REVIEW OF THE NORTH AMERICAN EARLY-LATE CRETACEOUS ICHTHYOSAUR, PLATYPTERGUIS (VON HUENE, 1922)

During the early-late Cretaceous (Albian – Cenomanian) paleoecology of the Western Interior Seaway a family of Opthalomosaurid Icthyosaurs existed and were in a moderate decline due to various paleoecological responses that were occurring that that time such as faunal shifting. This family of taxa at this stratigraphic interval is known by one well-known genus, Platypterguis known by fragmentary remains and teeth. These small, yet robust Ichthyosaurs have been reported globally from both the southern hemisphere with the type specimen found in New Zealand and reports of their presence in Europe and South America. However, North American occurrences have been rarely documented outside of a few publications but collections possess fossil material from these animals found in various taphonomic settings. This review will bring together the appropriate primary and secondary references in regards to this genus in the form of occurrences within North American with emphasis on Texas occurrences, species summary, paleoecological interpretation, and possible extinction.