Sauropterygian remains from the Middle Triassic of Villány, Hungary—new information on the aquatic reptile fauna of Tisza Megaunit (Triassic southern Eurasian shelf region)

Abstract Sauropterygia was a diverse clade of secondary aquatic reptiles, which represented one the most important vertebrate groups in shallow marine communities during Triassic. However, despite long history collection and examination sauropterygian remains, previous studies have indicated that fossil record this group is incomplete, making understanding their palaeobiogeographic relations difficult. Here we describe new remains from Middle Triassic (Ladinian) Templomhegy Dolomite Member (Villány, southern Hungary), were unearthed systematic fieldwork years. Among several non-diagnostic material contains isolated bones belonging to Nothosaurus sp., Simosauridae indet. small-sized nothosaurid. The known faunal composition Villány similar what described Germanic Basin Bihor Mountains (northwestern Romania). Besides elements, probably associated skeleton eosauropterygian specimen unknown affinities also reported here. This locality widens our knowledge on distribution provides information about previously not well-known fauna one-time Eurasian shelf region.