Ichthyosaurian and sauropterygian remains are described from Triassic deposits in the Tre Venezie area of northeastern Italy. The taxa recorded include Mixosaurus, Cymbospondylus, ?Shastasaurus, Placodus, ?Cyamodus, an as yet unnamed cyamodontoid placodont, Nothosaurus sp., and Nothosaurus cf. N. giganteus. The temporal distribution of these fossils ranges from the earliest Anisian to the middle Carnian. Placodus (from the lower upper Anisian Calcare di Recoaro Formation of Vallarsa and Recoaro) is recorded for the first time (on the basis of diagnostic material) from the Alpine facies of the Middle Triassic. Collectively, the sauropterygian fauna from the Tre Venezie area resembles that of the eastern Alpine Triassic more closely than that of the southwestern Alps. This may indicate two separate colonization events of the Alpine Triassic as intraplatform basins developed along the northwestern Tethyan margin

Includes bibliographical references (p. 23-25)

Ichthyosaurian and sauropterygian remains are described from Triassic deposits in the Tre Venezie area of northeastern Italy. The taxa recorded include Mixosaurus, Cymbospondylus, ?Shastasaurus, Placodus, ?Cyamodus, an as yet unnamed cyamodontoid placodont, Nothosaurus sp., and Nothosaurus cf. N. giganteus. The temporal distribution of these fossils ranges from the earliest Anisian to the middle Carnian. Placodus (from the lower upper Anisian Calcare di Recoaro Formation of Vallarsa and Recoaro) is recorded for the first time (on the basis of diagnostic material) from the Alpine facies of the Middle Triassic. Collectively, the sauropterygian fauna from the Tre Venezie area resembles that of the eastern Alpine Triassic more closely than that of the southwestern Alps. This may indicate two separate colonization events of the Alpine Triassic as intraplatform basins developed along the northwestern Tethyan margin

Fieldiana series has been published as Geological Series by Field Columbian Museum (1895-1909) and Field Museum of Natural History (1909-1943), and as Fieldiana: Geology by Chicago Natural History Museum (1945-1966) and Field Museum of Natural History (1966-1978). Fieldiana Geology New Series No. 1 began June 29, 1979

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