Table of Contents
When did the Nothosaurus go extinct?
Obi-Wan Finale – The Loop Nothosaurus (meaning false reptile) is an extinct genus of sauropterygian reptile from the Triassic period, approximately 240-210 million years ago, with fossils being distributed from North Africa and Europe to China.
Is a Nothosaurus a dinosaur?
In the middle of the Triassic Period, when the first dinosaurs were beginning to walk on land, the seas were home to a family of reptiles known as nothosaurs.
Where did Nothosaurus live?
Nothosaurus, (genus Nothosaurus), marine reptiles found as fossils from the Triassic Period (251 million to 200 million years ago) in southwestern and eastern Asia, North Africa, and especially Europe. Nothosaurus was characterized by a slender body, long neck and tail, and long limbs.
What did Nothosaurus eat?
Nothosaurus lived in warm shallow seas and rivers, so it would most likely eat animals like fish and crabs, it may also have eaten eggs, a Nothosaurus fossil was found with a Coelophysis hatchling in its stomach area implying that either Coelophysis babies were extremely careless or Nothosaurs ambushed young dinosaurs …
Why did the Nothosaurus go extinct?
This is due to the large scale mass extinction event that occured at the Triassic-Jurassic Period boundary, which killed off between a third and half of all life on Earth – the final nail in the coffin which saw the end of the older orders of reptiles having influence on the ecosystems on land and sea, and the …
When was the Nothosaurus discovered?
1834
Nothosaurus lived in the seas during the Middle to Late Triassic period, 240 – 210 million years ago. It shared the waters with other sea creatures like Tanystropheus and Cymbospondylus. Nothosaurus was first discovered in 1834. Fossils of them have been distributed from North Africa to Europe and even in China.
How did the mosasaurs go extinct?
What happened to Mosasaurs? The mosasaurs disappeared from the fossil record alongside non-avian dinosaurs 65.5 million years ago, after a giant asteroid crashed into Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Do Nothosaurus lay eggs?
As far as we know, all dinosaurs reproduced by laying eggs, as do most other sauropsids (reptiles). It is very difficult to determine what species of dinosaur laid the eggs that have been discovered, because only a few dinosaur embryos have been found inside the fossil eggs.
How big is a Nothosaurus?
16 – 23 ft.Nothosaurus / Length
How much did a Nothosaurus weigh?
Nothosaurus was a medium-sized marine reptile, measuring about 10 – 13 feet (3 – 4 m) in length and weighed 180 – 330 lbs.
Why did Coelophysis go extinct?
The rains stopped and hundreds of carcasses of Coelophysis, the nimble predator of the Late Triassic, settled into the mud. Some skeletons were complete, some were torn apart, but all went to the bottom of the stream.
Was the Coelophysis a meat eater?
Coelophysis was a small, nimble, birdlike carnivore that darted after its prey in riverside forests 225 million years ago. Its hollow bones and slender frame suggest that this dinosaur was built for speed.
What type of animal is a Nothosaurus?
Nothosaurus (“false lizard”, from the Ancient Greek nothos ( νόθος ), “illegitimate”, and sauros ( σαῦρος ), “lizard”) is an extinct genus of sauropterygian reptile from the Triassic period, approximately 240–210 million years ago, with fossils being distributed from North Africa and Europe to China.
What did the nothosaurs evolve into?
It is thought that one branch of the nothosaurs may have evolved into pliosaurs such as Liopleurodon, a short-necked plesiosaur that grew up to 6.4 metres (21 ft), and the long-necked Cryptoclidus, a fish eater with a neck as long as 1.3 metres (4.3 ft). There are nearly a dozen known species of Nothosaurus.
How did the Nothosaurus capture its prey?
It most likely relied on the element of surprise to capture its prey. After feeding in water, the Nothosaurus most probably retreated back to land much like modern pinnipeds. While on land, it had to be wary of theropod dinosaurs. The habitat of the Nothosaurus consisted of sea shores and shallow waters.
What is the best known member of the nothosaur order?
It is the best known member of the nothosaur order. Nothosaurus was a semi- oceanic animal which probably had a lifestyle similar to that of today’s seals. It was about 4 metres (13 ft), with long, webbed toes and possibly a fin on its tail. However, some species such as N. zhangi and N. giganteus were larger, up to 5–7 metres (16–23 ft).