Komensaurus

Ko-men-sore-us.
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Maeve Foster

Paleoclimatologist

Maeve Foster explores the Earth's climatic past to understand the forces that shaped life on our planet. Her research into ancient climate events provides valuable context for current environmental challenges.

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Name

Komensaurus ‭(‬Komen lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ko-men-sore-us.

Named By

M.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Caldwell‭ & ‬A.‭ ‬Palci‭ ‬-‭ ‬2007.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Squamata,‭ ‬Mosasauroidea.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

K.‭ ‬carrolli‭

Size

Approximately‭ ‬1‭ ‬meter long.

Known locations

Slovenia,‭ ‬Komen.

Time Period

Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial skull and post cranial skeleton.

In Depth

       Komensaurus was a basal mosasaur that was similar to other primitive forms such as Dallasaurus and Vallecillosaurus which are currently known from North America.‭ ‬Together these mosasaurs show that while they were primitive in form,‭ ‬the first mosasaurs were still capable of crossing wide expanses of ocean to spread out into new locations.

Further Reading

– A new basal mosasauroid from the Cenomanian (U. Cretaceous) of Slovenia with a review of mosasauroid phylogeny and evolution. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(4):863-880. – M. W. Caldwell & A. Palci – 2007.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT