| Pervushovisaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| P. campylodon snout fragment, thelectotype specimen of the species | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Ichthyosauria |
| Family: | †Ophthalmosauridae |
| Subfamily: | †Platypterygiinae |
| Genus: | †Pervushovisaurus Arkhangel'skii, 1998 |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
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Pervushovisaurus is a genus ofplatypterygiineichthyosaur from theLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of theSaratov region in westernRussia, theLa Penthiève Beds ofFrance and theCambridge area of theUK.
It was originally described as asubgenus ofPlatypterygius,[1] but later work showed that it was sufficiently distinct from thetype species ofPlatypterygius,P. platydactylus, to be elevated to full generic rank.[2]The type species ofPervushovisaurus,P. bannovkensis, is known only from the holotype,SSU 104a/24, a partial skull.[3] In 2016, an additional species ofPlatypterygius fromEngland andFrance,P. campylodon, was also referred toPervushovisaurus after previously being allied withIchthyosaurus in 1846.[4][5][6] A previous Russian species ofPlatypterygius,"P." kiprianoffi, was also assigned toP. campylodon.[7][8][9]
A specimen ofP. campylodon was found in theLa Penthiève Beds ofFrance and was described in 1882 byHenri Émile Sauvage.[10]
Pervushovisaurus was a medium-sized ichthyosaur measuring 5.8 metres (19 ft) long.[1] Fishcer (2016) gave the emended diagnosis ofPervushovisaurus as follows, based on that of Fischer et al. (2014):[2][6] "Platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid characterized by the following autapomorphies [...]: presence of foramina along the ventral premaxillary–maxillary suture; presence of a semi-oval foramen on the lateral surface of the premaxilla, anteroventral to the external naris; presence of lateral ridges on the maxilla; presence of wide supranarial ‘wing’ of the nasal (a similar structure, although much smaller, is present in ‘Platypterygius’australis and Acamptonectes densus) (see Kear, 2005; Fischer et al., 2012, respectively); robust splenial markedly protruding from the external surface of the mandible; root with quadrangular cross-section, with the cementum forming prominent 90° angles.
Pervushovisaurus is also characterized by the following unique combination of features: secondarily closed naris surrounded by foramina (as in ‘Platypterygius’sachicarum and ‘Platypterygius’australis (see Paramo, 1997; Kear, 2005, respectively), and in Simbirskiasaurus birjukovi, although the ‘anterior’ naris is still present in this taxon (Maisch & Matzke, 2000; Fischer et al., 2014a)); elongated anterior process of the maxilla, reaching anteriorly the level of the nasal (unlike in Aegirosaurus leptospondylus, Sveltonectes insolitus and Muiscasaurus catheti) (Bardet & Fernández, 2000; Fischer et al., 2011a; Maxwell et al., 2015, respectively); rostrum straight (unlike in ‘Platypterygius’americanus, ‘Platypterygius’sachicarum, ‘Platypterygius’australis and possiblyMuiscasaurus catheti, where it is slightly curved anteroventrally Romer, 1968; Paramo, 1997; Kear, 2005; Maxwell et al., 2015, respectively); straight, non-recurved tooth crowns (unlike inSveltonectes insolitus,Muiscasaurus catheti) (Fischer et al., 2011a; Maxwell et al., 2015, respectively)."
