Magnipterygius

Magnipterygius Temporal range: Lower Toarcian ~181 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	†Ichthyosauria
Family:	†Stenopterygiidae
Genus:	†Magnipterygius Maisch & Matzke, 2022
Species
Magnipterygius huenei (Maisch & Matzke, 2022) (type)

Magnipterygius is an extinct genus of primitive ichthyosaur found in the Early Jurassic (Lower Toarcian) Posidonia Shale of Dotternhausen, Germany.^[1] The holotype specimen is SMNS96922, a nearly complete articulated skeleton. This genus is well known as a small-sized ichthyosaur, of around 120 centimetres (3.9 ft) length, making it the second genus of that size after the Triassic. Due to the similarities with the genus Stenopterygius it has been classified as a member of the family Stenopterygiidae.^[1]

Discovery and naming

The holotype specimen was uncovered in 2011 in the quarry of Holcim, Dotternhausen, with the consent of the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart. It was recovered all except the tail, left in a block in situ. The preparation was done with air abrasive, using chemically clean iron power at low pressure.^[1] During the examination the specimen was found to represent a completely new genus of Ichthyosaur, and was named Magnipterygius huenei, with the genus name being a reference to the Warcraft videogame franchise, specifically to the dwarven king Magni Bronzebeard, while the species honors Friedrich Freiherr von Huene and his dedication to the study of the Posidonia Shale fauna.^[1]

References