Cymatosaurus

Name: Cymatosaurus.
Phonetic: Sy-mat-oh-sore-us.
Named By: Fritsch‭ ‬-‭ ‬1894.‭
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Pistosauroidea.
Species: C.‭ ‬fridericianus‭ (‬type‭), C. latifrons, C. multidentatus, C. minor, C. erikae‬.
Diet: Piscivore.
Size: Unavailable.
Known locations: Germany.
Time period: Olenekian to the Anisian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: At least two individuals.

       Cymatosaurus is usually seen to be a member of the Pistosauridea.‭ ‬This group of marine reptiles were the forerunners of the plesiosaurs which seem to have evolved from later more advanced pistosauroid forms.‭ ‬Other members of this group include Augustasaurus and Pistosaurus,‭ ‬but Cymatosaurus probably also shared the ocean with placodonts like Placodus,‭ ‬icthyosaurs like Cymbospondylus and Mixosaurus,‭ ‬nothosaurs like Nothosaurus and sharks like Hybodus.

Further reading
- A well preserved skull of Cymatosaurus (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the uppermost Buntsandstein (Middle Triassic) of Germany. - Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 272 (2): 213–224. - Michael W. Maisch - 2014.

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