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Thalassophonea

Reptilia - Plesiosauria - Pliosauridae

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1822Plesiosaurus recentior Parkinson p. 302
1840Plesiosaurus brachyspondylus Owen p. 78
1845Spondylosaurus frearsi Fischer de Waldheim
1846Pliosaurus wosinskii Fischer de Waldheim
1860Pliosaurus worinskii Owen p. 235
1869Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Seeley p. 97
1871Pliosaurus nitidus Phillips pp. 360-361 figs. CLVI-CLVIII
1872Polyptychodon archiaci Deslongchamps figs. pl. 5, figs 1-2
1959Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Tarlo pp. 284-285 figs. plates 51-52
1960Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Delair pp. 70-71
1960Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Tarlo p. 156
1989Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Halstead p. 38
1993Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Bardet et al. p. 390
1993Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Taylor and Cruickshank
2012Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Knutsen p. 267
2013Thalassophonea Benson et al.
2014Thalassophonea Benson and Druckenmiller figs. 2-3
2014Thalassophonea Gasparini and O'Gorman
2018Thalassophonea O’Gorman et al. p. 242
2020Thalassophonea Zverkov and Pervushov
2023Thalassophonea Páramo-Fonseca et al. p. 2

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
suborderSauropterygia
orderPlesiosauriade Blainville 1835
superfamilyPliosauroideaWelles 1943
familyPliosauridaeSeeley 1874
—Thalassophonea
—Thalassophonea

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Unr. †Thalassophonea Benson and Druckenmiller 2014
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Subfm. †Brachaucheninae Williston 1925
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G. †Brachauchenius Williston 1903
+
†Brachauchenius lucasi Williston 1903
G. †Discosaurus Leidy 1851
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†Discosaurus vetustus Leidy 1851
G. †Kronosaurus Longman 1924
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†Kronosaurus boyacensis Hampe 1992
G. †Luskhan Fischer et al. 2017
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†Luskhan itilensis Fischer et al. 2017
G. †Megacephalosaurus Schumacher et al. 2013
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†Megacephalosaurus eulerti Schumacher et al. 2013
G. †Sachicasaurus Páramo-Fonseca et al. 2018
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†Sachicasaurus vitae Páramo-Fonseca et al. 2018
G. †Gallardosaurus Gasparini 2009
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†Gallardosaurus iturraldei Gasparini 2009
G. †Liopleurodon Sauvage 1873
+
†Liopleurodon ferox Sauvage 1873
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Invalid names: Thaumatosaurus mosquensis Kiprijanoff 1883 [synonym]
†Liopleurodon pachydeirus Seeley 1869
G. †Makhaira Fischer et al. 2015
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†Makhaira rossica Fischer et al. 2015
G. †Peloneustes Lydekker 1889
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†Peloneustes philarchus Seeley 1869
G. †Pliosaurus Owen 1841
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†Pleiosaurus macromerus Phillips 1871
†Pliosaurus almanzaensis O’Gorman et al. 2018
†Pliosaurus andrewsi Tarlo 1960
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Invalid names: Peloneustes sterrodeirus Seeley 1869 [synonym]
†Pliosaurus carpenteri Benson et al. 2013
†Pliosaurus funkei Knutsen et al. 2012
†Pliosaurus gamma Phillips 1871
†Pliosaurus grandis Owen 1840
†Pliosaurus grossouvrei Sauvage 1873
†Pliosaurus kevani Benson et al. 2013
†Pliosaurus patagonicus Gasparini and O'Gorman 2014
†Pliosaurus rossicus Novozhilov 1948
†Pliosaurus westburyensis Benson et al. 2013
Invalid names: Cetiosaurus rigauxi Sauvage 1874 [nomen dubium], Ischyrodon Merian 1838 [synonym], Plesiosaurus giganteus Conybeare 1824 [nomen oblitum], Pliosaurus irgisensis Novozhilov 1948 [nomen dubium], Pliosaurus portentificus Noè et al. 2004 [nomen dubium], Spondylosaurus Fischer 1845 [synonym], Stretosaurus Tarlo 1959 [synonym]
G. †Simolestes Andrews 1909
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†Simolestes indicus Lydekker 1877
†Simolestes keileni Godefroit 1994
†Simolestes vorax Andrews 1909
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Invalid names: Thaumatosaurus calloviensis Bogolubov 1912 [synonym]
Invalid names: Pliosaurus brachyspondylus Owen 1840 [nomen dubium], Pliosaurus macromerus Phillips 1871 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
R. B. J. Benson and P. S. Druckenmiller 2014Pliosaurids with the following unique unambiguous synapomorphy: anteroposterior expansion of the dorsal part of the ilium large, expanded to more than 2.5 times the minimum anteroposterior width of the shaft (character 224.3); and these non-unique, unambiguous synapomorphies: medial portion of squamosal arch with anteroposteriorly compressed cross section (54.1; reversed in Brachacheninae, also present in Muraenosaurus leedsii, some polycotylids and elasmosaurids), ventral keel on mandibular symphysis (114.1), heterodont premaxillary dentition (132.1), axial rib articulates with atlantal centrum (142.1; in addition to the axial centrum, with which it articulates primitively), mediolaterally oriented buttress on ventral surface of coracoid absent (216.1), propodials with dorsoventrally compressed, ‘flange’-like pre- and postaxial distal extensions (238.1; reversed in Pliosaurus +Brachaucheninae; also present in some polycotylids), humerus length to width ratio 1.7–2.2 (244.2), preaxial margin of humerus concave with a small anterodistal expansion (245.1), femoral length to width ratio 1.55–2.00 (251.2). Numerous additional cranial synapomorphies are optimised only under DELTRAN because of the relatively high proportion of missing data (72.1%) for the cranial skeleton of Marmornectes candrewi, the sister taxon of Thalassophonea (see online Appendix S1).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatitesuperf
Environment: marinesuperf
Locomotion: actively mobilesuperf
Life habit: nektonicsuperf
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: carnivoresuperf
Reproduction: viviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalsuperf
Created: 2005-11-07 12:13:24
Modified: 2009-07-25 10:49:01
Source: superf = superfamily, o = order
References: Kiessling 2004, Hampe 2005

