Aigialosaurus

Name: Aigialosaurus.
Phonetic: Ay-gee-al-oh-sore-us.
Named By: Kramberger‭ ‬-‭ ‬1892.
Synonyms: Opetiosaurus.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Squamata,‭ ‬Varanoidea,‭ ‬Aigialosauridae.
Species: A.‭ ‬dalmaticus‭ (‬type‭)‬,‭ ‬A.‭ ‬bucchichi,‭ ‬A.‭ ‬novaki‭ ‬.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Around‭ ‬1.1‭ ‬meters long.
Known locations: Croatia.
Time period: Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Several specimens.

       Aigialosaurus was a semi aquatic lizard that was developed to enter the water yet still return to land.‭ ‬This is similar to many other lizards at this stage of the Cretaceous that would eventually evolve into the mosauridae,‭ ‬the last major group of marine reptiles that would adapt to ocean life during the Mesozoic.‭

Further reading
- A redescription of Aigialosaurus (Opetiosaurus) bucchichi (Kornhuber, 1901) (Squamata: Aigialosauridae) with comments on mosasauroid systematics. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29 (2): 437-452. - Alex R. Dutchak & Michael W. Caldwell - 2009.



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