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MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
PAL/EONTOLOGICAL NOTES. 
By H. A. Longman (Director). 
Notable additions have been made to the series of vertebrate fossils in the 
Queensland Museum as the result of a collecting trip by Mr. J. Edgar Young, 
Honorary Collector, in the Hughenden district, North-western Queensland, in April 
and May of this year. This preliminary note on some of the specimens received may 
be amplified later. 
ICHTHYOSAURUS AUSTRALIS. 
Although numerous fragments of Ichthyosaurians had been received from 
time to time from localities in Cretaceous areas near Hughenden, no significant 
associated material had been collected. Mr. Young was fortunate in discovering on 
Telemon Station the greater part of a complete skeleton. He notes that this was found 
“ in shaley ground one mile eastward of the Telemon homestead in a paddock on hill 
towards the woolshed.” A small exposed fragment was fortunately noticed and the 
remainder of the fossil was excavated. 
This skeleton is approximately eighteen feet in length. Practically all of the 
vertebrse appear to be preserved, although the series was somewhat disrupted when 
found. The skull is about four feet six inches in length, the extreme tip being missing. 
This skull has been obliquely crushed with intense lateral pressure from the right side, 
resulting in great displacement of the elements behind the rostral portion of the 
jaws. 
Although many fragments of ribs are present, these are much broken and 
abraded. Much of the skeleton is at present largely involved in matrix, including 
the remains of numerous bivalves. The skull is apparently of the same species as 
that described in detail by the writer in 1922 1 . 
Portion of one of the anterior limbs is exposed. The whole region of the 
pectoral girdle, however, is much distorted and involved in matrix. An incomplete 
humerus and radius and ulna with adjoining elements have been partly cleaned. 
The radius and ulna are not elongated. The distal ends of these bones are recessed 
medially for a prominent intermedium. Additional breadth is given by a pisiform, 
which also articulates with the humerus. Only the proximal elements of the paddle 
can be precisely allocated, but it is obvious that this is of the Latipinnate type of the 
family Ichthyosaur idse and not of the Stenopterygikke. 
It is hoped that other significant features will be revealed when matrix is 
cleared from the skeleton. 
J H. A. Longman, Mem. Qld. Mus., Vol. VII., pp. 246-256. 
