Tasmaniosaurus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tasmaniosaurus Fossil range: Early Triassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Subclass: Diapsida Infraclass: Archosauromorpha (unranked) Archosauriformes Family: Proterosuchidae Genus: Tasmaniosaurus Camp and Banks, 1978 Species: T. triassicus Camp and Banks, 1978

Tasmaniosaurus triassicus ('Triassic lizard from Tasmania', Camp and Banks 1978) is an archosaur of the family Proterosuchidae, known from the Knocklofty Formation (Early Triassic) of West Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is Australia's most complete reptile fossil; the entire skeleton has been preserved.

Tasmaniosaurus was about 1 metre long, and similar in appearance to the proterosuchid Chasmatosaurus from Africa and China, which may be its closest relative (Thulborn 1979). It is however distinguished from other proterosuchids by the presence of an interclavicle, which other members had lost.The premaxilla is slightly curved. The teeth are sharp. It may have fed, amongst other creatures, on labyrinthodonts, as remains of these amphibians are associated with the skeleton. It is surmised that many proterosuchids lived an amphibious, predatory life like crocodiles today. Tasmaniosaurus had no dermal scutes. Tasmaniosaurus is one of the earliest reptiles known to have lived in Australia. Another proterosuchid, Kalisuchus rewanensis, is known from the Early Triassic of Queensland, Australia.

[edit] References

Long, J.A., Dinosaurs of Australia and New Zealand, UNSW Press 1998