| Eromangasaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Holotype skull | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Superfamily: | †Plesiosauroidea |
| Family: | †Elasmosauridae |
| Genus: | †Eromangasaurus Kear,2005 |
| Species: | †E. australis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Eromangasaurus australis (Sachs, 2005) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Eromangasaurus is anextinctgenus ofelasmosaurid known from northernQueensland ofAustralia.[1]
Eromangasaurus was first named by Benjamin P. Kear in2005 and thetype species isEromangasaurus australis. Benjamin P. Kear originally named QM F11050 asEromangasaurus carinognathus.[1] However, earlier in 2005, Sven Sachs named a second species ofTuarangisaurus,Tuarangisaurus australis, on the basis of the same specimen and some referred material.[2]
This nominal has priority overE. carinognathus, and therefore the latter is ajunior synonym ofT. australis. Later studies of the holotype by Kear pointed out that this species is distinct enough from the type species ofTuarangisaurus to be placed in its own genus.Eromangasaurus was the only available name for the new combinationEromangasaurus australis.[3]E. australis is widely accepted today as the correct name for QM F11050.[4][5]
Thegeneric name is derived fromEromanga, in reference to the Eromanga Basin in which the holotype was found, andsaurus,Greek for "lizard". Thespecific name is named after Australia, in which the holotype was found.[1]
Eromangasaurus is a large elasmosaurid, measuring 7 metres (23 ft) in length and weighing 1–2 metric tons (1.1–2.2 short tons).[6] It is known from theholotypeQM F11050, a nearly complete but badly crushedskull andmandible. It was collected inMaxwelton, from theToolebuc Formation of theEromanga Basin, dating to the lateAlbian stage of theEarly Cretaceous, about 103million years ago.[1] Sven Sachs mentioned some referred material from the same locality as the holotype, QM F12216-19, an anteriorcervical vertebra and QM F12217&2, associated posterior cervical vertebrae.[2]
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