The osteology, taxonomy, and phylogenetic placement of <i>Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris</i> (Plesiosauroidea, Microcleididae) from the Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Germany

Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris is an early-diverging plesiosauroid from the lower Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) of the Posidonienschiefer Formation (Posidonia Shale) of Holzmaden, southwestern Germany. It is known from almost complete skeletons of two osteologically mature individuals, the holotype and a referred specimen that was largely destroyed during World War II. Although well-preserved and substantially complete, the anatomy of Seeleyosaurus and its taxonomic and phylogenetic significance remain insufficiently understood. Here, we provide a complete osteological description of the taxon. Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris can be diagnosed based on a unique combination of characters, including one autapomorphy: the tall and basally constricted neural spines of the posterior cervical, pectoral, and dorsal vertebrae which have a sinusoidal shape in lateral view. Our study supports the validity of the plesiosauroid taxon Plesiopterys wildi, which was considered a junior synonym of Seeleyosaurus in a previous joint assessment of the taxa. Our phylogenetic evaluation places S. guilelmiimperatoris among Microcleididae, in congruence with previous studies. However, in contrast to earlier phylogenetic reconstructions, our analyses, which take into account numerous changes to the character matrix, reconstruct S. guilelmiimperatoris as falling within the Microcleidus clade. While we admit that Seeleyosaurus might potentially be considered a species of Microcleidus, we refrain from promoting this nomenclatural change pending an osteological and taxonomic reassessment of Microcleidus spp. as well as other, potentially closely related forms, such as Lusonectes sauvagei.