Lepidosaurs

Rhynchocephalians

Research A study on the morphological diversity and rates of morphological evolution of extinct and extant rhynchocephalians is published by Herrera-Flores, Stubbs and Benton (2017); the study is subsequently criticized by Vaux et al. (2019). A study on the bone histology and growth of the Jurassic pleurosaurid Palaeopleurosaurus is published by Klein and Scheyer (2017). Jaws of Clevosaurus brasiliensis affected by osteomyelitis are described from the Late Triassic (Norian) Candelária Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Brazil) by Romo-de-Vivar-Martínez et al. (2017).

New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesDeltadectesGen. et sp. novValidWhiteside, Duffin & FurrerLate TriassicA basal member of Rhynchocephalia. The type species is D. elvetica.Gephyrosaurus evansaeSp. novValidWhiteside & DuffinLate Triassic (Rhaetian)PenegephyrosaurusGen. et sp. novValidWhiteside & DuffinLate Triassic (Rhaetian)A member of the family Gephyrosauridae. The type species is P. curtiscoppi.VadasaurusGen. et sp. novBever & NorellLate Jurassic (Kimmeridgian)Solnhofen LimestoneA relative of pleurosaurids. The type species is V. herzogi.

Lizards and snakes

Research A study comparing inner ear morphology of Dinilysia patagonica and extant lizards and snakes is published by Palci et al. (2017). An overview of the discoveries of Mesozoic lizards from Brazil is published by Simões et al. (2017). A study on the origins of the Australian fauna of lizards and snakes is published by Oliver & Hugall (2017). A study on the nomenclature and phylogenetic relationships of the lizard species assigned to the genus Necrosaurus is published by Georgalis (2017), who assigns the species Necrosaurus cayluxi and Melanosauroides giganteus to the genus Palaeovaranus and names a new family Palaeovaranidae. A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Eichstaettisaurus schroederi and Ardeosaurus digitatellus is published by Simões et al. (2017). A redescription of the anatomy of the holotype specimen of the teiid species Callopistes bicuspidatus from the late Miocene–early Pliocene of Argentina is published by Brizuela & Albino (2017). An almost complete skull and a few associated postcranial bones of the lacertid Dracaenosaurus croizeti are described from the Oligocene locality of Cournon (south-central France) by Čerňanský et al. (2017). A description of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of the putative stem-amphisbaenian Slavoia darevskii and a study on its implications for the evolution of the postcranial skeleton of amphisbaenians is published by Tałanda (2017). Description of a new specimen of Geiseltaliellus maarius from the Eocene Messel pit (Germany), preserving details of the squamation, is published by Smith (2017). A study testing whether extant anole species adapted to similar ecological niches have similar semicircular canal morphologies, as well as a reconstruction of the vestibular system in five Miocene anoles from the Dominican Republic and a study on their ecology is published by Dickson et al. (2017). An autotomized tail of a shinisaurid is described from the Eocene Messel pit (Germany) by Smith (2017). Fossils of a monitor lizard are described from the middle Pleistocene of Greece by Georgalis, Villa & Delfino (2017), representing the most recent known record of the family Varanidae from Europe. A study on the phylogenetic relationships of members of Mosasauroidea is published by Simões et al. (2017). A study on the robustness of the hypotheses about mosasauroid phylogenetic relationships and a reevaluation of the dataset from the study of Simões et al. (2017) is published by Madzia & Cau (2017). A revision of mosasauroids from the Upper Cretaceous marine sediments associated with Gondwanan landmasses is published by Jiménez-Huidobro, Simões & Caldwell (2017). A redescription of Mosasaurus hoffmannii based on examination of many specimens is published by Street & Caldwell (2017), who also provide emended diagnoses for both the genus Mosasaurus and its type species M. hoffmannii. A study on the presence of ligamentous tooth attachment in mosasaurs and in fossil and modern snakes is published by LeBlanc, Lamoureux & Caldwell (2017). A pachyostotic marine squamate specimen belonging to the family Pachyophiidae, consisting of 29 vertebrae, is described from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Đurić et al. (2017). An overview of the snake fossil record from Brazil is published by Onary, Fachini & Hsiou (2017). A redescription of the type material of Gigantophis garstini, a reevaluation of referred material from North Africa and Pakistan, and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of Gigantophis and other madtsoiids is published by Rio & Mannion (2017). Snake fossils, including the first record of an indigenous member of the genus Pantherophis in West Indies and the first reported member of the genus Nerodia in the fossil record of West Indies, are described from the late Pleistocene of the Bahamas by Mead & Steadman (2017). A large viperine snake assigned to the genus Macrovipera is reported from the early Vallesian of Romania by Codrea et al. (2017), representing the first occurrence of this genus in the late Miocene of eastern Romania.