Age range: base of the Late/Upper Bajocian to the top of the Late/Upper Maastrichtian or 171.60000 to 66.00000 Ma

Collections (101 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Jurassic201.4 - 145.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus indet. (141865)
Late/Upper Bajocian171.6 - 167.7France (Lorraine) Simolestes keileni (141880)
Callovian166.1 - 163.5France (Poitou-Charentes) Pliosaurus sp. (106921)
Callovian166.1 - 163.5United Kingdom (England) Peloneustes philarchus (133586 133587 141874) Peloneustes philarchus, Pliosaurus ferox (130656 141861) Plesiosaurus philarchus (119669)
Callovian - Oxfordian166.1 - 157.3United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus ferox (140700)
Late/Upper Callovian164.7 - 161.2France (Basse-Normandie) Pliosaurus ferox (52633)
Late/Upper Callovian164.7 - 161.2France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) Peloneustes philarchus, Liopleurodon ferox (119668) Peloneustes philarchus, Pliosaurus ferox (144756)
Middle Callovian164.7 - 161.2United Kingdom (England) Liopleurodon ferox (92051) Peloneustes philarchus (142299) Peloneustes philarchus, Pliosaurus ferox, Pliosaurus grandis (133067) Simolestes vorax, Peloneustes philarchus, Liopleurodon ferox, Peloneustes evansi (109800)
Middle Callovian164.7 - 161.2Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) Liopleurodon sp. (183141) Liopleurodon sp., Peloneustes sp. (67698)
Oxfordian163.5 - 157.3United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus grossouvrei (141850)
Oxfordian163.5 - 157.3Poland (Śląskie) Pliosaurus andrewsi (106467)
Late/Upper Oxfordian161.2 - 155.7United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus sp., Pliosaurus grossouvrei (91991) Pliosaurus sp., Pliosaurus pachydeirus (36582)
Middle Oxfordian161.2 - 155.7United Kingdom (Oxfordshire) Pliosaurus grossouvrei (42340)
Middle Oxfordian - Late/Upper Oxfordian161.2 - 155.7Cuba (Pinar del Rio) Gallardosaurus iturraldei (90435)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus macromerus, Pliosaurus brachydirus (47789)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1France (Normandie) Pliosaurus brachyspondylus, Liopleurodon macromerus (137237)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) Pliosaurus grandis (65033)
Kimmeridgian - Early/Lower Tithonian157.3 - 145.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus brachydeirus (138286) Pliosaurus brachydirus (92096 139861 139862) Pliosaurus brachyspondylus (138008 140709) Pliosaurus gamma, Plesiosaurus sp. (119666) Pliosaurus indet. (141828) Pliosaurus indet., Pliosaurus brachydeirus (74931) Pliosaurus macromerus (141830 141852 141855 141856) Pliosaurus sp. (138284) Pliosaurus sp., Pliosaurus brachydeirus (138282) Pliosaurus sp., Pliosaurus brachydirus (138283)
Kimmeridgian - Tithonian157.3 - 145.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus macromerus, Pliosaurus brachydirus (52557)
Early/Lower Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) Pliosaurus brachyspondylus (137236)
Early/Lower Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8United Kingdom (England) Liopleurodon macromerus (120291) Plesiosaurus brachyspondylus (119086) Pliosaurus kevani (145134) Pliosaurus macromerus, Plesiosaurus sterrodeirus, Pliosaurus brachyspondylus, Pliosaurus portentificus, Pliosaurus brachydirus, Pliosaurus kevani (119508) Pliosaurus sp., Pliosaurus brachydeirus (119665) Stretosaurus macromerus (114894)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) Pliosaurus macromerus (94534)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus brachydeirus (47421) Pliosaurus brachyspondylus (100263) Pliosaurus macromerus, Pliosaurus grandis (119504) Pliosaurus sp. (70996 127610) Stretosaurus macromerus (119667)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Early/Lower Tithonian155.7 - 145.