Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 15, 2026

Rhynchosaurus

Rhynchosaurus is a genus of rhynchosaur that lived during the Middle Triassic period. It lived in Europe. It was related to the archosaurs, but not within that group. The type species of Rhynchosaurus is R. articeps. Michael Benton named two additional species, R. spenceri and R. brodiei, but they were subsequently renamed Fodonyx and Langeronyx respectively. Fossils of Rhynchosaurus have been found in the Tarporley Siltstone Formation and possibly the Sherwood Sandstone Group of the United Kingdom.

Last revised
Jul 15, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
228 w
Citations
4
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Rhynchosaurus
Temporal range: Middle Triassic (Anisian)
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Skull of Rhynchosaurus articeps
Life Restoration
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: †Rhynchosauria
Family: †Rhynchosauridae
Genus: †Rhynchosaurus
Owen, 1842
Species
Restored skull source ↗

Rhynchosaurus (beaked lizard) is a genus of rhynchosaur that lived during the Middle Triassic period. It lived in Europe. It was related to the archosaurs, but not within that group. The type species of Rhynchosaurus is R. articeps. Michael Benton named two additional species, R. spenceri and R. brodiei, but they were subsequently renamed Fodonyx and Langeronyx respectively.12 Fossils of Rhynchosaurus have been found in the Tarporley Siltstone Formation (Mercia Mudstone Group) and possibly the Sherwood Sandstone Group of the United Kingdom.3

Phylogeny

Cladogram based on Ezcurra et al., 2016:4

Rhynchosauria
References

References

  1. Hone, David W. E.; Benton, Michael J. (2008). "A new genus of rhynchosaur from the Middle Triassic of south-west England". Palaeontology. 51 (1): 95–115. Bibcode:2008Palgy..51...95H. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00739.x.
  2. Martín D. Ezcurra, Felipe Montefeltro and Richard J. Butler (2016). "The Early Evolution of Rhynchosaurs". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 3: Article 142. doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00142.
  3. Rhynchosaurus at Fossilworks.org
  4. Martin D. Ezcurra; Felipe C. Montefeltro; Richard J. Butler (2016). "The Early Evolution of Rhynchosaurs". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 3: 142. doi:10.3389/fevo.2015.00142. hdl:11336/44040.
External links