New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesGaimanophis powelliSp. novValidAlbinoLate MioceneIndia Muerta FormationA boa.KaikaifiluGen. et sp. novValidOtero et al.Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian)López de Bertodano FormationA mosasaur. The type species is K. hervei.MagnuviatorGen. et sp. novValidDeMar et al.Late Cretaceous (Campanian)Two Medicine Formation()A member of Iguanomorpha (the group containing crown and stem-iguanians) related to Saichangurvel davidsoni and Temujinia ellisoni. The type species is M. ovimonsensis.NorisophisGen. et sp. novValidKlein et al.CretaceousKem Kem BedsA stem-snake. The type species is N. begaa.OardasaurusGen. et sp. novValidCodrea, Venczel & SolomonLate Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)A member of Teiioidea, possibly a relative of Barbatteius vremiri. Genus includes new species O. glyphis.Pholidoscelis turukaeraensisSp. novValidBochaton et al.Late Pleistocene and Holocene(Marie-Galante Island)A member of Teiidae.SchoenesmahlGen. et sp. novValidConradLate Jurassic (Tithonian)Solnhofen LimestoneA relative of Ardeosaurus found in the abdominal cavity of the holotype specimen of Compsognathus longipes. The type species is S. dyspepsia.StefanikiaGen. et sp. novValidČerňanský & SmithEoceneMessel pitA lizard related to Eolacerta and the wall lizards. The type species is S. siderea.Varanus mokrensisSp. novValidIvanov et al.Early MioceneA monitor lizard.Yabeinosaurus bicuspidensSp. novValidDong, Wang & EvansEarly CretaceousYixian FormationYabeinosaurus robustusSp. novValidDong, Wang & EvansEarly CretaceousZilantophisGen. et sp. novValidJasinski & MoscatoLate HemphillianGray Fossil Site()A colubrid snake. Genus includes new species Z. schuberti.

Ichthyosauromorphs

Research A study on the emergence date and changes of the evolutionary rate during the ichthyosauromorph evolution is published by Motani et al. (2017). A jaw fragment of a member of the genus Omphalosaurus is described from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) Karchowice Formation (Poland) by Wintrich, Hagdorn & Sander (2017), representing the first record of Omphalosaurus from shallow marine carbonates and from the Muschelkalk facies. Description of three nearly complete and well-preserved skulls of Chaohusaurus chaoxianensis, revealing new information on the skull anatomy of the species, is published by Zhou et al. (2017). A specimen of Ichthyosaurus somersetensis containing an embryo, representing the largest unequivocal specimen of a member of the genus Ichthyosaurus, is described from the Lower Jurassic (lower Hettangian) Blue Lias Formation (United Kingdom) by Lomax & Sachs (2017). Plet et al. (2017) report the presence of red and white blood cell-like structures as well as platelet-like structures, collagen and cholesterol in a vertebra of a member of the genus Stenopterygius from Toarcian Posidonia Shale (Germany). An articulated skeleton of an ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur is described from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Katrol Formation (India) by Prasad et al. (2017).

New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesGengasaurusGen. et sp. novValidPaparella et al.Late JurassicA member of Ophthalmosauridae. The type species is G. nicosiai.KeilhauiaGen. et sp. novDisputedDelsett et al.Early Cretaceous (early Berriasian)Agardhfjellet FormationA member of Ophthalmosauridae. The type species is K. nui. Zverkov & Prilepskaya (2019) considered Keilhauia to be a junior synonym of the genus Arthropterygius, and considered K. nui to be nomen dubium; Delsett et al. (2019) rejected this synonymy.Protoichthyosaurus applebyiSp. novValidLomax, Massare & MistryEarly Jurassic (Hettangian) Sauropterygians

Research A study on the mechanisms generating vertebral counts and their regionalisation during embryo development that were responsible for high plasticity of the body plan of sauropterygians is published by Soul & Benson (2017). A study on the evolution of the anatomy of the inner ear of sauropterygians is published by Neenan et al. (2017). A study on the morphology of the occlusal surface of placodont teeth and its implications for the diet of the placodonts is published by Crofts et al. (2017). New specimen of Dianmeisaurus gracilis is described from the Middle Triassic Guanling Formation (China) by Shang, Li & Wu (2017). Fossilized soft tissues preserved with skeletal remains of Middle Triassic nothosaurs from Poland are described by Surmik, Rothschild & Pawlicki (2017). Description of a new specimen of Lariosaurus xingyiensis from the Middle Triassic Falang Formation (China) and a phylogenetic analysis of the family Nothosauridae is published by Lin et al. (2017), who transfer the species "Nothosaurus" juvenilis, "N." youngi and "N." winkelhorsti to the genus Lariosaurus. Evidence of septic necrosis and decompression syndrome-associated avascular necrosis affecting bones of Pistosaurus longaevus is reported by Surmik et al. (2017). A study on the skeletal anatomy of Bobosaurus forojuliensis is published by Dalla Vecchia (2017). A study on the function of the long neck in plesiosaurs as indicated by the anatomy of the neck is published by Noè, Taylor & Gómez-Pérez (2017). A study on the large, paired openings in the neck vertebrae of plesiosaurs and their implications for inferring the anatomy of the vascular system in the neck of plesiosaurs is published by Wintrich, Scaal & Sander (2017). A study on the swimming method of plesiosaurs is published by Muscutt et al. (2017). An assessment of the completeness of the plesiosaur fossil record is published by Tutin & Butler (2017). A description of a new specimen of Colymbosaurus svalbardensis from the Tithonian–Berriasian Agardhfjellet Formation (Svalbard, Norway), a reevaluation of the diagnostic features of the species and a study on its phylogenetic relationships is published by Roberts et al. (2017). A study on the tooth formation cycle in elasmosaurid plesiosaurs is published by Kear et al. (2017). A redescription of the holotype specimen of Tuarangisaurus keyesi and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the species is published by O'Gorman et al. (2017). A study on the anatomy of the vertebra of Vegasaurus molyi and its implications for the anatomy of the nervous system of the species is published by O'Gorman & Fernandez (2017). A study on the skeletal morphology and histology of a perinatal aristonectine plesiosaur specimen recovered from the López de Bertodano Formation (Seymour Island, Antarctica) is published by O'Gorman, Talevi & Fernández (2017).