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Ammonitritor IS an omphalosaur – but NOT an ichthyosauromorph

Tuesday, October 27, 2026 14:33

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Big thanks to reader, Stu,
for providing the Sander et al 2026 PDF that permitted hi-rez examination of Ammonitritor (Fig 1) and the published phylogenetic analysis. Earlier (a week ago) Ammonitritor was introduced on this blogpost without entry to the large reptile tree (LRT, 2340 taxa).

Now Ammonitritor is an included taxon in the LRT.

Figure 1. DGS color tracing and reconstruction of the Ammonitritor fossil alongside the original tracing and reconstruction that greatly deepened the maxilla by including the palatine as part of the maxilla. That little bump visible through both nares appears to be the posterior dentary exposed in dorsal view. Compare to figures 2 and 3.

With some redrawing of the skull sutures
from the original published tracing (Fig 1) Ammonitritor nests within a basal enaliosaur clade with the wide-mouth Atopodentatus (Fig 2) and prior to turtle-ish Sinosaurosphargis (Fig 2), Largocephalosaurus (Fig 2) and Omphalosaurus (Fig 3).

None of these are close to ichthyosaurs and their closest relatives: thalattosaurs and mesosaurs in the LRT – but they are basal to many marine reptiles including ichthyosaurs, mesosaurs and thalattosaurs.

The Sander et al study omitted far too many pertinent taxa, unfortunately.

Figure 2a. Atopodentatus nests with two other pre-sauropterygian marine younginforms, Sinosaurosphargis and Largocephalosaurus. Several of these colors are no longer standard DGS colors.

Figure 2b. Omphalosaurus nevadanus, MBG 1500, the Austria specimen, skull portion in situ, mandible parts, skull parts and reconstruction with matching colors based on Sinosaurosphargis, the only other taxon with such a large set of splenials. The premaxillae are wider than the dentaries. Distinct from Sinosaurosphargis, the premaxillae were much enlarged.

Basal enaliosauria can be seen as a motley clade at present.
Yet to be discovered transitional taxa will someday smooth out the present disparity in morphology that marks present clade members (Fig 2).

Enaliosauria = Sauropterygia + Ichthyosauria their last common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Coined in the 19th century (such as by James Parkinson in 1822 and Richard Owen), the term grouped together major types of Mesozoic marine reptiles.

Anarosaurus was that last common ancestor (LCA) in the LRT in 2019. Now it has moved slightly over to the base of the Sauropterygia.

Figure 3. Claudiosaurus is the Late Permian LCA for the Enaliosauria in the LRT.

Today
Late Permian Claudiosaurus (Fig 3) is that LCA in the Enaliosauria, preceded by at least three similar Late Permian ?semi-aquatic marine younginiform taxa that form their own clade: Thadeosaurus, Hovasaurus and Tangasaurus (Fig 4).

Figure 1. Tangasaurus, Hovasaurus and Thadeosaurus, three marine younginiformes, apparently have no scapula.

Add taxa to avoid the dreaded taxon exclusion problem.
The LRT is a good guide for that list of taxa pertinent to your interests and your favorite taxon under study.

References
Sander PM et al (4 co-authors) 2026. Omphalosauridae (Ichthyosauriformes): enigmatic marine reptiles in the global recovery from the end‐Permian extinction. Biological Reviews. doi:10.1002/brv.70208
Sobral G and Shoch R 2019. A small diapsid from the Lower Keuper of Germany and the origin of aquatic reptiles. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology abstracts.

What is Ammonitritor scientiacivium?

Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2026/10/28/ammonitritor-is-an-omphalosaur-but-not-an-ichthyosauromorph/

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