Libonectes
Encyclopedia
Libonectes is an extinct genus of sauropterygia
n reptile belonging to the plesiosaur order. It is known from a single fossil specimen found in the Britton Formation
of Texas
, dated to the lower Turonian
stage of the late Cretaceous
period.
The animal was very similar to the related Thalassomedon
, though the structure of the neck vertebrae were different, with taller neural spines and longer supporting processes of the bone, and its nostrils were slightly closer to the tip of the skull. The skull of the type specimen is the best preserved elasmosaurid skull known. The specimen consists of the skull and neck, as well as gastroliths found along with the fossil. A shoulder girdle and flipper were also found but were apparently discarded at some point in the past.
The specimen was originally named Elasmosaurus morgani by Welles in 1949, but it was reclassified in its own genus by Carpenter in 1997.
Sauropterygia
Sauropterygia were a group of very successful aquatic reptiles that flourished during the Mesozoic before they became extinct at the end of the era. They were united by a radical adaptation of their shoulder, designed to support powerful flipper strokes...
n reptile belonging to the plesiosaur order. It is known from a single fossil specimen found in the Britton Formation
Britton Formation
The Britton Formation is a Mesozoic geologic formation. Plesiosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from its strata....
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, dated to the lower Turonian
Turonian
The Turonian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the second age in the Late Cretaceous epoch, or a stage in the Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 93.5 ± 0.8 Ma and 89.3 ± 1 Ma...
stage of the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period.
The animal was very similar to the related Thalassomedon
Thalassomedon
Thalassomedon is a genus of plesiosaur, named by Welles in 1943. Greek, thalassa, "sea" and Greek, medon, "lord, ruler": Sea lord.-Introduction:...
, though the structure of the neck vertebrae were different, with taller neural spines and longer supporting processes of the bone, and its nostrils were slightly closer to the tip of the skull. The skull of the type specimen is the best preserved elasmosaurid skull known. The specimen consists of the skull and neck, as well as gastroliths found along with the fossil. A shoulder girdle and flipper were also found but were apparently discarded at some point in the past.
The specimen was originally named Elasmosaurus morgani by Welles in 1949, but it was reclassified in its own genus by Carpenter in 1997.