Hudsonelpidia


Hudsonelpidia is an extinct genus of small parvipelvian ichthyosaur known from British Columbia of Canada.

Description

Hudsonelpidia is known only from the holotype, a nearly complete skeleton which preserved the skull. It was collected in the Jewitt Spur locality from the Pardonet Formation, dating to the middle Norian stage of the Late Triassic, about 210 million years ago. It was found on the northern shore of the Peace Reach branch of Williston Lake. Hudsonelpidia has a very stable position in many cladistic analyses. The family Hudsonelpidiidae was named by McGowan and Motani in 2003 to include this genus.

Taxonomy

Hudsonelpidia was named by Chris McGowan in 1995 and the type species is Hudsonelpidia brevirostris.