Xinpusaurus is an extinct genus of thalattosaur from the Late Triassic of Guanling in Guizhou, China. Three species have been named since 2000: the type species X. suni and the species X. bamaolinensis and X. kohi. A recent study proposed that all three species are synonymous with each other, in which case X. suni would be the only valid species.[1] Xinpusaurus is characterized by short legs, a long tail, and an upturned snout. It had robust, pointed teeth in the front of its jaws and broad crushing teeth in the back of its jaws, suggesting that it fed on hard-shelled prey.[2]
| Xinpusaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic,
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Thalattosauria |
| Superfamily: | †Thalattosauroidea |
| Genus: | †Xinpusaurus Yin, 2000 |
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Relationships
A phylogenetic analysis of thalattosaurs published in 2013 found Concavispina to be the closest relative of Xinpusaurus. Below is a cladogram based on that analysis:[2]
References
- ^ Liu, J. (2013). "On the taxonomy of Xinpusaurus (Reptilia: Thalattosauria)" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 51 (1): 17–23.
- ^ a b Liu, J.; Zhao, L. J.; Li, C.; He, T. (2013). "Osteology ofConcavispina biseridens(Reptilia, Thalattosauria) from the Xiaowa Formation (Carnian), Guanling, Guizhou, China". Journal of Paleontology. 87 (2): 341. doi:10.1666/12-059R1.1.
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