Aristonectes quiriquinensis Otero et al., 2014
Reptilia
Sauropterygia
Plesiosauria
Plesiosauroidea
Elasmosauridae
Aristonectinae
Late Cretaceous
Quiriquina Fm (Maastrichtian)
Chile
Length: 8.5 m
The affinities of the long-necked plesiosaur Aristonectes parvidens from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina has been a subject of much debate since its description in 1941. It was included among the Cryptoclididae, then placed alongside the dubious Cimoliasaurus in the family 'Cimoliasauridae', supporting the survivance of a cryptoclidoid grade of plesiosaurs well into the Late Cretaceous in the southern hemisphere. It was placed in in its family Aristonectidae. The recent discovery of a quite complete specimen in Chile described as a new species, A. quiriquinensis, give quite a lot of support to the idea that Aristonectes is actually a derived elasmosaurid. The numerous pin-like teeth form an interlocking trap that was probably used for capturing small soft organisms.
September 28, 2014
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