New plesiosaur from Cuba: Vinialesaurus

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler bh480@scn.org
New plesiosaur from Cuba: Vinialesaurus

Just came across this citation. No additional info at the 
moment since I can't access the pdf file.

Gasparini, Z., N. Bardet & Vinent M. Iturralde 2002. A new 
cryptoclidid Plesiosaur from the Oxfordian (Late Jurassic) 
of Cuba. GEOBIOS 35 (2) : 201-211 (MAR-APR 2002)
Abstract:
Cryptocleidus ? cuervoi caroli DE LA TORRE and ROJAS, 
1949, a partial skull with associated mandible and atlas-
axis from the Oxfordian of Cuba, has been completely 
prepared for the first time. It is here redescribed and 
assigned to a new cryptoclidid genus, Vinialesaurus, for 
which the species caroli is retained. Vinialesaurus is 
mainly diagnosed by palatal characters such as double 
internal nares, an anteriorly rounded vomer and a lack of 
anterior interpterygoid vacuities. It shares with other 
cryptoclidids large orbits and external nares, a small 
vertical jugal and a reduced tooth ornamentation. The 
occurrence of Vinialesaurus caroli in association with 
pliosauroids, ophthalmosaurian ichthyosaurs, 
metriorhynchid crocodilians and pleurodiran marine 
turtles, strongly suggests that a marine seaway was 
present in the Caribbean during the Oxfordian, connecting 
the western Tethys with the Oriental Pacific.