Aptychodon
| Aptychodon Temporal range: Late Cretaceous,
| |
|---|---|
| File:Aptychodon teeth 2.png | |
| Teeth from the holotype of A. cretaceus | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Genus: | †Aptychodon von Reuss, 1855 |
| Type species | |
| †Aptychodon cretaceus von Reuss, 1855
| |
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 | edit source]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 | edit source]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 | edit source]References
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