Franconiasaurus

Sachs et al. 2024

Franconiasaurus is an extinct genus of basal plesiosauroid plesiosaurs from the Early Jurassic of Germany. The genus contains a single species, F. brevispinus, known from two well-preserved three-dimensional skeletons.

Temporal range

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

Paleogene

Neogene

252 201 145 66 0 Ma

PBDB occurrences

Group

Sauroptérygiens

Carnivore aquatic, depth=surface Marine

click to enlarge

Diagnostic skeletal elements of the type specimen of Franconiasaurus brevispinus gen. et sp. nov. (BT 011224.00). (A) main slab showing partly articulated skeleton in dorsal view. Posterior part of right mandibular ramus in (B) lateral and (C) dorsal aspect; anterior cervical vertebra (D) in articular and (E) lateral view; (F) posterior cervical vertebra in lateral view; (G) cervical rib in dorsolateral view; (H) dorsal vertebra in posterior view; (I) left scapula in medial view; (J) right coracoid in supposed dorsal view; (K) left humerus in dorsal view; (L) left femur with adjacent epipodials in dorsal view; and (M) left ilium in lateral view. © S. Sachs, S. Eggmaier & D. Madzia · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia

PBDB ↗ Wikipedia ↗

Classification

Sauropterygia Suborder

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Plesiosauria Order

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Plesiosauroidea Superfamily

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Franconiasaurus Genus

Fossil sites 1 geolocated sites

Distribution

Top countries

🇩🇪 Germany

Geological formations

Jurensismergel

Temporal distribution

Toarcian (184.2–174.7 Ma)

Species (1)

Franconiasaurus brevispinus 180 Ma

Images 2

Bibliography

Original description

S. Sachs, S. Eggmaier, and D. Madzia. 2024. Exquisite skeletons of a new transitional plesiosaur fill gap in the evolutionary history of plesiosauroids. Frontiers in Earth Science 12(1341470):1-10 DOI ↗

Bibliography (1)

Franconiasaurus

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