Coniasaurus Explained

Coniasaurus is an extinct genus of Late Cretaceous marine squamates that range in age from Cenomanian to Santonian.^[1] It was first described by Richard Owen in 1850 from lower Cenomanian chalk deposits in South East England (Sussex).^{[2] [3]} Two species have been described from this genus: C. crassidens (Owen, 1850), known from Cenomanian to Santonian deposits from South East England, Germany and North America, and C. gracilodens (Caldwell, 1999) from the Cenomanian of southeast England.^[1]

Coniasaurus has only been described from incomplete specimens, but it is known to have had a relatively elongate skull with specialised teeth.^[1] By comparison with Dolichosaurus, it may have had four short limbs and an elongate neck and body. A maximum length between has been proposed.^{[3] [4]}

Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Coniasaurus is a sister group to the Mosasauroidea within the clade Pythonomorpha.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Coniasaurus Owen, 1850 (Reptilia: Squamata), from the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas . Shimada K. & Bell G.L.Jr . Journal of Paleontology . 2006 . 80 . 3 . 589–593 . 10.1666/0022-3360(2006)80[589:corsft]2.0.co;2 .
2. [Richard Owen|Owen, R.]
3. Redescription, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology of Coniasaurus crassidens Owen, 1850 (Squamata) from the Lower Chalk (Cretaceous; Cenomanian) of SE England . Caldwell M.W. & Cooper J.A. . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . 1999 . 127 . 4 . 423–452 . 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1999.tb01380.x. free .
4. Bardet. Nathalie. The Cenomanian-Turonian (late Cretaceous) radiation of marine squamates (Reptilia): the role of the Mediterranean Tethys. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 2008. 179. 6. 605–623. 10.2113/gssgfbull.179.6.605.
5. Squamate phylogeny and the relationships of snakes and mosasauroids . Caldwell M.A. . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . 1999 . 125 . 1 . 115–147 . 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1999.tb00587.x. free .