References
Reference
Kear, Benjamin P (2002) Reassessment of the Early Cretaceous plesiosaur Cimoliasaurus maccoyi Etheridge, 1904 (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from White Cliffs, New South Wales; Australian Journal of Zoology, 50, pp.671-685
Reassessment of the Early Cretaceous plesiosaur Cimoliasaurus maccoyi Etheridge, 1904 (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from White Cliffs, New South Wales
Principal Author
Benjamin P Kear
Header
Academic paper
Journal
Australian Journal of Zoology
Volume
50
Pages
671-685
Abstract
Cimoliasaurus maccoyi Etheridge, 1904 is a poorly known plesiosauroid from the lower Cretaceous (Aptian) opal-bearing deposits (Doncaster Member, Wallumbilla Formation) of White Cliffs, New South Wales. Characters used to define the taxon are found to be either uninformative beyond higher taxonomic levels, ontogenetically related or misinterpreted, suggesting that C. maccoyi is a nomen dubium. Provisional referral of the C. maccoyi remains to Elasmosauridae gen. et sp. indet. may be warranted on the basis the derived morphology of its cervical vertebrae. A review of 'cimoliasaurian' taxa described from the Callovian to Maastrichtian of Europe, North and South America, New Zealand and Australia indicates that all can either be reassigned or represent nomina dubia. The taxonomic status of Cimoliasauridae is also tenuous, with the family established on largely non-diagnostic characters.
Language
English