Babibasiliscus

Name: Babibasiliscus ‭(‬Older cousin of Basiliscus‭)‬.
Phonetic: Ba-be-ba-sil-i-kus.
Named By: Jack L.‭ ‬Conrad‭ ‬-‭ ‬2015.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Squamata,‭ ‬Iguania,‭ ‬Corytophanidae.
Species: B.‭ ‬alxi‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Omnivore.
Size: Skull‭ ‬4.2‭ ‬centimetres long.‭ ‬Total size estimated about‭ ‬60‭ ‬centimetres long.
Known locations: USA,‭ ‬Wyoming‭ ‬-‭ ‬Bridger Formation.
Time period: Early Eocene.
Fossil representation: Skull.




       Babibasiliscus is a relative of modern day basilisk lizards,‭ ‬some of which are also dubbed‭ ‘‬Jesus Christ lizards‭’ ‬for their ability to run across water for short distances.‭ ‬Babibasiliscus is best known from a skull,‭ ‬which when compared to average modern basilisk proportions yields an estimate of about‭ ‬sixty ‬centimetres long for the animal,‭ ‬though much of this length would have been tail.‭ ‬The precise diet of Babibasiliscus is unknown,‭ ‬but modern basilisks are usually classed as omnivores,‭ ‬readily hunting insects,‭ ‬fish,‭ ‬birds and small snakes,‭ ‬but also eating eggs and flowers as well.

Further reading
-‭ ‬A New Eocene Casquehead Lizard‭ (‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Corytophanidae‭) ‬from North America.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Plos One‭ ‬10‭ (‬7‭)‬:‭ ‬e0127900.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Jack L.‭ ‬Conrad‭ ‬-‭ ‬2015.



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