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus brachydirus (139859) Pliosaurus macromerus (140224)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Russian Federation (Saratov) Pliosaurus irgisensis (127414)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0India (Gujarat) Plesiosaurus indicus (141884) Thaumatosaurus indicus (106923)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Russian Federation (Chuvash) Liopleurodon rossicus (127453)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus sp. (93105)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Norway (Spitsbergen) Pliosaurus funkei (134742 134743)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Kazakhstan (Batys Qazaqstan) Pliosaurus macromerus (150124)
Early/Lower Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Argentina (Neuquén) Liopleurodon sp. (79651)
Late/Upper Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Russian Federation (Saratov) Pliosaurus grandis (127456)
Late/Upper Tithonian150.8 - 145.0Argentina (Neuquén) Pliosaurus almanzaensis (196358)
Late/Upper Tithonian150.8 - 145.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus brachydeirus (141825)
Middle Tithonian150.8 - 145.0France (Pas-de-Calais) Cetiosaurus rigauxi (53966)
Berriasian145.0 - 139.8Argentina (Neuquén) Liopleurodon sp. (122662)
Late/Upper Hauterivian136.4 - 130.0Russian Federation (Ulyanovsk) Luskhan itilensis (185940) Makhaira rossica (175631)
Late/Upper Barremian130.0 - 125.45Colombia (Boyaca) Brachauchenius sp. (55502)
Barremian - Aptian129.4 - 113.0Colombia (Boyacá) Sachicasaurus vitae (209707)
Aptian125.0 - 113.0Australia (New South Wales) Kronosaurus queenslandicus (60762)
Aptian125.0 - 113.0Australia (Queensland) Kronosaurus queenslandicus (100235)
Late/Upper Aptian122.46 - 113.0Colombia (Boyacá) Kronosaurus boyacensis (127411)
Late/Upper Aptian122.46 - 113.0United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus sp. (58095)
Early/Lower Aptian121.4 - 122.46United Kingdom (England) Pliosaurus sp. (36581)
Albian113.0 - 100.5Australia (Queensland) Brachaucheninae sp. (141591)
Early/Lower Albian112.03 - 109.0France (Champagne-Ardenne) Pliosaurus sp. (55335)
Late/Upper Albian105.3 - 99.6Australia (Queensland) Kronosaurus queenslandicus (110465)
Cenomanian - Turonian100.5 - 89.8USA (Texas) Brachauchenius lucasi (105655)
Cenomanian - Turonian100.5 - 89.8United Kingdom (England) Polyptychodon interruptus (137411)
Middle Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Colorado) Brachauchenius sp. (35429)
Middle Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Kansas) Brachauchenius lucasi (94538)
Middle Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5Russian Federation (Saratov) Brachaucheninae indet. (138038)
Turonian93.9 - 89.8USA (South Dakota) Plesiosauria indet. (181902)
Early/Lower Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Utah) Brachauchenius lucasi (150871 150872)
Early/Lower Turonian93.5 - 89.3Morocco (Er-Rachidia) Brachauchenius lucasi (103973)
Early/Lower Turonian - Middle Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Kansas) Brachauchenius lucasi (117803 132610)
Middle Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (Kansas) Brachauchenius lucasi (117804)
Santonian86.3 - 83.6USA (Alabama) Discosaurus vetustus (3586)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian70.6 - 66.0Chile (Concepcíon) Pliosaurus sp. (13309)