''Pontosaurus'' is a now extinct

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of pythonomorph from the

Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the ...

period. It was originally named ''Hydrosaurus'', but that name was

preoccupied The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linn ...

by an

agamid Agamidae is a family of over 300 species of iguanian lizards indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Overview Phylogenetically, they may be sister to the ...

lizard, so it was renamed. It is known from two species, both Cenomanian in age, the type ''P. lesinensis'' which is known from

Hvar Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For'', el, Φάρος, Pharos, la, Pharia, it, Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately long, wi ...

in Croatia, the other ''P. kornhuberi'' is known from the

Sannine Formation The Sannine Formation, also called the Sannine Limestone, is a Cretaceous geologic formation in Lebanon. Description It is primarily Cenomanian in age. The formation laterally varies from east to west; the western lowland "coastal" sequence i ...

in Lebanon. Both species were relatively small. ''P. krohuberi'' reached in length and in body mass, while ''P. lesinensis'' reached in length and in body mass.

References

External links

Oceans of Kansas
Mosasaurs Extinct reptiles of New Zealand Mosasaurs of Asia Fossil taxa described in 1892 Taxa named by Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger {{paleo-lizard-stub

See also

References

External links