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Scleromochlus
| Scleromochlus Fossil range: Late Triassic (Carnian) | |
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 Life restoration of Scleromochlus taylori | |
| Scientific classification
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Scleromochlidae |
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Scleromochlus is an extinct genus of small ornithodiran from the Late Triassic period. A lightly-built cursorial animal, its phylogenetic position within Ornithodira has been debated; as different analyses have found it to be either the basal-most ornithodiran or the sister-taxon to Pterosauria.
Scleromochlus is a monotypic genus (single species), which is the type species S. taylori.
Scleromochlus taylori was about 186 mm (about 4.3 inches) long, with long hind legs; it may have capable of four-legged and two-legged locomotion.
Its fossils have been found in a Carnian formation in Lossiemouth, Scotland.[citation needed] The holotype is BMNH R3556, a partial skeleton preserved as an impression in sandstone; part of the skull and tail are missing.[1]
References 
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- Benton, M.J. (1999). Scleromochlus taylori and the origin of the pterosaurs. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London, Series B 354: 1423-1446.
- Woodward, A.S. (1907). On a new dinosaurian reptile (Scleromochlus taylori, gen. et sp. nov.) from the Trias of Lossiemouth, Elgin. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 1907 63: 140-144.
| Archosauromorphs |
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| Primitive Archosauromorphs — Euparkeriidae • Erythrosuchidae • Proterochampsidae • Proterosuchidae • Choristodera • Prolacertiformes • Rhynchosauria • Trilophosauria
Crurotarsi Archosaurs — Ornithosuchidae • Aetosauria • Phytosauria • Rauisuchia • Crocodylomorpha • Crocodilia Avemetatarsalia and Ornithodira Archosaurs — Scleromochlus • Pterosauria • Dinosauromorpha • Dinosauria • Ornithischia • Saurischia • Aves Avian Archosaurs — Avialae • Archaeopteryx • Confuciusornis • Ichthyornis • Enantiornithes • Hesperornithes • Neornithes • Paleognathae • Neognathae |
