Occitanosaurus (Sciau, Crochet and Mattei, 1990)
Occitanosaurus was described by Sciau et al. (1990) and Bardet et al. (1999). The genus name was erected for 'Plesiosaurus' tournemirensis by Bardet et al. (1999). The taxon was regarded as an early elasmosaurid. Occitanosaurus was approximately 3.90 meters long.
Classification
Sauropterygia --> Eosauropterygia --> Eusauropterygia --> Pistosauroidea --> Plesiosauria --> Plesiosauroidea
O. tournemirensis (Sciau, Crochet and Mattei, 1990) (type and only species)
Material
Type material: MMM J. T. 86-100, Musée Municipal de Millau, Aveyron, near complete skeleton including the skull, complete vertebral series with atlas-axis and associated ribs to the sacrum, complete pectoral and pelvic girdles, right forelimb and both hind limbs.
Age and Location
Marnes feuilletées, Aalensis Zone, Pleydellia celtica Subzone, Upper Toarcian, Lower Jurassic, Tournemire (43°56' 25''N, 3°1'14''E), Aveyron Department, southern France.
Maresaurus images
The skull of Occitanosaurus in dorsal view (from Bardet et al. 1999).
