Concavispina
Name:
Concavispina
(Concave spine).
Phonetic: Kon-kah-ve-spy-nah.
Named By: Zhao Li-Jun, Liu Jun, Li Chun
& He Tao - 2013.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Thalattosauria,Thalattosauroidea.
Species: C. biseridens
(type).
Diet: Carnivore/Piscivore.
Size: 3.64 meters long for the holotype.
Known locations: China, Guizhou Province -
Xiaowa Formation.
Time period: Carnian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: One individual that is
represented by a skull and almost complete post cranial skeleton.
Like
all
other thalattosaurs,
Concavispina was a
quadrupedal marine reptile
that lived on coastlines and hunted in the ocean for its food.
Propulsion in the water was provided by undulating its laterally
compressed tail in a side to side motion rather than relying upon
paddling with the limbs. Concavispina is noted
for having broad
teeth in the front portion of its mouth, while pointed teeth at the
rear, suggesting a specialisation in softer prey like, jellyfish,
cephalopods and fish.
With
a confirmed length of
over three and a half meters long, Concavispina
is one of the largest
thalattosaurs so far discovered. At the time of its description,
the only thalattosaur that may be larger than Concavispina
is
Miodentosaurus.
Concavispina is thought to be closely related to
the
thalattosaur Xinpusaurus
(both have a maxilla that curves upwards
towards the front), though the latter has a better developed tail
for swimming than Concavispina.
Further reading
- A new thalattosaur, Concavispina biseridens
gen. et sp. nov.
from Guanling, Guizhou, China, - Zhao Li-Jun, Liu Jun, Li
Chun & He Tao - 2013.
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