Hauffiopteryx is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur known from Germany, Luxembourg and Somerset of the United Kingdom. Two species are known: H. typicus and H. altera.
History of study
Hauffiopteryx was first described by Michael W. Maisch on the basis of some specimens that previously referred to Stenopterygius hauffianus. Maisch found that the lectotype of S. hauffianus can be determined as Stenopterygius cf. S. quadriscissus at best, and therefore this species should be considered a nomen dubium. He also found out that most specimens previously referred to S. hauffianus can be referred to S. quadriscissus, while the rest belongs to a highly distinctive new taxon that can't be referred to any valid species of Stenopterygius.
Hauffiopteryx is known from the lectotype GPIT 1491/4, articulated complete skeleton which preserved the skull and some soft tissues. The animal is about in length. It was collected from the Harpoceras elegantulum-exaratum ammonoid subzones (more specifically Lias ε II4), Harpoceras falcifer zone, of the famous Posidonien-Schiefer lagerstätte (Posidonia Shale) of Holzmaden, dating to the early Toarcian stage of the Early Jurassic, about 182 million years ago. Referred specimens from Holzmaden, Germany and Dudelange, Luxembourg include MHH '9', WAT 1, SMNS 51552, SMNS 80225 and probably the poorly preserved SMNS 81965. They were collected from the Harpoceras semicelatum-elegantulum-exaratum ammonoid subzones (Lias ε II1-5, about 182.7-181.8 mya), Harpoceras tenuicostatum-falcifer zones, of the Posidonia Shale.
Additional materials were described by Hannah Caine and Michael J. Benton in 2011, from the early Toarcian of Strawberry Bank, Ilminster of England. The specimens are all juveniles or infants which preserved almost complete skeletons and some skulls. They include BRLSI M1399 (which was described earlier by Maisch), BRLSI M1400, BRLSI M1401, BRLSI M1403, BRLSI M1404 and BRLSI M1406.
Etymology
Hauffiopteryx was originally recognized by Friedrich von Huene in 1931 as a subspecies of S. hauffianus and named Stenopterygius hauffianus typica. Michael W. Maisch in 2008 elevated it to specific rank and reassigned to its own genus, Hauffiopteryx. The type species is therefore Hauffiopteryx typicus. The generic name honors the Hauff family from Holzmaden, for their generation-long work to increase the knowledge on the Posidonia Shale and its fauna, especially the ichthyosaurs, and pteryx (πτερυξ), Greek for "fin" or "wing". The specific name means typical. H. altera comes from the Latin word meaning "different from" or "other" due to the differences between it and H. typicus.
Description
Hauffiopteryx is a relatively small ichthyosaur, reaching in length.
Skull
The snout of Hauffiopteryx is short, but also very thin, tapering to a point. The outer surface of the tooth crowns is smooth, and the back teeth are larger than those in front. The upper jaw is slightly longer than the lower jaw, though this overbite is not carried to the extreme seen in Excalibosaurus and Eurhinosaurus. The nasals form the majority of the snout's midline, rather than the premaxillae (upper tooth-bearing bones). In H. altera, the tallest points of the maxillae (rear upper tooth-bearing bones) are positioned behind the external nares (openings that housed the nostrils), in contrast to H. typicus, where the tallest points are instead located beneath these openings. Part of the borders of the external nares are formed by the prefrontals (paired bones situated on the upper edges of the eye sockets). In H. altera, this configuration blocks the lacrimals (paired bones in front of the eye sockets) from forming part of the external nares, whereas the lacrimals do reach the external nares in H. typicus. A further difference between the two species lies in the shape of their lacrimals; in H. typicus, they are triradiate, while those of H. altera are massive and triangular.