Champsosaurus

E364214

Champsosaurus was a long-snouted, semi-aquatic reptile from the Late Cretaceous and early Paleogene that resembled a modern gharial and belonged to the extinct group Choristodera.

All labels observed (6)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf choristodere
extinct reptile genus
bodyLength up to about 3 meters
class Reptilia
describedBy Edward Drinker Cope
describedInYear 1876
diet piscivorous
ecologicalRole aquatic predator
extinctionStatus extinct
eyePlacement dorsally positioned eyes
family Champsosauridae
linked to: Champsosaurus
feedingHabits fish-eating
fossilsFoundIn Canada
France
United Kingdom
United States
foundIn Europe
North America
geologicalFormation Hell Creek Formation
Lance Formation
habitat freshwater rivers and lakes
jawAdaptation adapted for rapid sideways snapping
kingdom Animalia
lifestyle semi-aquatic
livedDuring Early Eocene
Maastrichtian
Paleocene
locomotion swimming with tail propulsion
nameEtymology derived from Greek for "crocodile lizard"
nostrilPlacement terminal or near-terminal nares on snout
notableSpecies Champsosaurus gigas
linked to: Champsosaurus

Champsosaurus laramiensis
linked to: Champsosaurus

Champsosaurus lindoei
linked to: Champsosaurus

Champsosaurus natator
linked to: Champsosaurus
order Choristodera
phylum Chordata
reproductiveBiology likely oviparous
resembles gharial
scientificName Champsosaurus
skeletonPreservation often known from skulls and vertebrae
skullMorphology elongate narrow skull
snoutShape long and narrow
survivedEvent Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event
tailMorphology laterally compressed tail
taxonRank genus
temporalRangeEnd Paleogene
temporalRangeStart Late Cretaceous
toothType numerous small conical teeth
typeSpecies Champsosaurus natator
linked to: Champsosaurus

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Hell Creek Formation containsFossil Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus family Champsosauridae
linked to: Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus typeSpecies Champsosaurus natator
linked to: Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus notableSpecies Champsosaurus natator
linked to: Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus notableSpecies Champsosaurus laramiensis
linked to: Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus notableSpecies Champsosaurus gigas
linked to: Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus notableSpecies Champsosaurus lindoei
linked to: Champsosaurus
Champsosaurus scientificName Champsosaurus