Metriorhynchidae

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Metriorhynchidae

Metriorhynchids were a clade

Clade

A clade is a term used in modern alpha taxonomy, the scientific classification of living and fossil organisms, to describe a monophyletic group, defined as a group consisting of a single common ancestor and all its descendants.The term "monophyletic group" is used in this article in the conventional sense of "an a...
of fully-aquatic crocodyliforms that lived in seas of the Jurassic

Jurassic

The Jurassic is a geologic period that extends from about annum to Ma, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous....
and Cretaceous

Cretaceous

The Cretaceous , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide, is a geologic period from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period....
periods. Their fore-legs were reduced and paddle-like, and unlike living crocodilians, they lost their osteoderms ("armour scutes"). Their body shape maximised hydrodynamy (swimming efficiency), as did having a shark-like tail fin.

Metriorhynchids were the only group of archosaur

Archosaur

Archosaurs are a group of diapsid reptiles represented by modern birds and crocodilians. This group also includes extinct non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs and relatives of crocodiles....
s to become fully adapted to the marine realm, becoming pelagic in lifestyle.

The name Metriorhynchidae was coined by the Austrian

Austrians

Austrians are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian Kinship and descent....
zoologist Leopold Fitzinger

Leopold Fitzinger

Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger was an Austrian zoologist.Fitzinger was born in Vienna and studied botany at the university of Vienna under Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin....
in 1843.

family has a wide geographic distribution, with material found in Argentina

Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is a country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city....
, Chile

Chile

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean....
, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is a country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba , the island of Isla de la Juventud, and several adjacent small islands....
, England

England

France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
, Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
, Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
, Russia

Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
and Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
.

type genus

Type genus

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Encyclopedia

Metriorhynchids were a clade

Clade

Jurassic

The Jurassic is a geologic period that extends from about annum to Ma, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous....
and Cretaceous

Cretaceous

Archosaur

Austrians

Leopold Fitzinger

Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger was an Austrian zoologist.Fitzinger was born in Vienna and studied botany at the university of Vienna under Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin....
in 1843.

Geographical distribution

The family has a wide geographic distribution, with material found in Argentina

Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is a country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city....
, Chile

Chile

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean....
, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is a country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba , the island of Isla de la Juventud, and several adjacent small islands....
, England

England

France

Germany

Italy

Mexico

Poland

Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
and Switzerland

Switzerland

Genera

The type genus

Type genus

In biology, the phrase type genus is used differently depending on the nomenclature Codes that applies:* In ICZN, a type genus is "The nominal genus that is the name-bearing Biological type of a nominal family-group taxon."...
for Metiorhynchidae is Metriorhynchus
Metriorhynchus

Metriorhynchus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliformes that lived in the oceans during the Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic. Metriorhynchus was named by the Germans palaeontologist Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1830....
from the Middle to Late Jurassic. Other genera included within this family are Teleidosaurus
Teleidosaurus

Teleidosaurus was the most plesiomorphic genus of marine crocodyliform within Metriorhynchidae, and is known from the Bajocian and Bathonian of the Middle Jurassic....
, Geosaurus
Geosaurus

Geosaurus was a small, gracile genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous....
, Dakosaurus
Dakosaurus

Dakosaurus is an extinct genus within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. It was large, with teeth that were serrated edge and compressed lateromedially ....
and Enaliosuchus
Enaliosuchus

Enaliosuchus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Valanginian stage of the Early Cretaceous....
. Genera considered nomina dubia
Nomen dubium

In ICZN, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Note that in the ICBN and ICNB the phrase "nomen dubium" has no status....
("doubtful names") within this family are Aggiosaurus
Aggiosaurus

Aggiosaurus is a genus of marine crocodyliform from the Late Jurassic period of the Oxfordian stage, around 155 to 157 million years ago. Aggiosaurus was a carnivore that spent much, if not all, its life out at sea....
and Neustosaurus
Neustosaurus

Neustosaurus is a genus of marine crocodyliform from the Early Cretaceous. Neustosaurus was a carnivore that spent much, if not all, its life out at sea....
.

The species classified as Purranisaurus
Purranisaurus

Purranisaurus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform from the Late Jurassic period of the Tithonian of Argentina. Rusconi originally regarded Purranisaurus potens to be a plesiosaur; however, Gasparini demonstrated that it was in fact a Metriorhynchidae crocodyliform, and that may be a junior synonym of Metriorhynchus....
and Suchodus are currently considered to belong within Metriorhynchus; if correct, this makes Purranisaurus and Suchodus junior synonyms of Metriorhynchus. Various palaeontologists have regarded the genus Cricosaurus
Cricosaurus

Cricosaurus is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform belonging to the family Metriorhynchidae. The genus was established by Johann Andreas Wagner in 1858 for three skulls from the Tithonian of Germany....
as a junior synoynm of either Metriorhynchus, Geosaurus or Dakosaurus.

