Cochleosaurus: Research Database
Theropoda · Cretaceous · Unknown
Research Note: Cochleosaurus was a theropoda from the Cretaceous of Unknown, providing important data on prehistoric life and ecosystem dynamics.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sequeira 2003: Cochleosaurus and related taxa Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences | Confirmed | A | 2003 | Fossil | Sequeira, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences | Taxonomy |
2003: Cochleosaurus and related taxa Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh | Confirmed | C | 2003 | Fossil | , Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh | Taxonomy |
Status:
Confirmed Direct evidence
Grade:A Strong consensus
B Good evidence
What We Still Do Not Know About Cochleosaurus
- Complete skeletal morphology and ecological role.
- Phylogenetic relationships within Theropoda.
- Distribution and evolutionary history.
In Depth
Despite its name, Cochleosaurus was actually an amphibian. The skull is quite flat and features an ear structure better adapted for use on the land. Some have considered Cochleosaurus to have been an ambush hunter similar to crocodiles today.
Further Reading
– The edopoid amphibian Cochleosaurus from the middle Pennsylvanian of Nova Scotia. Palaeontology 23:143-150 – O. Rieppel – 1980.
