Nothosaurus marchicus Koken, 1893

Sues, Hans-Dieter & Schoch, Rainer R., 2025, Synopsis of the Triassic reptiles from Germany, Fossil Record 28 (2), pp. 411-483 : 411-483

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/fr.28.164405
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E2366C87-D1C3-4F5A-A21D-1A7A5D49BB8F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17823933
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/60CD734A-654E-5CEA-AC1B-20968889F98F
treatment provided by	by Pensoft
scientific name	Nothosaurus marchicus Koken, 1893
status

Treatment

Holotype.

MB. R. 2, counterpart of (now lost) limestone slab exposing the dorsal surface of an incomplete cranium.

Type locality.

Rüdersdorf near Berlin, Brandenburg.

Type horizon.

Orbicularis Beds, Karlstadt Formation, Middle Muschelkalk Subgroup. Age: Middle Triassic (Anisian: Illyrian).

Referred material.

See Rieppel and Wild (1996).

Diagnosis.

Distinguished by the following combination of features: condylobasal length of cranium not exceeding 20 cm in adult; rostrum relatively short and broad, rounded; five fangs in each premaxilla, with fifth slightly smaller than preceding fangs; five small maxillary teeth preceding paired maxillary fangs; external nares relatively short, broad, and kidney-shaped; nasals broad, leaf-shaped, and with radiating ornamentation; postfrontal with distinct postorbital constriction; squamosal closely approaching or contacting posterior end of jugal; quadratojugal absent; and ectopterygoid reaching far forward up to half length of palatine ( Rieppel and Wild 1996).

Comments.

Rieppel (2000) listed the following species named by Schroeder (1914) (with holotypes at MB) from Rüdersdorf as subjective junior synonyms of Nothosaurus marchicus : N. crassus Schroeder, 1914 ( MB. R. 3), N. oldenburgi Schroeder, 1914 ( MB. R. 1), N. procerus Schroeder, 1914 MB. R. 4), N. procerus var. parvus Schroeder, 1914 ( MB. R. 5), and N. raabi Schroeder, 1914 ( MB. R. 27 , partial skeleton).

Schultze (1970) resurrected Nothosaurus venustus Münster, 1834 as a valid species. The holotype, an incomplete, poorly preserved cranium from Esperstädt ( Thuringia), is presumed lost ( Rieppel and Wild 1996). A second skull ( SMF R 4537 a, b), from the Karlstadt Formation of Oberdorla ( Thuringia), closely resembles the holotype of Nothosaurus procerus ( Rieppel 2000) . Rieppel (2000) considered N. venustus a nomen dubium.

Rieppel and Wild (1996) reidentified Conchiosaurus clavatus Meyer, 1834 , based on a partial cranium ( SNSB-BSPG AS I 1446) from the Lower Muschelkalk Subgroup of Esperstädt, as Nothosaurus cf. N. marchicus .

References.

Koken (1893), Schroeder (1914), Schultze (1970), Rieppel and Wild (1996), Voeten et al. (2019), Rieppel (2000).