Database
This section of the site is built around a database which includes specimens, information on provenence, collections and references.

The core of this was collated by Tracy Ford, and I have built extensively on the basic information he provided. Initially an off-line Microsoft Access database, I have  now moved it to the web as a mysql database. 



  • Specimens: Plesioasur specimens.

  • Collections: Collections which contain sauropterygian material organised on a geographical basis.

  • References: References, including abstracts of many papers and pdf files of some.

  • Taxonomy: A full list of sauropterygian genera and species, linked to individual pages for each species which list specimens referred to the taxon.

  • Stratigraphy: Specimens listed by stratigraphic age based on the International Commission on Stratigraphy time scale.

  • Localities: Specimens listed by locality

  • Rock Units: Specimens listed by geological formation. I've adopted the term 'Rock Unit' rather than 'Formation' as there is a wide variation in how stratigraphy is recorded.


Old Texts


The section called 'Old Texts' is a collection of papers and other documents published over a century ago and for which there is no copyright issue.