Vallesaurus

Val-le-sor-us.
Published on

Harper Gray

Paleoartist

Harper Grey combines artistic talent with scientific precision to bring extinct creatures and environments back to life. Collaborating closely with paleontologists

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Vallesaurus ‭(‬Valle’s lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Val-le-sor-us.

Named By

S.‭ ‬Renesto‭ & ‬G.‭ ‬Binelli‭ ‬-‭ ‬2006.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Protorosauria,‭ ‬Simiosauria

Diet

Insectivore‭?

Species

V.‭ ‬cenensis‭

Size

Roughly about‭ ‬15‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Italy‭ ‬-‭ ‬Zorzino Limestone Formation.

Time Period

Norian of the Triassic.

Fossil representation

Complete remains of more than one individual.

In Depth

       Vallesaurus is a genus of small drepanosaur that lived in Italy during the late Triassic.‭ ‬drepanosaurs were arboreal lizards with hands and claws adapted for holding onto branches,‭ ‬as well as tails which hooked downwards for further grip.‭ ‬In essence that lived in much the same way as modern day‭ ‬chamaeleons,‭ ‬though it is uncertain if Vallesaurus had an extensible tongue.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Vallesaurus cenensis Wild‭ ‬1991,‭ ‬a drepanosaurid‭ (‬Retilia,‭ ‬Diapsida‭) ‬from the Late Triassic of northern Italy.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia‭ ‬112:77-94.‭ ‬-‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Renesto‭ & ‬G.‭ ‬Binelli‭ ‬-‭ ‬2006. -‭ ‬The taxonomy and paleobiology of the Late Triassic‭ (‬Carnian-Norian:‭ ‬Adamanian-Apachean‭) ‬drepanosaurs‭ (‬Diapsida:‭ ‬Archosauromorpha:‭ ‬Drepanosauromorpha‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin‭ ‬46:‭ ‬1‭–‬81.‭ ‬-‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Renesto‭ & ‬G.‭ ‬Binelli‭ ‬-‭ ‬2010.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT