Dolichosaurus

Dol-le-ko-sore-us.
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Name

Dolichosaurus ‭(‬Long snouted lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Dol-le-ko-sore-us.

Named By

Richard Owen‭ ‬-‭ ‬1851.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Squamata,‭ ‬Scleroglossa,‭ ‬Dolichosauridae.

Diet

Carnivore/Piscivore.

Species

D.‭ ‬longicollis‭

Size

Around‭ ‬1.5‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

England.

Time Period

Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial remains.

In Depth

       Related to the mosasaurs,‭ ‬the exact classification of Dolichosaurus is a little uncertain with‭ ‬its exact closeness to the Mosasauridae a little uncertain.‭ ‬Dolichosaurus is noted for having‭ ‬a long thin build and is speculated to have been a weak swimmer.‭ ‬This in turn has led to past speculation that it may have been semi aquatic,‭ ‬occasionally returning to the land like the much earlier nothosaurs of the Triassic.

Further Reading

– Monograph on the fossil Reptilia of the Cretaceous Formations. Part I. Chelonia (Lacertilia, etc.). – The Palaeontographical Society, London 1851:1-118. – Richard Owen – 1851. – On The Aquatic Squamate Dolichosaurus longicollis Owen, 1850 (Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous), and the Evolution of Elongate Necks in Squamates. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20 (4), p720-735. – Michael W. Caldwell – 2000.

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