Category: Reptile
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Nothosaurus sp., vertebral neural arch, 17/LMK
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Nothosaurus sp. Neural arch. Gogolin Beds. Upper Silesia. Poland – The specimen is a beautifully preserved neural arch (in dorsal view). Considering its shape and size, it can be fairly safely assigned to the genus Nothosaurus.
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Pistosaurus longaevus, vertebra, 6/UMK
Pistosaurus longaevus Middle Triassic, Upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian), Upper Silesia, Poland A beautiful specimen of a nearly complete vertebra of Pistosaurus longaevus. Interestingly, and extremely rarely, despite signs of mechanical erosion, the neural arch is preserved. The first two photos clearly show the neural canal filled with gray matrix. The well-preserved articular surfaces (facets) are slightly…
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Ichthyosauria indet. (cf. Mixosaurus sp.), vertebra centrum, 16/LMK
Ichthyosauria indet. (cf. Mixosaurus sp.) Middle Triassic, Lower Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland Ichthyosaur remains are extremely rare in the Muschelkalk deposits of Upper Silesia. The photos show a single vertebral centrum – though slightly damaged, it clearly displays the diagnostic features that allow for its assignment to this group of extinct marine reptiles (most…
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, rib, 15/LMK
Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus Middle Triassic, Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland A rare find of a complete rib of this size from Sauropterygia indet. (probably Nothosaurus). The bone structure is clearly pachystotic – the rib is massive and the tissue dense. This structure is a primitive adaptation to aquatic life – the heavy bones acted as ballast,…
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, vertebra centrum, 14/LMK
Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus Middle Triassic, Lower Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland An example of a Sauropterygian vertebra centrum (likely Nothosaurus sp.). This is a well-preserved, large specimen (for this region). The first photo shows the vertebra in lateral view. A nutrient foramen (vascular opening) through which blood vessels entered the bone is visible upon closer…
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, tooth, 5/UMK
Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus Middle Triassic, Upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian), Upper Silesia, Poland The largest Sauropterygian tooth in my collection. Unfortunately, the specimen’s preservation leaves something to be desired, especially since the apex of the tooth is missing. In any case, a tooth of this size must have belonged to a large individual. Obtaining it required considerable…
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Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, rib, 12/LMK
Sauropterygia cf. Nothosaurus, rib Middle Triassic, Lower Muschelkalk (Anisian), Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland A rib fragment from a marine reptile from the Sauropterygian group. It very likely belongs to Nothosaurus. Ribs are a common find in Silesian Muschelkalk deposits; complete finds are a completely different story. In this case, I was lucky – it…
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Pistosaurus longaevus, tooth, 2/UMK
Pistosaurus longaevus Middle Triassic, Upper Muschelkalk (Ladinian), Upper Silesia, Poland Pistosaurus were an intermediate form (though not considered a direct ancestor) between Nothosaurus and Plesiosaurus. They were the first known reptiles to move by underwater flight. While nothosaurids moved primarily by twisting their trunks (like modern crocodiles), the movement of pistosaurids resembled the swimming of…
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Pachypleurosauridae cf. Dactylosaurus, femur 8/LMK
Pachypleurosauridae cf. Dactylosaurus Middle Triassic, Lower Muschelkalk (Anisian), Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland A beautiful specimen of a femur, probably from a Dactylosaurus. Dactylosaurus is the most abundant member of the Pachypleurosauridae in the Silesian Lower Muschelkalk. They were small, aquatic reptiles with basal, primitive adaptations to this environment I found the bone in the…
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Sauropterygia indet. cf. Nothosaurus vertebra centrum 7/LMK
Sauropterygia indet. cf. Nothosaurus vertebra centrum Middle Triassic (Anisian), Lower Muschelkalk, Gogolin Beds, Upper Silesia, Poland I must admit, this is one of the best prep of a Sauropterygian vertebra centrum I’ve ever made. Finally, the center “popped” out of the matrix without damage. I glued it in place with Palaroid B72. This allows it…
