In what habitats did Thallatosaurs live?

Thalattosauroids lived along the coasts of both Panthalassa and the Tethys Ocean, and were most diverse in China and western North America. The largest species of thalattosaurs grew to over 4 meters (13 feet) in length, including a long, flattened tail utilized in underwater propulsion.

Is a Thalattosaur a dinosaur?

Thalattosaurs were marine reptiles that lived more than 200 million years ago, during the mid to late Triassic Period, when their distant relatives — dinosaurs — were first emerging. They grew to lengths of up to 3-4 meters and lived in equatorial oceans worldwide until they died out near the end of the Triassic.

Are marine reptiles dinosaurs?

Marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs are not dinosaurs. Nor is Dimetrodon or other reptiles in the same group (previously called ‘mammal-like reptiles’ and now called synapsids). It was a different kind of extinct reptile and lived even longer ago than dinosaurs.

Are ichthyosaurs Diapsids?

Ichthyosaurs are superficially dolphin-like reptiles that were important marine predators from the Triassic Period through the middle of the Cretaceous Period. For now, paleontologists think that ichthyosaurs are diapsids, but exactly where they fit in the diapsid tree is not yet known.

How big was the tail of a thalattosaur?

Jump to navigation Jump to search. Thalattosaurs (meaning “ocean lizards”) are a group of prehistoric marine reptiles that lived during the mid-late Triassic period. Some species of thalattosaur grew to over 4 metres (13 feet) in length, including a long, flattened tail used in underwater propulsion.

What kind of animal is a Thalattosaurus?

Thalattosaurus (pron.:”tha-la-to-SORE-us”) meaning “ocean lizard” is an extinct genus of marine reptile in the family Thalattosauridae. They were aquatic diapsids that are known exclusively from the Triassic period.

How big was thalattosaur that ichthyosaur ate?

And its belly contained the remains of a lizardlike reptile called a thalattosaur that was almost as long: 4 meters. This is the longest known prey of a marine reptile from the dinosaur age, and may be the oldest direct evidence of a marine reptile eating an animal larger than a human, researchers report August 20 in iScience.

Where did the largest thalattosauroids live in the world?

Thalattosauroids lived along the coasts of both Panthalassa and the Tethys Ocean, and were most diverse in China and western North America. The largest species of thalattosaurs grew to over 4 meters (13 feet) in length, including a long, flattened tail utilized in underwater propulsion.