Fossil Vertebrates of the Prida Formation of Nevada
Type Horizon and Locality: Middle Triassic, Fossil Hill Member, Prida Formation (Anisian) Nevada, US
Represented here:
Acrodus alexandrae Wemple, 1906, a shark only known from their heterodont teeth. Probably looked similar to Hybodus. Probably bottom sea dweller eating shells.
Cymbospondylus piscosus Leidy, 1868, a large primitive ichthyosaur, top ocean predator of its time. The species C. petrinus and C. grandis are considered synonym to C. piscosus. Reached 9 m in length.
Omphalosaurus nevadanus Merriam, 1906, a rather enigmatic ichthyosaur with highly specialized button-like teeth probably used to crush shells and corals.
Omphalosaurus nettarhynchus Mazin & Bucher, 1987, a smaller species of Omphalosaurus.
Phalarodon fraasi Merriam, 1910, a small ichthyosaur
The Prida formation also contain fossils of two other ichthyosaurians that may be referred to the genera Utatsusaurus and Grippia.
November 10, 2019
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