The genus Capelliniosuchus
Capelliniosuchus

Capelliniosuchus is a junior synonym of the extinct marine lizard Mosasaurus. It was discovered in Italy, and described by Simonelli , originally believing it to be a Metriorhynchidae crocodyliform similar to Dakosaurus....
, was once thought to be a metriorhynchid similar to Dakosaurus. However, Sirotti demonstrated that it is a junior synonym of Mosasaurus
Mosasaurus

Mosasaurus was a genus of mosasaur, a carnivorous, aquatic lizard, somewhat resembling a flippered crocodile, with elongated heavy jaws. The genus lived in the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period , around 70-65 millions years ago in the area of modern Western Europe....
.

However, recent phylogenetic analyses cast doubt on the idea that many genera form a natural group (i.e. evolved from a common ancestor). The monophyly

Monophyly

In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a clade, consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly....
of Metriorhynchus, Teleidosaurus, Geosaurus, and Dakosaurus has been questioned. The monophyly of the poorly known genus Cricosaurus is also not supported, while Purranisaurus may be a distinct genus of metriorhynchid.

Genus	Status	Age	Location	Description
†Aggiosaurus Aggiosaurus *Aggiosaurus* is a genus of marine crocodyliform from the Late Jurassic period of the Oxfordian stage, around 155 to 157 million years ago. Aggiosaurus was a carnivore that spent much, if not all, its life out at sea....	Nomen dubium Nomen dubium In ICZN, a *nomen dubium* is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Note that in the ICBN and ICNB the phrase "nomen dubium" has no status.... .	Late Jurassic Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic Epoch of the Jurassic Period is the unit of geologic time scale from 161.2 ? 4.0 to 145.5 ? 4.0 million years ago, which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... .	A poorly preserved marine crocodile that was originally mistaken for a new kind of megalosaurid Megalosaurid Megalosauridae was a family of relatively primitive Tetanurae theropod dinosaurs, order Saurischia. They were small-to-large carnivores with sharp teeth and three claws on each hand.... dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaurs were the dominant vertebrate animals of Landform ecosystems for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic Period until the end of the Cretaceous Period , when most of them became extinct in the Cretaceous?Tertiary extinction event.... .
†Brachytaenius Brachytaenius *Brachytaenius* is an extinct genus of Metriorhynchidae crocodyliform that lived during the Late Jurassic. Originally named in 1842 by von Meyer, it is considered a junior synonym of Geosaurus....	Junior synonym.	Late Jurassic Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic Epoch of the Jurassic Period is the unit of geologic time scale from 161.2 ? 4.0 to 145.5 ? 4.0 million years ago, which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... .	— junior synonym Geosaurus Geosaurus *Geosaurus* was a small, gracile genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous....
†Capellineosuchus	Lapsus calami.	N/A	N/A	Misspelling of Capelliniosuchus Capelliniosuchus *Capelliniosuchus* is a junior synonym of the extinct marine lizard Mosasaurus. It was discovered in Italy, and described by Simonelli , originally believing it to be a Metriorhynchidae crocodyliform similar to Dakosaurus....
†Capelliniosuchus Capelliniosuchus *Capelliniosuchus* is a junior synonym of the extinct marine lizard Mosasaurus. It was discovered in Italy, and described by Simonelli , originally believing it to be a Metriorhynchidae crocodyliform similar to Dakosaurus....	Misidentified Mosasaur Mosasaur Mosasaurs were serpentine marine reptiles. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1778. These ferocious marine predators are now considered to be the closest relatives of snakes, due to cladistic analysis of symptomatic similarities in jaw and skull anatomies.... .	N/A	N/A	Once thought to be a metriorhynchid, now known to be a mosasaur Mosasaur Mosasaurs were serpentine marine reptiles. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1778. These ferocious marine predators are now considered to be the closest relatives of snakes, due to cladistic analysis of symptomatic similarities in jaw and skull anatomies.... .
†Cricosaurus Cricosaurus *Cricosaurus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform belonging to the family Metriorhynchidae. The genus was established by Johann Andreas Wagner in 1858 for three skulls from the Tithonian of Germany....	Valid.	Late Jurassic Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic Epoch of the Jurassic Period is the unit of geologic time scale from 161.2 ? 4.0 to 145.5 ? 4.0 million years ago, which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... .	Poorly known genus of Metriorhynchidae.
†Dacosaurus	Lapsus calami.			— lapsus calami of Dakosaurus Dakosaurus *Dakosaurus* is an extinct genus within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. It was large, with teeth that were serrated edge and compressed lateromedially ....
†Dakosaurus Dakosaurus *Dakosaurus* is an extinct genus within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. It was large, with teeth that were serrated edge and compressed lateromedially ....	Valid.	Late Jurassic Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic Epoch of the Jurassic Period is the unit of geologic time scale from 161.2 ? 4.0 to 145.5 ? 4.0 million years ago, which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum.... -Early Cretaceous Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous Period . It began about 146 million years ago.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... , North America North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere.... and South America South America South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere.... .
