Largocephalosaurus

Largocephalosaurus
Temporal range: Middle Triassic, 243 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Family: †Saurosphargidae
Genus: †Largocephalosaurus
Cheng et al., 2012
Type species
†Largocephalosaurus polycarpon
Cheng et al., 2012
Species
  • †L. polycarpon Cheng et al., 2012 (type)
  • †L. qianensis Li et al., 2014

Largocephalosaurus is an extinct genus of basal saurosphargid, a marine reptile known from the Middle Triassic (Anisian age) Guanling Formation of Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces, southwestern China. It contains a type species, Largocephalosaurus polycarpon, and a second species L. qianensis.[1][2]

L. polycarpon was initially interpreted as an eosauropterygian sauropterygian closely related to European pachypleurosaurs and nothosaurids.[1] However following additional preparation of the postcranial skeleton and the discovery of a second better known species L. qianensis, Li et al. (2014) reinterpreted Largocephalosaurus as a basal member of the family Saurosphargidae and a close relative of Saurosphargis and Sinosaurosphargis. According to Li et al. (2014), saurosphargids did not belong to Sauropterygia, although they were closely related to it, forming its sister taxon.[2]

  1. ^ a b Long Cheng; Xiaohong Chen; Xiongwei Zeng; Yongjian Cai (2012). "A new eosauropterygian (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic of Luoping, Yunnan Province". Journal of Earth Science. 23 (1): 33–40. doi:10.1007/s12583-012-0231-z. S2CID 131061655.
  2. ^ a b Chun Li; Da-Yong Jiang; Long Cheng; Xiao-Chun Wu; Olivier Rieppel (2014). "A new species of Largocephalosaurus (Diapsida: Saurosphargidae), with implications for the morphological diversity and phylogeny of the group". Geological Magazine. 151 (1): 100–120. Bibcode:2014GeoM..151..100L. doi:10.1017/S001675681300023X. S2CID 84534618.