The oldest elasmosaurs (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from Antarctica, Santa Marta Formation (upper Coniacian? Santonian-upper Campanian) and Snow Hill Island Formation (upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian), James Ross Island

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Author: O'Gorman, José P.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2012
• Subjects: Elasmosauridae; Antarctic Peninsula; Santa Marta Formation; Snow Hill Island Formation; James Ross Island; Antarctic; Herbert Sound; Hill Island; Lachman; Lachman Crags; Ross Island; Snow Hill; Snow Hill Island; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/2586; https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v31i0.11090

Elasmosaurs are recorded for the first time in the Lachman Crags Member (Beta Member) of the Santa Marta Formation (lower Campanian) and in the Herbert Sound Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation (upper Campanian). These are the first elasmosaurids from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula. These records greatly improve our knowledge of the taxonomic diversity of plesiosaurs of the Santa Marta Formation and Herbert Sound Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation, and extend the lower limit of the record of Elasmosauridae in Antarctica to the lower Campanian, making this the oldest record of an Antarctic elasmosaur.Keywords: Elasmosauridae; Antarctica; Late Cretaceous(Published: 30 October 2012)Citation: Polar Research 2012, 31, 11090, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v31i0.11090