Sphenotitan
| Sphenotitan Temporal range: Late Triassic
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Clade: | †Opisthodontia |
| Genus: | †Sphenotitan et al., 2013 |
| Type species | |
| †Sphenotitan leyesi Martínez et al., 2013
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Sphenotitan is an extinct genus of basal opisthodontian sphenodontian reptile known from the Late Triassic Quebrada del Barro Formation of northwestern Argentina. It was first described and named by Ricardo N. Martínez, Cecilia Apaldetti, Carina E. Colombi, Angel Praderio, Eliana Fernandez, Paula Santi Malnis, Gustavo A. Correa, Diego Abelin and Oscar Alcober in 2013 and the type species is Sphenotitan leyesi. With an estimated skull length of 100mm, it is relatively large for rhynchocephalians.
At the time of its discovery, Sphenotitan was the earliest known opisthodontian, predating the previous oldest record, Opisthias, by 50 Ma.[1]
Lifestyle[]
Based upon the dentition seen in the fossil specimens, this animal is believed to be herbivorous.[1]
References[]
- ^ a b Martinez, R. N.; Apaldetti, C.; Colombi, C. E.; Praderio, A.; Fernandez, E.; Malnis, P. S.; Correa, G. A.; Abelin, D.; Alcober, O. (2013). "A new sphenodontian (Lepidosauria: Rhynchocephalia) from the Late Triassic of Argentina and the early origin of the herbivore opisthodontians". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 280 (1772): 20132057. doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.2057. PMC 3813332. PMID 24132307.
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Categories:
- Triassic lepidosaurs
- Late Triassic reptiles of South America
- Triassic Argentina
- Fossils of Argentina
- Fossil taxa described in 2013
- Triassic reptile stubs