Biology:Coniasaurus
| Coniasaurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| C. crassidens holotype, drawn by James Erxleben in 1850 | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | †Dolichosauridae |
| Genus: | †Coniasaurus Owen, 1850 |
| Species | |
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Coniasaurus is an extinct genus of Late Cretaceous marine squamates that range in age from Cenomanian to Santonian.[1] It was first described by Richard Owen in 1850 from lower Cenomanian chalk deposits in southeast England (Sussex).[2][3] Two species have been described from this genus: C. crassidens (Owen, 1850), known from Cenomanian to Santonian deposits from southeast England , Germany and North America, and C. gracilodens (Caldwell, 1999) from the Cenomanian of southeast England .[1]
Coniasaurus has only been described from incomplete specimens, but it is known to have had a relatively elongate skull with specialised teeth.[1] By comparison with Dolichosaurus, it may have had four short limbs and an elongate neck and body. A maximum length between 0.5–1 m (1.6–3.3 ft) has been proposed.[3][4]
Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Coniasaurus is a sister group to the Mosasauroidea within the clade Pythonomorpha.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shimada K. & Bell G.L.Jr (2006). "Coniasaurus Owen, 1850 (Reptilia: Squamata), from the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas". Journal of Paleontology 80 (3): 589–593. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2006)80[589:corsft2.0.co;2]. http://www.psjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1666/0022-3360%282006%2980%5B589%3ACORSFT%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=pleo.[yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ Owen, R. (1850). Descriptions of the fossils of the Chalk Formation. Description of the fossil reptiles of the Chalk Formation. The Geology and Fossils of the Tertiary and Cretaceous Formations of Sussex 378-404
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Caldwell M.W. & Cooper J.A. (1999). "Redescription, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology of Coniasaurus crassidens Owen, 1850 (Squamata) from the Lower Chalk (Cretaceous; Cenomanian) of SE England". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 127 (4): 423–452. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1999.tb01380.x. http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0024408298901613/1-s2.0-S0024408298901613-main.pdf?_tid=5271807a-d607-11e4-9e1e-00000aab0f01&acdnat=1427628946_ea4e5126806ff6fc342fe841ec29ab10.
- ↑ Bardet, Nathalie (2008). "The Cenomanian-Turonian (late Cretaceous) radiation of marine squamates (Reptilia): the role of the Mediterranean Tethys". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France 179 (6): 605–623. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.179.6.605.
- ↑ Caldwell M.A. (1999). "Squamate phylogeny and the relationships of snakes and mosasauroids". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 125 (1): 115–147. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1999.tb00587.x. http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0024408297901448/1-s2.0-S0024408297901448-main.pdf?_tid=a935ddee-d615-11e4-bd9e-00000aacb35f&acdnat=1427635105_b10a5fc3f1ba8d85b6c276fdd85b2713.
Wikidata ☰ Q3686975 entry
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