Was Tanystropheus a dinosaur?
Tanystropheus was a genus of the Prolacertiformes order, not the Dinosaur order. Tanystropheus was a piscivorous (or ‘fish-eating’). It lived during the Triassic period in Europe and the Middle East.
When was Tanystropheus discovered?
Era & Discovery Tanystropheus lived in Europe during the Triassic period, 247 – 208 million years ago. It shared the waters with predators like Nothosaurus and Cymbospondylus. Tanystropheus was first discovered by Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer sometime in 1852.
Was Tanystropheus aquatic?
The skulls had key features, including nostrils on top of the snout like a crocodile’s, that suggested Tanystropheus lived in the water. It probably lay in wait, waiting for fish and squid-like animals to swim by, and then snagged them with its long, curved teeth.
Is Tanystropheus a plesiosaur?
Some of these animals are very familiar: plesiosaurs. Some Plesiosaurs, members of the Plesiosauroidea, had ridiculously long necks. This trait was shared with the lesser known Triassic Tanystropheids, such as Tanystropheus longobardicus.
What era did Tanystropheus live in?
Tanystropheus lived 242 million years ago, during the middle Triassic. On land, dinosaurs were just starting to emerge, and the sea was ruled by giant reptiles.
What did Tanystropheus eat?
On land, Tanystropheus ate insects and small reptiles. In the water, it would gobble up fish and ammonites. Tanystropheus was not a fast swimmer so often walked along the seabed and used its long neck to get within range of prey without being noticed.
What period was the Tanystropheus in?
247.2 million years ago – 208.5 million years ago (Anisian – Norian)Tanystropheus / Lived
Can Tanystropheus drop its tail?
The tail of Tanystropheus was long and acted like that of modern lizards. If a predator caught it by the tail, the Tanystropheus can voluntarily drop its tail to create a diversion as it escapes. This was also useful for the predators as the tail could serve as a decent meal.
What does Tanystropheus look like?
“Tanystropheus looked like a stubby crocodile with a very, very long neck,” says Rieppel. The larger specimens were twenty feet long, with their necks making up ten feet of that length. Oddly for animals with such long necks, they only had thirteen neck vertebrae, just really elongated.
What is Tanystropheus related to?
Tanystropheus (Greek τανυ~ ‘long’ + στροφευς ‘hinged’) is an extinct 6-meter-long (20 ft) reptile that dates from the Middle to Late Triassic epochs….Tanystropheus.
| Tanystropheus Temporal range: late Olenekian? – early Carnian | |
|---|---|
| Family: | †Tanystropheidae |
| Genus: | †Tanystropheus Meyer, 1852 |
| Type species |
How many species of Tanystropheus lived during Triassic period?
A team of paleontologists from Switzerland, the United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom has determined that there were actually two separate species of Tanystropheus living during the Triassic Period, at least one of which was equipped to survive quite comfortably full-time in a marine environment.
What is Tanystropheus?
Tanystropheus is an extinct reptile which lived approximately 215 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period. It was first discovered during the 19th century by Francesco Bassani. One of the most interesting facts about Tanystropheus is that when Francesco Bassani first discovered it, he thought that it was a pterosaur.
What is the difference between Tanystropheus and Tribelesodon?
Tribelesodon, originally considered to be a pterosaur by Francesco Bassani in 1886, is now recognized as a junior synonym to Tanystropheus. The best-known species is Tanystropheus longobardicus. Other currently recognized species include T. conspicuus and T. meridensis.
Where are Tanystropheus fossils found?
Tanystropheus. Fossils have been found in Europe. Complete skeletons of juvenile individuals are most abundant in the Besano Formation of Italy; other fossils have been found in the Middle East and China, dating to 232 million years ago during the middle Triassic period ( Ladinian stage).