Oenosaurus Explained

Oenosaurus is an extinct genus of sphenodontian reptile from the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) aged Mörnsheim Formation of Germany.^[1]

Description

The genus is known from a partial skull preserved in ventral view. The teeth in the upper and lower jaws were fused into tooth plates.

Diet and lifestyle

It is likely that Oenosaurus led a durophagous lifestyle as indicated by the broad tooth plates. It is unknown if this animal was aquatic or terrestrial.

Phylogeny

It is currently considered to be a sapheosaur.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Rauhut . O. W. M. . Heyng . A. M. . López-Arbarello . A. . Hecker . A. . Farke . Andrew A . A New Rhynchocephalian from the Late Jurassic of Germany with a Dentition That is Unique amongst Tetrapods . 10.1371/journal.pone.0046839 . PLOS ONE . 7 . 10 . e46839 . 2012 . 23118861. 3485277. 2012PLoSO...746839R . free .
2. Simões . Tiago R. . Caldwell . Michael W. . Pierce . Stephanie E. . 2020-12-07 . Sphenodontian phylogeny and the impact of model choice in Bayesian morphological clock estimates of divergence times and evolutionary rates . BMC Biology . en . 18 . 1 . 191 . 10.1186/s12915-020-00901-5 . 1741-7007 . 7720557 . 33287835 . free .