Callawayasaurus

Cal-la-way-sore-us.
Published on

Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Callawayasaurus ‭(‬Callaway’s lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Cal-la-way-sore-us.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria,‭ ‬Elasmosauridae.

Diet

Piscivore.

Species

C.‭ ‬colombiensis

Size

Body up to‭ ‬8‭ ‬meters long,‭ ‬Skull‭ ‬35‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Columbia‭ ‬-‭ ‬Paja Formation.

Time Period

Aptian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Known from a skull and partial post cranial remains.‭ ‬Remains for up to two individuals so far known.

In Depth

       Callawayasaurus was originally known as a species of Alzadasaurus until Kenneth Carpenter studied the remains and found that they actually represented a new genus.‭ ‬On a related note the type specimen of Alzadasaurus today only exists as a synonym to Thalassomedon and Styxosaurus.‭ ‬Carpenter named the new genus in honour of fellow palaeontologist Jack M.‭ ‬Callaway who is noted for his work on marine reptiles.‭ ‬The species name C.‭ ‬colombiensis means‭ ‘‬from Colombia‭’‬.

       Callawayasaurus is particularly noted for its fifty-six cervical‭ (‬neck‭) ‬vertebrae that are quite short when compared to other elasmosaurid plesiosaurs.‭ ‬Also,‭ ‬Callawayasaurus has no pectoral bars,‭ ‬a feature shared with the elasmosaurid Terminonatator which lived during the late Cretaceous.

Further Reading

– Revision of North American elasmosaurs from the Cretaceous of the Western Interior. – Paludicola 2(2):148-173. – K. Carpenter – 1999.

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