Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 19, 2026

Vinitasaura

Vinitasaura is an extinct genus of lepidosauromorph from the Late Triassic of Virginia. It contains a single species, Vinitasaura lizae, which is based on a complete jaw and jaw fragment from the Carnian-age Vinita Formation of the Richmond Basin. Vinitasaura lived alongside several other lepidosauromorphs, including the sphenodontian Micromenodon and an undescribed pleurodont taxon. The Vinita Formation has the oldest lepidosauromorph assemblage found in North America, shedding light on the early diversification and dispersal of this reptile group.

Last revised
Jul 19, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
143 w
Citations
1
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Vinitasaura
Temporal range: Late Triassic
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Lepidosauromorpha
Genus: †Vinitasaura
Sues & Kligman, 2021
Type species
†Vinitasaura lizae
Sues & Kligman, 2021

Vinitasaura is an extinct genus of lepidosauromorph from the Late Triassic of Virginia. It contains a single species, Vinitasaura lizae, which is based on a complete jaw and jaw fragment from the Carnian-age Vinita Formation of the Richmond Basin. Vinitasaura lived alongside several other lepidosauromorphs, including the sphenodontian Micromenodon and an undescribed pleurodont taxon. The Vinita Formation has the oldest lepidosauromorph assemblage found in North America, shedding light on the early diversification and dispersal of this reptile group.1

References

References

  1. Sues, Hans-Dieter; Kligman, Ben T. (2020-12-10). "A new lizard-like reptile from the Upper Triassic (Carnian) of Virginia and the Triassic record of Lepidosauromorpha (Diapsida, Sauria)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 40 (6) e1879102. Bibcode:2020JVPal..40E9102S. doi:10.1080/02724634.2021.1879102. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 233805788.