Sthenarosaurus
| Sthenarosaurus Temporal range: Early Jurassic | |
|---|---|
| Pectoral girdle of Sthenarosaurus .sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Family: | †Rhomaleosauridae |
| Genus: | †Sthenarosaurus Watson, 1909 |
| Species: | †S. dawkinsi |
| Binomial name | |
| †Sthenarosaurus dawkinsi Watson, 1909 | |
Sthenarosaurus (meaning "strong lizard") is an extinct genus of rhomaleosaurid pliosauroid discovered in the Toarcian-aged 'Main Alum Shale' (Commune subzone of Bifrons zone) in Whitby, England. The type species, Sthenarosaurus dawkinsi, was named and described in 1909 by D. M. S. Watson. The type specimen is MMUM LL 8023, a set of postcrania discovered in Whitby. Other indeterminate specimens are known, including a pectoral girdle (pictured in taxobox) described in 1911. Plesiosaurian fossils were acquired for the Manchester Museum by William Boyd Dawkins who is honoured by the specific name.