access)