Partanosaurus

Partanosaurus was named in 1893 by Theodor Skuphos, based on a few bones from the back and chest of one animal.21

For many years, scientists thought Partanosaurus might be the same as another marine reptile called Simosaurus, but a 2019 study said it is too incomplete to be sure.1

Partanosaurus lived during the Ladinian age of the Middle Triassic, between about 241 and 237 million years ago.2

The only known fossils of Partanosaurus come from the Partnach Formation in the Austrian Alps.2

Partanosaurus is considered a nomen dubium, which means its name is doubtful because the fossils are too few and lack unique features.1

Partanosaurus belonged to a group of marine reptiles called sauropterygians, which includes long-necked plesiosaurs and shorter-necked nothosaurs.2