| Opisthias Temporal range: Possible Berriasian record | |
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| Jaw of Opisthias rarus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Clade: | † Opisthodontia |
| Genus: | † Opisthias Gilmore 1909 |
| Type species | |
| Opisthias rarus Gilmore, 1905 [1] | |
Opisthias is a genus of sphenodont reptile. The type species, Opisthias rarus, is known from the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) of western North America. [2] [3]
Opisthias is primarily known from remains found in the Late Jurassic of the United States, with remains found in the Morrison Formation (Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming), [2] [3] [1] present in stratigraphic zones 2 and 4–6. [4] Other remains suggested to be closely related to Opisthias are also known from the Late Jurassic Alcobaça Formation of Portugal. [5] [6] A undescribed crushed skull (DINO 16454) from the Morrison Formaiton has been attributed to this genus by some sources, though this has been strongly disputed by others. [7]
A lower jaw is also known from the Berriasian aged Lulworth Formation of the United Kingdom, which appears to be distinct from the type North American species. [8] A fragmentary dentary possibly attributable to Opisthias is also known from the Berriasian aged Angeac-Charente bonebed in France. [9]
Opisthias has been interpreted as a generalist, with its tooth morphology indicating had an ability to process plant material. [10]
The Lepidosauria is a subclass or superorder of reptiles, containing the orders Squamata and Rhynchocephalia. Squamata includes lizards and snakes. Squamata contains over 9,000 species, making it by far the most species-rich and diverse order of non-avian reptiles in the present day. Rhynchocephalia was a formerly widespread and diverse group of reptiles in the Mesozoic Era. However, it is represented by only one living species: the tuatara, a superficially lizard-like reptile native to New Zealand.
Rhynchocephalia is an order of lizard-like reptiles that includes only one living species, the tuatara of New Zealand. Despite its current lack of diversity, during the Mesozoic rhynchocephalians were a speciose group with high morphological and ecological diversity. The oldest record of the group is dated to the Middle Triassic around 238 to 240 million years ago, and they had achieved a worldwide distribution by the Early Jurassic. Most rhynchocephalians belong to the group Sphenodontia ('wedge-teeth'). Their closest living relatives are lizards and snakes in the order Squamata, with the two orders being grouped together in the superorder Lepidosauria.
Sphenodontidae is a family within the reptile group Rhynchocephalia, comprising taxa most closely related to the living tuatara. Historically the taxa included within Sphenodontidae have varied greatly between analyses, and the group has lacked a formal definition. Cynosphenodon from the Jurassic of Mexico has consistently been recovered as a close relative of the tuatara in most analyses, with the clade containing the two and other very close relatives of the tuatara often called Sphenodontinae. The herbivorous Eilenodontinae, otherwise considered part of Opisthodontia, is considered to be part of this family in many recent studies as the sister group to Sphenodontinae. The earliest Sphenodontines are known from the Early Jurassic of North America, with other remains known from the Late Jurassic of Europe, the Late Cretaceous of South America and the Miocene-recent of New Zealand. Sphenodontines are characterised by a complete lower temporal bar caused by the fusion of a forward directed process (extension) of the quadrate/quadratojugal and the jugal, which was an adaptation for reducing stress in the skull during hard biting. Other synapomorphies of Sphenodontinae include the presence of nasal foramina, a posterodorsal process of the coronoid of the lower jaw, the present of caniniform successional teeth at the front of the jaws, the presence of flanges on the posterior parts of teeth at back of the lower jaw, and an expanded radial condyle on the humerus. Like modern tuatara, members of Sphenodontinae were likely generalists with a carnivorous/insectivorous diet.
Nuthetes is the name given to a genus of theropod dinosaur, likely a dromaeosaurid, known only from fossil teeth and jaw fragments found in rocks of the middle Berriasian age in the Cherty Freshwater Member of the Lulworth Formation in England and also the Angeac-Charente bonebed in France. As a dromaeosaurid, Nuthetes would have been a small predator.
Homoeosaurus is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian reptile, known from the Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous of Europe, with specimens being reported from France, England and Germany. Several species have been described within the genus, based on varying proportions of the limb bones to the body length based on the presacral vertebrae. Specimen C.M.6438 of H. maximiliani from Germany has a total length of around 17 centimetres (6.7 in), with a skull length of about 1.7 centimetres (0.67 in). In comparison to other rhynchocephalians, the limbs are proportionally long. Recent studies have classified Homoeosaurus as a member of Neosphenodontia, with some studies including it as part of the clade Leptorhynchia, also including sapheosaurs, pleurosaurs, Kallimodon and Vadasaurus. Despite being found in aquatic deposits, it is suggested to have been terrestrial. It is thought to have been a carnivore/insectivore. One specimen was found as stomach contents of the fish Belonostomus.
