In Depth
As a late Triassic ichthyosaur, Toretocnemus displays some features that show a trend similar to that seen in other transitory ichthyosaurs like Mixosaurus, developing the advanced features that are more commonly associated with later forms like Ichthyosaurus. For a long time Toretocnemus was the only member of its group of ichthyosaurs until the addition of Qianichthyosaurus.
In 1904 another ichthyosaur described and named was Merriamia zitteli, however a 2000 review by M. W. Maisch and A. T. Matzke found it to be the same as Toretocnemus. Thus the fossil material originally referred to as Merriamia was used to establish the second Toretocnemus species T. zitteli. Additionally remains originally named as Leptocheirus have been renamed Toretocnemus by the same study.
Further Reading
– New ichthyosaurs from the Upper Triassic of California. – Bulletin of the Department of Geology of the University of California, 3 (12): 249–263. – J. C. Merriam – 1903. – Toretocnemus, a Late Triassic ichthyosaur from California, U.S.A. and Sonora, Mexico. – New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 21: 275–278. – Spencer Lucas – 2002.
