Phytosaurus

Abstract: Reexamination of type specimens and other pertinent material leads to recognition of three rather than two genera of phytosaurs in the Late Triassic deposits of Wiirttemberg. Valid names for these are: Belodon Meyer 1844, based upon B. plieningeri Meyer 1844 as restricted by Meyer in 1861 and 1865; Nicrosaurus 0. Fraas 1866 with the species N. kapffi (Meyer 1860); and Mystriosuchus E. Fraas 1896 containing the species M. planirostris (Meyer 1863). The authors of this note published discussions of the nomenclatorial status of the European genera of Triassic reptiles known as phytosaurs independently of each other in 1962 and 1963. They arrived at different interpretations as to how the genera Phytosaurus Jaeger 1828, Nicrosaurus 0. Fraas 1886, Belodon Meyer 1844(?) and Mystriosuchus E. Fraas 1896 were to be applied (a review of the historical development of these names is found in Westphal 1963). Gregory (1962) recognized of the named genera: Phytosaurus (including Nicrosaurus) and M1ystriosuchus (including Belodon). Westphal (1963) on the contrary considered Belodon (including Mystriosuchus) and Nicrosaurus (including Phytosaurus) to be valid. These differences of opinion were based mainly on two questions: 1) To what extent are the "Types" of Jaeger (1828) and Meyer (1844) identifiable with the genera which are recognized in the later literature? and 2) how a skull from the Stubensandstein of Trossingen is to be identified, which has been assigned by Huene (1911) and later authors to Mystriosuchus plieningeri (Meyer) (from which the synonomy of Mystriosuchus with Belodon is derived). A discussion between the authors in July 1968, during which they reexamined together a part of the Wtirttemberg material, led to the following