This list of fossil reptiles described in 2016 is a list of new taxa of fossil reptiles that were described during the year 2016, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to reptile paleontology that occurred in 2016.
Lepidosaurs
Lizards
Research Twelve specimens of lizards (including stem-gekkotans, crown-agamids, a lacertid, a putative stem-chamaeleonid and squamates of uncertain phylogenetic placement, probably stem-squamates) are described from the Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian boundary) amber from Myanmar by Daza et al. (2016); however, the supposed stem-chamaeleonid is subsequently reinterpreted as an albanerpetontid amphibian by Matsumoto & Evans (2018). A study of almost 30 specimens of Polyglyphanodon sternbergi, including almost complete skeletons, is published by Simões et al. (2016), who report the discovery of previously unrecognized ontogenetic series, sexual dimorphism and a complete lower temporal bar in the skull of members of this species. New anatomical data on the Late Cretaceous lizard Slavoia darevskii is published by Tałanda (2016), who interprets it as a stem-amphisbaenian. A study on the skull anatomy of the Eocene amphisbaenian Spathorhynchus fossorium is published by Müller, Hipsley & Maisano (2016). A study on mosasaur tooth implantation and its phylogenetic implications is published by Liu et al. (2016). A redescription of the mosasaur Hainosaurus bernardi Dollo (1885) is published by Jimenez-Huidobro & Caldwell (2016), who transfer this species to the genus Tylosaurus and synonymize genera Tylosaurus and Hainosaurus. A revision of the species assigned to the mosasaur genus Tylosaurus is published by Jiménez-Huidobro, Simões & Caldwell (2016); their conclusion that T. kansasensis is a junior synonym of T. nepaeolicus is subsequently rejected by Stewart & Mallon (2018). Early Miocene chamaeleonid fossils, including a specimen tentatively attributed to the species Chamaeleo cf. andrusovi Čerňanský (2010), previously known only from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, are described from the Aliveri locality (Euboea, Greece) by Georgalis, Villa & Delfino (2016). Lizard fossils which might be the oldest known chameleon fossils from India are described from the Miocene Nagri Formation by Sankhyan & Čerňanský (2016).
New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesBagaluusGen. et sp. novValidAlifanovEarly CretaceousA member of Scincomorpha belonging to the family Hodzhakuliidae. The type species is B. primigenius.CarnoscincusGen. et sp. novValidAlifanovEarly CretaceousA member of Scincomorpha belonging to the family Hodzhakuliidae. The type species is C. eublepharus.JanosikiaGen. et comb. novValidČerňanský, Klembara & SmithEarly MioceneA member of Lacertidae; a new genus for "Ophisaurus" ulmensis Gerhardt (1903).JeddaherdanGen. et sp. novDisputedApesteguía et al.UncertainAn iguanian belonging to the group Acrodonta. The type species is J. aleadonta. Originally described as coming from the Cretaceous Kem Kem Group; Vullo et al. (2022) argued that its fossil material is actually Quaternary in age, and considered it to be a fossil material of a member of the genus Uromastyx.OphisauromimusGen. et comb. novValidČerňanský, Klembara & MűllerOligoceneA member of Anguidae. A new genus for "Dopasia" coderetensis Augé (2005); genus also includes "Dopasia" frayssensis Augé (2005).PlatynotoidesGen. et sp. novJunior homonymAlifanovEarly CretaceousA member of Scincomorpha belonging to the family Hodzhakuliidae. The type species is P. altidentatus. The generic name is preoccupied by Platynotoides Kaszab (1975).Pluridens calabariaSp. novValidLongrichLate Cretaceous (late Campanian)Nkporo ShaleA mosasaur, a species of Pluridens.SolastellaGen. et sp. novValidStocker & KirkEoceneDevil's Graveyard Formation()A rhineurid amphisbaenian. The type species is Solastella cookei.
Snakes
Research Lee et al. (2016) examine the limb anatomy of Tetrapodophis amplectus, which according to the authors is suggestive of aquatic habits. A redescription of the Cenomanian snake Simoliophis rochebrunei on the basis of new fossil material from France is published by Rage, Vullo & Néraudeau (2016). Smith & Scanferla (2016) describe a juvenile specimen of Palaeopython fischeri from the Eocene Messel pit with preserved stomach contents, including a specimen of the stem-basilisk species Geiseltaliellus maarius, which in turn preserves an unidentified insect in its stomach. McNamara et al. (2016) describe pigment cells responsible for coloration and patterning preserved in a fossil skin of a colubrid snake from the Late Miocene Libros Lagerstätte (Teruel, Spain). New fossil material of the viperid Laophis crotaloides is described from Greece by Georgalis et al. (2016).
New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesLunaophisGen. et sp. novValidAlbino, Carrillo-Briceño & NeenanLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)La Luna FormationA snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is L. aquaticus.PlatyspondylophisGen. et sp. novValidSmith et al.Eocene (Ypresian)Cambay Shale FormationA member of Madtsoiidae. The type species is P. tadkeshwarensis.RieppelophisGen. et comb. novValidScanferla, Smith & SchaalEoceneMessel pitA member of Boidae. A new genus for "Messelophis" ermannorum Schaal & Baszio (2004).
Ichthyosauromorphs
Research A study of taxonomic richness, disparity and evolutionary rates of ichthyosaurs throughout the Cretaceous period is published by Fischer et al. (2016). A restudy of "Platypterygius" campylodon is published by Fischer (2016), who transfers this species to the genus Pervushovisaurus. A revision of the ichthyosaur material of the British Middle and Late Jurassic referable to Ophthalmosaurus icenicus is published by Moon & Kirton (2016).
