In Depth
Originally described as a species of the polycotylid plesiosaur Trinacomerum, T. lafquenianum was later re-described as a distinct genus of short necked elasmosaurid plesiosaur. Kawanectes is similar to the larger Vegasaurus. Because the bones in Kawanectes have complete fusion in them, we can tell that Kawanectes was fully grown at the time of death, and thus cannot be the younger form of Vegasaurus.
Further Reading
- A small body sized non-aristonectine elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia with comments on the relationships of the patagonian and antarctic elasmosaurids. - Ameghiniana 53(3):245-268. - J. P. O’Gorman - 2016.
