Omphalosaurus

Omphalosaurus
Temporal range: Early-Middle Triassic, 252–237 Ma
Holotype skull and vertebrae of Omphalosaurus nevadanus seen from above (left) and below (right)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Family: †Omphalosauridae
Genus: †Omphalosaurus
Merriam 1906
Species
  • †O. nevadanus Merriam 1906 (type)
  • †O. merriami Maisch 2010
  • †O. nettarhynchus Mazin & Bucher 1987
  • †O. peyeri Maisch & Lehmann 2002
  • †O. wolfi Tichy 1995

Omphalosaurus (from the Greek root "Button Lizard", for their button-like teeth) is an extinct genus of marine reptile from the Early Triassic to Middle Triassic,[1] thought to be in the order of Ichthyosauria. Most of what is known about Omphalosaurus is based on multiple jaw fragments, ribs, and vertebrae. Specimens of Omphalosaurus have been described from the western United States, Poland, Austria and the island of Spitsbergen off the northern coast of Norway.

  1. ^ Ekeheien, Christina; Delsett, Lene; Roberts, Aubrey; Hurum, Jørn (2018-10-04). "Preliminary report on ichthyopterygian elements from the Early Triassic (Spathian) of Spitsbergen". Norwegian Journal of Geology. doi:10.17850/njg98-2-07. hdl:10852/71099.