Hydrorion

{{Short description|Extinct genus of reptiles}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| fossil_range = Lower Jurassic, {{fossil_range|Toarcian}}

| image = Hydrorion 1.JPG

| image_caption = Skeleton

| taxon = Hydrorion

| authority = Großmann, 2007

| type_species = {{extinct}}Hydrorion brachypterygius

| type_species_authority = (von Huene, 1923)

| synonyms =

• Microcleidus brachypterygius von Huene, 1923
• Plesiosaurus brachypterygius (von Huene, 1923)

}}

File:Hydrorion1DB.jpg

Hydrorion (meaning 'water hunter') is a genus of plesiosaur from the Toarcian Age of the Lower Jurassic. It is only known from multiple specimens, all discovered in the Posidonia Shale of south-western Germany. The only species of Hydrorion is H. brachypterygius, which was originally described as a species of Plesiosaurus and then Microcleidus.F. v. Huene. (1923). Ein neuer Plesiosaurier aus dem oberen Lias Württembergs. Jahreshefte des Vereins für Vaterländische Naturkunde in Württemberg 79:3-23{{cite journal|last=Großmann|first=F|year=2007|title=The taxonomic and phylogenetic position of the pleisiosauroidea from the Lower Jurassic Posidonia shale of south-west Germany|journal=Palaeontology|volume=50|issue=3|pages=545–564|doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00654.x|s2cid=130961209|doi-access=free}} It was a relatively small plesiosaur, with the largest specimen measuring {{cvt|4|m|ft}} long.{{Cite journal |author=Peggy Vincent |year=2011 |title=A re-examination of Hauffiosaurus zanoni, a pliosauriod from the Toarcian (Early Jurassic) of Germany |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=340–351 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2011.550352 |s2cid=84743241 }}