Carsosaurus

Car-soe-sore-us.
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Nisha Yadav

Physicist

Nisha Yadav is a dedicated physicist whose work bridges the gap between physics and paleontology. With a deep interest in the processes that preserve ancient life, she explores how physical principles govern fossilization and the preservation of extinct species.

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Name

Carsosaurus.

Phonetic

Car-soe-sore-us.

Named By

Kornhuber‭ ‬-‭ ‬1893.‭

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Squamata,‭ ‬Lacertilia,‭ ‬Aigialosauridae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

C.‭ ‬marchesetti

Size

Around‭ ‬1.5‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Slovenia.

Time Period

Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Well preserved remains,‭ ‬including a pregnant female.

In Depth

       Carsosaurus was large for and aigialosaurid,‭ ‬but the claim to fame for this reptile was the‭ ‬2001‭ ‬discovery of four juveniles inside the body of an adult.‭ ‬The high degree of preservation in the juveniles as well as‭ ‬their location strongly suggests that these juveniles were actually offspring waiting to be born,‭ ‬and not a case of cannibalism on the part of the adult.‭ ‬This has implications for other closely related reptiles,‭ ‬some of which went on to become the mosasaurs,‭ ‬large marine reptiles such as Globidens,‭ ‬Platecarpus and Tylosaurus that would become key animals in late Cretaceous oceans.‭ ‬Although reptiles are usually described as being egg laying animals,‭ ‬live birth is well documented in some living species today,‭ ‬and is very likely to have occurred in the past given the wide expanse of reptiles living in ancient times.

Further Reading

– The pectoral girdle and front limb of Carsosaurus marchesetti (Aigialosauridae), with a preliminary phylogenetic analysis of varanoids and mosasauroids. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology – M. W. Caldwell, R. L. Carroll & H. Kaiser – 1995.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT