Eocyclotosaurus

E-o-cy-clot-o-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

Eocyclotosaurus ‭(‬dawn round eared lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

E-o-cy-clot-o-sore-us.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Amphibia,‭ ‬Temnospondyli,‭ ‬Mastodonsauroidea,‭ ‬Heylerosauridae.

Diet

Carnivore/Piscivore.

Species

E.‭ ‬woschmidti‭

Size

Skull‭ ‬22‭ ‬centimetres long,‭ ‬total body length about‭ ‬1‭ ‬meter long.

Known locations

England‭ ‬-‭ ‬Otter Sandstone Formation.‭ ‬USA,‭ ‬Arizona‭ ‬-‭ ‬Moenkopi Formation‭ (‬Holbrook Member‭)‬.

Time Period

Anisian of the Triassic.

Fossil representation

At least one skull.

In Depth

       Eocyclotosaurus is a genus of amphibian predator that lived in both North America and the‭ ‬British‭ ‬Isles during the early Triassic.‭ ‬With a long snout and a mouth full of sharp teeth,‭ ‬Eocyclotosaurus would have hunted for fish and small amphibians in the water.‭ ‬Eocyclotosaurus directly translates as‭ ‘‬dawn rounded eared lizard‭’‬,‭ ‬however this is also a reference to the similar genus Cyclotosaurus that lived later in the Triassic.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬The status and osteology of two new cyclotosaurid amphibians from the Upper Moenkopi Formation of Arizona‭ (‬Amphibia:‭ ‬Temnospondyli‭; ‬Middle Triassic‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Neues Jahrbuch f�r Geologie und Pal�ontologie Abhandlungen‭ ‬216‭(‬3‭)‬:387-411.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Schoch‭ ‬-‭ ‬2000.

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