But there are other interpretations of Hypuronector which suggest it may not have been a swimmer at all. These alternative views suggest it was more like other drepanosaurs in being suited to climbing but, more remarkably, possibly a glider (Renesto et al. 2010). read more
Drepanosaurs are notable for their distinctive, triangular skulls, which resemble the skulls of birds. Some drepanosaurs, such as Hypuronector, had pointed, toothless, bird-like beaks. This similarity to birds may have led to the possible mis-attribution of a drepanosaur skull to the would-be"first bird", Protoavis. read more
Hypuronector has inversely been suggested to be aquatic due to its deep, paddle-like tail and the fact that its remains were found in an ancient lake bottom. However, several studies on its limb morphology, as well as the rather delicate tail vertebrae without evidence of extensive caudal musculature, rule out an aquatic hypothesis, and it was likely arboreal like other drepanosaurs. read more
Drepanosaurs, like Drepanosaurus, were tritosaur lizards. At the base of the clade was Lacertulus, Meyasaurus, Huehuecuetzpalli and Jesairosaurus. At the base of the drepanosaurs was Hypuronector and Vallesaurus. read more
Drepanosaurs as archosauromorphs and the abandonment of Avicephala. Dilkes (1998) argued that drepanosaurs were close relatives of tanystropheids, and his phylogenetic analysis has been used by many other authors since his study. read more
Hypuronector is a genus of extinct reptile from the Triassic Period that lived in what is now New Jersey. The etymology of the name translates as"deep-tailed swimmer from the lake." A member of the Simiosauria, Hypuronector is related to the arboreal Megalancosaurus. read more
The other rib gliders were distinctly different. Icarosaurus (Fig. 2), Kuehneosaurus (Fig. 3), Mecistotrachelos and Xianglong all had long transverse processes, few to no ribs and the extradermal rods matched one to one with the transverse processes. read more