In Depth
Teleidosaurus is a genus of primitive form thalatosuchian marine crocodile. Originally named as a species of Teleosaurus, Teleidosaurus was established as a distinct genus in 1869, and was considered to possibly be one of the oldest marine crocodiles until 2015 when the genus Zoneait was named. As a metriorhynchoid, Teleidosaurus would have been a marine crocodile, actively hunting in shallow sea waters, though the genus was still considerably more primitive than actual metriorhynchids which evolved much better adaptations for open ocean life.
Two former species of Teleidosaurus, T. bathonicus and T. gaudryi have been used to create the genus Eoneustes. In addition one remaining species, T. joberti, has been considered by some to be synonymous with the type species T. calvadosii, though some authors continue to separate them at the time of writing.
Further Reading
- Description d’une esp�ce in�dite de T�l�osaure des environs de Caen, le Teleosaurus calvadosii. Bulletin Society Linnean Normandie 2 (1): 112-118. - 1866. - Notice sur les animaux fossiles de la famille des T�l�osauriens recueillis en Normandie. M�moires Academy Imperial Sciiences et Arts et Belles-Lettres: 31-80. – Jacques Amand Eudes-Deslongchamps - 1869. - The evolution of Metriorhynchoidea (Mesoeucrocodylia, Thalattosuchia): an integrated approach using geometrics morphometrics, analysis of disparity and biomechanics. - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158 (4): 801–859. - Mark T. Young, Stephen L. Brusatte, Marcello Ruta & Marco Brandalise de Andrade - 2010.
