Genus
Valid Extinct

Prosantosaurus

Klein et al. 2022

Prosantosaurus is a monotypic genus of pachypleurosaurian sauropterygian containing the single species Prosantosaurus scheffoldi discovered in Canton Grison of Switzerland. The genus is named after the Prosanto Formation near the Ducan mountains, where the skeletons were found, and the species for Beat Scheffold, a scientific illustrator from Zurich who contributed prominently to the research of the Triassic marine reptiles.

Temporal range
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
Paleogene
Neogene
252 201 145 66 0 Ma
PBDB occurrences
1
Group
Sauroptérygiens
Marine
Prosantosaurus
click to enlarge
Holotype specimen (PIMUZ A/III 1274) of Prosantosaurus scheffoldi gen. et spec. nov. from the upper Prosanto Formation (Early Ladinian, Middle Triassic) of Ducanfurgga locality no. 4, southwest of Davos, Canton of Grisons, south-eastern Switzerland. A Nearly complete specimen as prepared in dorsal view. The posterior part of the tail was lost prior to burial. Both forearms are not visible but lie below the trunk region, pointing in an anteromedial direction (see Additional file 1: Fig. S3A). B Detail of skull and anterior neck region. C Outline sketch of skull sutures. D Detail of shoulder girdle (claviculae, scapulae) and anterior dorsal vertebrae and ribs. E Detail of right humerus. F Detail of posterior dorsal vertebrae and ribs, sacral vertebrae and ribs, and anterior caudal vertebrae and ribs. G Detail of left ilium and hindlimb. ar articular; as astragalus; bo basioccipital; cal calcaneus; cl clavicula; co coracoid; d dentary; en external naris; eo exoccipital; fe femur; fi fibula; fr frontal; hu humerus; il ilium; in internal naris; is ischium; j jugal; mx maxilla; na naris; o orbit; pa parietal; pl palatine; pmx premaxilla; pof postfrontal; po postorbital; prf prefrontal; pt pterygoid; pu pubis; q quadrate; qj quadratojugal; ti tibia; sacr sacral rib; sc scapula; so supraoccipital; sp splenial; sq squamosal; su surangular; utf upper temporal fenestra; v vomer © Klein N., Furrer H., Ehrbar I., Torres Ladeira M., Richter H., Scheyer T. M. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia
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Classification
Sauropterygia Suborder
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Eosauropterygia Order
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Pachypleurosauria Suborder
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Prosantosaurus Genus
Fossil sites 1 geolocated sites
Distribution
Top countries
🇨🇭 Switzerland
1
Geological formations
Prosanto
1
Temporal distribution
Ladinian (241.464–237 Ma)
1
Species (1)
Prosantosaurus scheffoldi 241 Ma
Images 1
Bibliography
Original description
N. Klein, H. Furrer, and I. Ehrbar, M. T. Ladeira, H. Richter, T. M. Scheyer. 2022. A new pachypleurosaur from the Early Ladinian Prosanto Formation in the Eastern Alps of Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 141(12):1-27 DOI ↗
Bibliography (1)
N. Klein, H. Furrer, and I. Ehrbar, M. T. Ladeira, H. Richter, T. M. Scheyer. 2022. A new pachypleurosaur from the Early Ladinian Prosanto Formation in the Eastern Alps of Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 141(12):1-27 DOI ↗