New material of Qianichthyosaurus Li, 1999 (Reptilia, Ichthyosauria) from the Late Triassic of southern China, and implications for the distribution of Triassic ichthyosaurs

Abstract

ABSTRACT A new specimen of the ichthyosaur Qianichthyosaurus zhoui Li, 1999, from the Late Triassic of southeastern China shares many characters with the poorly known genus Toretocnemus californicus Merriam, 1903, from the Carnian of California. Both species have a femur with a greatly expanded distal end, three primary and one accessory digits in front and hind limbs, and notching on both leading and trailing edges of the flippers. Qianichthyosaurus is referred to the Family Toretocnemidae Maisch and Matzke, 2000. The close relationship between these two taxa suggests a trans-Pacific distribution of ichthyosaur faunas in the Triassic.