New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesCryopterygius kielanaeSp. novValidTyborowskiLate Jurassic (Tithonian)Kcynia FormationA member of Ophthalmosauridae. Transferred to the genus Undorosaurus by Zverkov & Efimov (2019).Ichthyosaurus larkiniSp. novValidLomax & MassareEarly Jurassic (Hettangian)Ichthyosaurus somersetensisSp. novValidLomax & MassareEarly Jurassic (Hettangian)SclerocormusGen. et sp. novValidJiang et al.Early Triassic (Olenekian)Nanlinghu FormationA basal member of Ichthyosauriformes. The type species is S. parviceps.WahlisaurusGen. et sp. novValidLomaxEarly Jurassic (Hettangian)A member of Leptonectidae. The type species is W. massarae.
Sauropterygians
Research A study of the histology and microanatomy of the humeri of members of the genus Nothosaurus is published by Klein et al. (2016). A reassessment of fossils attributed to the genus Polyptychodon is published by Madzia (2016), who considers the type species of this genus, P. interruptus, to be nomen dubium, and the genus Polyptychodon to be a wastebasket taxon. O'Gorman (2016) provides a new diagnosis for Fresnosaurus drescheri and describes additional plesiosaur material from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Moreno Formation (California, USA), which he interprets as representing the first aristonectine plesiosaur reported from the Northern Hemisphere. A redescription of the holotype specimen of Brancasaurus brancai and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the species is published by Sachs, Hornung & Kear (2016), who consider the species Gronausaurus wegneri to be a junior synonym of B. brancai.
New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAlexandronectesGen. et sp. novValidOtero et al.Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian)Conway FormationAn aristonectine elasmosaurid plesiosaur. The type species is Alexandronectes zealandiensis.DawazisaurusGen. et sp. novValidCheng et al.Middle Triassic (Anisian)Guanling FormationA non-pistosauroid eosauropterygian of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Dawazisaurus brevis.KawanectesGen. et comb. novValidO'GormanLate Cretaceous (late Campanian–early Maastrichtian)Allen Formation La Colonia FormationAn elasmosaurid plesiosaur. The type species is "Trinacromerum" lafquenianum Gasparini & Goñi (1985).Lariosaurus sanxiaensisSp. novValidCheng in Chen et al.Early TriassicJialingjiang FormationLariosaurus vosseveldensisSp. novValidKlein et al.Middle Triassic (Anisian)Polycotylus sopozkoiSp. novValidEfimov, Meleshin & NikiforovLate CretaceousStenorhynchosaurusGen. et sp. novValidPáramo et al..Early Cretaceous (late Barremian)Paja FormationA pliosaurid plesiosaur. The type species is Stenorhynchosaurus munozi.
Turtles
Research A study on the latitudinal gradients in species diversity of Mesozoic non-marine turtles is published by Nicholson et al. (2016). A study on the morphological diversity of the skulls of the fossil and recent turtles through time is published by Foth & Joyce (2016). A study of the bone shell histology of Condorchelys antiqua and its implications for the lifestyle of the species is published by Cerda, Sterli & Scheyer (2016). A study of the bone histology of shell elements of the Late Cretaceous—Paleocene chelid Yaminuechelys is published by Jannello, Cerda & de la Fuente (2016). A review of the fossil record, taxonomy and diagnostic features of the fossil species belonging to the genus Chelus is published by Ferreira et al. (2016). Fossils of Plesiochelys etalloni and Tropidemys langii, otherwise known from the Kimmeridgian of the Swiss and French Jura Mountains, are described from the British Kimmeridge Clay by Anquetin & Chapman (2016). An emended diagnosis of Testudo catalaunica and a study of phylogeny of extinct members of the genus Testudo is published by Luján et al. (2016). Giant tortoise fossils collected from the late Miocene-early Pliocene Mehrten Formation (California, USA) are identified as belonging to members of the species Hesperotestudo orthopygia by Biewer et al. (2016).
New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAlgorachelusGen. et sp. novValidPérez-GarcíaLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Arenas de Utrillas FormationA member of Bothremydidae. The type species is A. peregrinus.Anhuichelys doumuensisSp. novValidTong et al.Middle PaleoceneDoumu FormationA stem-tortoise, a species of Anhuichelys.Clemmys hutchensorumSp. novValidBourqueEarly Pleistocene (late Blancan)()A species of Clemmys.FontainechelonGen. et comb. novValidPérez-García, Ortega & Jiménez FuentesEarly EoceneA tortoise; a new genus for "Achilemys" cassouleti Claude & Tong (2004).InaechelysGen. et sp. novDisputedCarvalho, Ghilardi & BarretoPaleocene (Danian)Maria Farinha FormationA member of Bothremydidae. The type species is I. pernambucensis. Its status as a valid taxon was challenged by Romano (2016), who considered the genus Inaechelys to be a junior synonym of the genus Rosasia and the species I. pernambucensis/Rosasia pernambucensis to be a nomen dubium.KeuperotestaGen. et sp. novValidSzczygielski & SulejLate TriassicA member of Proterochersidae. The type species is Keuperotesta limendorsa. The genus Keuperotesta was considered to be a junior synonym of the genus Proterochersis by Joyce (2017), though the author maintained K. limendorsa as a distinct species within the latter genus.Kinosternon notolophusSp. novValidBourqueMiocene (Clarendonian)Alachua Formation Statenville Formation()A mud turtle.Kinosternon pannekollopsSp. novValidBourqueMiocene (Clarendonian)Ogallala Formation()A mud turtle.Kinosternon rinconSp. novValidBourqueMiocene (late Barstovian)Cerro Conejo Formation()A mud turtle.Kinosternon wakeenienseSp. novValidBourqueMiocene (Clarendonian)Ash Hollow Formation