Clevosaurus is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian reptile from the Late Triassic and the Early Jurassic periods. Species of Clevosaurus were widespread across Pangaea, and have been found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Five species of Clevosaurus have been found in ancient fissure fill deposits in south-west England and Wales, alongside other sphenodontians, early mammals and dinosaurs. In regards to its Pangaean distribution, C. hadroprodon is the oldest record of a sphenodontian from Gondwana, though its affinity to Clevosaurus has been questioned.
Cynosphenodon is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian in the family Sphenodontidae from the Middle Jurassic La Boca Formation of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is known from a largely complete lower jaw and fragments of the upper jaw. It is suggested to be among the closest known relatives of the tuatara, with both being placed in the Sphenodontinae, which is supported by among other characters, the growth pattern of the teeth.
Theretairus is a Late Jurassic genus of sphenodont reptile from the Morrison Formation of western North America, present in stratigraphic zones 5 and 6.
Cteniogenys is a genus of choristodere, a morphologically diverse group of aquatic reptiles. It is part of the monotypic family Cteniogenidae. The type and only named species, C. antiquus, was named in 1928 by Charles W. Gilmore. The holotype, VP.001088, was collected in the Morrison Formation, Wyoming in 1881 by William H. Reed. More specimens have been discovered since then, including specimens from the Late Jurassic of Portugal and Middle Jurassic of Britain, which have not been assigned to species.
Paramacellodus is an extinct genus of scincomorph lizards from the Early Cretaceous of England and France, and the Late Jurassic of Portugal and the western United States. The type species, Paramacellodus oweni, was named in 1967 from the earliest Cretaceous (Berriasian) Purbeck Group in Dorset, England. Additional material referable to a species of Paramacellodus, possibly P. oweni, has been described from the Morrison Formation, specifically in Como Bluff, Wyoming, and Dinosaur National Monument, Utah. An indeterminate species is known from the Berriasian aged Angeac-Charente bonebed in France. Paramacellodus belongs to an extinct family of scincomorphs called Paramacellodidae, which spanned most of Laurasia during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous and represented one of the earliest evolutionary radiations of lizards.
Godavarisaurus is an extinct genus of sphenodontian reptile from the Early-Middle Jurassic Kota Formation of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is known from jaw fragments. It was a small sphenodontian, with the skull estimated to be less than 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long.
Pamizinisaurus is a genus of sphenodontian reptile known from Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Tlayúa Formation of central Mexico. It was named Pamizinsaurus tlayuaensis by Reynoso in 1997, after Tlayua Quarry were it was found. It is known from the crushed skeleton of a juvenile individual, with a skull length of around 16 millimetres (0.63 in), and a total length of about 77 millimetres (3.0 in). The fossil was covered in small round osteoscutes, unique among known sphenodontians but similar to those of helodermatid lizards like the Gila monster, which probably served to protect it from predators.
Sphenocondor is an extinct genus of sphenodontian reptile from the Early Jurassic Cañadón Asfalto Formation of Argentina.
Sphenovipera jimmysjoyi is an extinct species of sphenodontian dated from the Middle Jurassic. If was discovered in the lower part of the La Boca Formation located in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Only the lower jaw of this organism has been discovered and studied. It is possibly the only species of rhynchocephalian yet discovered to show evidence of venom delivery.
Opisthodontia is a proposed clade of sphenodontian reptiles, uniting Opisthias from the Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous of Europe and North America with the Eilenodontinae, a group of herbivorous sphenodontians known from the Late Triassic to Late Cretaceous.
Clevosaurs are an extinct group of rhynchocephalian reptiles from the Triassic and Jurassic periods.
Sapheosaurs are an extinct group of rhynchocephalian reptiles from the Late Jurassic period. "Sapheosaurs" is an informal name for a group of rhynchocephalians closely related to the genus Sapheosaurus. It was first recognized as a group containing multiple genera by Hoffstetter in 1955. The group has sometimes been given a formal taxonomic name as the family Sapheosauridae, although in some analyses this group belongs to the family Sphenodontidae and thus cannot be assigned its own family. They were fairly advanced rhynchocephalians which may have had semiaquatic habits.
Fraserosphenodon is an extinct genus of sphenodontian from the Late Triassic of the United Kingdom. It contains a single species, Fraserosphenodon latidens.
Pelecymala is an extinct genus of sphenodontian reptile that lived in southwest England during the Triassic period. It has been recovered in recent studies as a primitive member of the group.
Opisthiamimus is an extinct genus of small-bodied eusphenodontian rhynchocephalian from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Northern Wyoming, United States. The type species, O. gregori, is known from four specimens, which together preserve a nearly complete skeleton. It is amongst the smallest known rhynchocephalians, with a skull length of 2.05 centimetres (0.81 in) and a snout–vent length of around 8.5 centimetres (3.3 in). The genus was described in 2022 by David DeMar, Marc E. H. Jones, and Matthew Carrano. It was found that it was only distantly related to Eilenodon, Theretairus and Opisthias, the other known rhynchocephalians from the Morrison Formation.
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