†Enaliosuchus Enaliosuchus *Enaliosuchus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Valanginian stage of the Early Cretaceous....	Valid.	Early Cretaceous Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous Period . It began about 146 million years ago.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... .
†Geosaurus Geosaurus *Geosaurus* was a small, gracile genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous....	Valid.	Late Jurassic Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic Epoch of the Jurassic Period is the unit of geologic time scale from 161.2 ? 4.0 to 145.5 ? 4.0 million years ago, which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum.... -Early Cretaceous Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous Period . It began about 146 million years ago.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... , North America North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere.... and South America South America South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere.... .
†Halilimnosaurus	Junior synonym.			— junior synonym of Geosaurus Geosaurus *Geosaurus* was a small, gracile genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous....
†Metiorychus	Lapsus calami.			— lapsus calami of Metriorhynchus Metriorhynchus *Metriorhynchus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliformes that lived in the oceans during the Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic. Metriorhynchus was named by the Germans palaeontologist Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1830....
†Metriorhynchus Metriorhynchus *Metriorhynchus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliformes that lived in the oceans during the Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic. Metriorhynchus was named by the Germans palaeontologist Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1830....	Valid.	Middle Middle Jurassic The Middle Jurassic, called the Dogger in the European system of classification, is the second epoch of the Jurassic Period . It lasted from 176-161 million years ago.... -Late Jurassic Late Jurassic The Late Jurassic Epoch of the Jurassic Period is the unit of geologic time scale from 161.2 ? 4.0 to 145.5 ? 4.0 million years ago, which is preserved in Upper Jurassic stratum....	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... and South America South America South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere.... .
†Neustosaurus Neustosaurus *Neustosaurus* is a genus of marine crocodyliform from the Early Cretaceous. Neustosaurus was a carnivore that spent much, if not all, its life out at sea....	Nomen dubium Nomen dubium In ICZN, a *nomen dubium* is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Note that in the ICBN and ICNB the phrase "nomen dubium" has no status....	Early Cretaceous Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous Period . It began about 146 million years ago.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... .	— possible junior synonym of Dakosaurus Dakosaurus *Dakosaurus* is an extinct genus within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. It was large, with teeth that were serrated edge and compressed lateromedially .... or Geosaurus Geosaurus *Geosaurus* was a small, gracile genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous....
†Purranisaurus Purranisaurus *Purranisaurus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliform from the Late Jurassic period of the Tithonian of Argentina. Rusconi originally regarded Purranisaurus potens to be a plesiosaur; however, Gasparini demonstrated that it was in fact a Metriorhynchidae crocodyliform, and that may be a junior synonym of Metriorhynchus....	Junior synonym.			— junior synonym of Metriorhynchus Metriorhynchus *Metriorhynchus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliformes that lived in the oceans during the Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic. Metriorhynchus was named by the Germans palaeontologist Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1830....
†Rhacheosaurus	Junior synonym.			— junior synonym of Geosaurus Geosaurus *Geosaurus* was a small, gracile genus of marine crocodyliform within the family Metriorhynchidae that lived during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous....
†Suchodus	Junior synonym.			— junior synonym of Metriorhynchus Metriorhynchus *Metriorhynchus* is an extinct genus of marine crocodyliformes that lived in the oceans during the Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic. Metriorhynchus was named by the Germans palaeontologist Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1830....
†Teleidosaurus Teleidosaurus *Teleidosaurus* was the most plesiomorphic genus of marine crocodyliform within Metriorhynchidae, and is known from the Bajocian and Bathonian of the Middle Jurassic....	Valid.	Middle Jurassic Middle Jurassic The Middle Jurassic, called the Dogger in the European system of classification, is the second epoch of the Jurassic Period . It lasted from 176-161 million years ago.... .	Europe Europe Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.... .

Metriorhynchidae

Geographical distribution

Genera

See also