Brevicaudosaurus

Brevicaudosaurus is an extinct genus of nothosauroid marine sauropterygian from the Middle Triassic of China. The type species is B. jiyangshanensis. It was a small animal, with specimens measuring approx. 40 cm (16 in) long in total length. It had a broad, flat body, with an unusually short and flattened tail compared to other nothosaurs, which indicates that it could not swim quickly and was probably adapted to a way of life as a benthic carnivore. The holotype, IVPP V 18625, was prepared by Y.-F. Chen.