Gephyrosaurus

‭ ‬Gef-er-o-sore-us.
By Liam Carter
Published on

Liam Carter

Paleoanthropologist

Liam Carter explores the roots of humanity by studying early human fossils and artifacts. His ground-breaking work has provided a deeper understanding of our ancestors' lifestyles and social structures.

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Carter, L. (2012, August 26). Gephyrosaurus. Prehistoric-wildlife. https://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/gephyrosaurus/

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Name

Gephyrosaurus.

Phonetic

‭ ‬Gef-er-o-sore-us.

Named By

Susan E.‭ ‬Evans‭ ‬-‭ ‬1980.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Rhynchocephalia,‭ ‬Gephyrosauridae.

Diet

Insectivore.

Species

G.‭ ‬bridensis‭

Size

Roughly up to‭ ‬20‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Wales.

Time Period

Hettangian to Pliensbachian of the Jurassic.

Fossil representation

Several individuals.

In Depth

       Gephyrosaurus is a genus of rhynchocephalian reptile,‭ ‬a kind similar to the tuatara from New Zealand.‭ ‬Gephyrosaurus was a small creature with numerous‭ ‬small pointed teeth in the mouth that were quite tightly packed together.‭ ‬These teeth might have been used for seizing small insects which are the main prey for the tuatara that we know today.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬The skull of a new eosuchian reptile from the Lower Jurassic of South Wales‭ ‬-‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society‭ ‬70:203-264‭ ‬-‭ ‬Susan E.‭ ‬Evans‭ ‬-‭ ‬1980. -‭ ‬The postcranial skeleton of the Lower Jurassic eosuchian Gephyrosaurus bridensis.‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society‭ ‬73:81‭–‬116‭ ‬-‭ ‬Susan E.‭ ‬Evans‭ ‬-‭ ‬1981. – Caudal autonomy in a lower Jurassic Eosuchian.‭ ‬Copeia‭ ‬1981:‭ ‬883-884.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Susan E.‭ ‬Evans‭ ‬-‭ ‬1981. -Madibular fracture and inferred behaviour of a fossil reptile.‭ ‬Copeia‭ ‬1983:‭ ‬845-847.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Susan E.‭ ‬Evans‭ ‬-‭ ‬1983. -‭ ‬Tooth replacement in the Lower Jurassic lepidosaur Gephyrosaurus bridensis.‭ ‬Neues Jahrbuch fuir Geologie und Paliontologie,‭ ‬Monatshefte‭ ‬7:411-420‭ ‬-‭ ‬Susan E.‭ ‬Evans‭ ‬-‭ ‬1985.

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