Search results for "Simosaurus"

Bone histology, microanatomy, and growth of the nothosauroid Simosaurus gaillardoti (Sauropterygia) from the Upper Muschelkalk of southern Germany/Ba…

2016

Abstract Simosaurus gaillardoti was a large eosauropterygian (Sauropterygia), a group of diverse diapsid marine reptiles. Its occurrence correlates to transgression phases in the Germanic Basin and a former morphological study hypothesized that Simosaurus was capable of sustained swimming. Microanatomical analysis of five long bones revealed functional differences between the humerus and femur but did not confirm sustained swimming in Simosaurus. It had certain active swimming abilities but – based on microanatomy – it was a less efficient swimmer when compared to contemporaneously living nothosaurs. Simosaurus grew with well-vascularized coarse parallel-fibred bone tissue. Growth marks app…