Phalarodon fraasi (Merriam 1910, Middle Triassic) was a small ichthyosaur with small flippers. It nests between basal ichthyosaurs, like Qianichthyosaurus and derived ichthyosaurs llike Guizhouichthyosaurus and Mixosaurus. The small size (phylogenetic miniaturization) of Phalarodon may have been part of that tranistion. Note the crested parietal surrounded by cranial basins.

Contectopalatus atavus (Quentstedt 1851-52, Maisch and Matzke 1998; Middle Triassic Anisian; ) was the largest member of this clade with the longest rostrum. All teeth are conical with blunt tips. Some adult skulls may exceed 50cm, quadrate with fan-shaped ascending process.

Phalarodon nordenskioeldii (Hulke 1873, Wiman 1910, Middle Triassic, Ladinian) was originallly considered a species of Mixosaurus. It had a greatly developed the cranial crest. The posterior teeth were blunt and bulbous, likely for crushing hard-shelled prey.

Hulke JW 1873. Memorandum on the fossil vertebrata remains from Spitsbergen. Bihang till Kungliga Svenska Vetenskampsacademien Handlingar, 1(9): 1–11; Stockholm.

Jiang D-Y, Schmizt L, Motani R, Ha W-C and Sun Y-L 2007. The mixosaurid ichthyosaur Phalarodon Cf. P. Fraasi from the Middle Triassic of Guizhou Province, China. Journal of Paleontology 81(3):602-605.

Maisch MW and Matzke AT 1998. Observations on Triassic ichthyosaurs. Part III. A crested, predatory mixosaurid from the Middle Triassic of the Germanic Basin. – N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh., 209: 105–134.

Merriam JC 1910. The skull and dentition of a primitive ichthyosaurian from the Middle Triassic. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology 5(24):381-390.

Quentstedt FA 1851–52. Handbuch der Petrefaktenkunde. 792 pp.

Wiman C 1910. Ichthyosaurier aus der Trias Spitzbergens. Bull. Geol. Inst. Upsala., 10:
125–148. Upsala.

wiki/Phalarodon
wiki/Contectopalatus