New Shastasaurid from Canada

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

  New out, but not exactly dinosaurian:

Elizabeth L. Nicholls and Makoto Manabe. 2001. A new genus of
ichthyosaur from the Late Triassic Pardonet Formation of British
Columbia: bridging the Triassic Jurassic gap. _Canadian Journal
of Earth Sciences | Revue de Canadienne Sciences de la Terre_
38: 983-1002.

  They name the new genus *Metashastasaurus* (Shastasauria,
Shastasauridae) for two specimens from British Columbia and the
type of the species *"Shastasaurus" neoscapularis*, generally
differentiated on several features of the skull (nasals contact
postfrontals, frontals rhomboid and touch supratemporal
fenestrae, etc.) scapula, and fibula.

  *Metashastasaurus* Nicholls and Manabe, 2001
    *M. neoscapularis* Nicholls and Manabe, 2001

  Also, except for two species, *Shastasaurus* is a nomen dubium
as the type species is based on crap; only referred specimens
can be relied on, and these, including the type of *"S."
neoscapularis*, are used as the reference specimens for the
genus. The name *Shastasaurus* may slip into oblivion. The other
species may receive new names .... oh well...

=====
Jaime A. Headden

  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhr-gen-ti-na
  Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Pampas!!!!

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