Simosaurus

Sim-oh-sor-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.

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Simosaurus.

Phonetic

Sim-oh-sor-us.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Nothosauroidea,‭ ‬Simosauridae.

Diet

Durophagovore‭?

Species

O.‭ ‬gaillardoti‭

Size

Roughly between‭ ‬3‭ ‬to‭ ‬4‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

France.‭ ‬Germany‭ ‬-‭ ‬Erfurt Formation,‭ ‬Muschelkalk Formation,‭ ‬Raibl Formation.‭ ‬Italy‭ ‬-‭ ‬Rio del Lago Formation.

Time Period

Mid/Late Triassic.

Fossil representation

Several individuals.

In Depth

       Usually seen as a nothosaur,‭ ‬Simosaurus was a marine reptile that lived in European waters during the Triassic.‭ ‬The teeth of Simosaurus are quite blunt and while the jaws of Simosaurus are quite gracile,‭ ‬the way the muscles attached show that they could be closed very quickly.‭ ‬It is possible that Simosaurus used quick but proportionately powerful bites to crack up the shells of invertebrates like ammonites,‭ ‬especially those with thinner shells.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Osteology of Simosaurus gaillardoti and the relationships of stem-group Sauropterygia.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Fieldiana Geology.‭ ‬28:‭ ‬1‭–‬85.‭ ‬-‭ ‬O.‭ ‬Rieppel‭ ‬-‭ ‬1994.

Adopt A Species
prehistoric-wildlife new logo

Love this species?

Adopt it today!

(UPDATED!)

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Woolly Mammoth