What did Tanystropheus eat?

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).

How many vertebrae are in Tanystropheus?

By far the most recognizable feature of Tanystropheus is its hyperelongate neck, equivalent to the combined length of the body and tail. The neck was composed of 12–13 hyperelongate cervical vertebrae. Cervical elongation reached its peak with cervical vertebra 9, which was ten times longer than it was tall.

What is a Tanystropheus?

Tanystropheus (Greek τανυ ~ ‘long’ + στροφευς ‘hinged’) is an extinct 6-meter-long (20 ft) reptile that dates from the Middle to Late Triassic epochs. It is recognizable by its extremely elongated neck, which measured 3 m (9.8 ft) long—longer than its body and tail combined.

What did Tanystropheus eat?

The diet of Tanystropheus has been controversial in the past, although most recent studies consider it a piscivorous (fish-eating) reptile. The teeth at the front of the narrow snout were long, conical, and interlocking, similar to those of nothosaurs and plesiosaurs. This was likely an adaptation for catching aquatic prey.

Were Tanystropheus water-dwelling reptiles?

Scientists digitally reconstructed the crushed skulls of Tanystropheus fossils, which revealed evidence that these reptiles were water-dwelling. (CNN) For more than a hundred years, the fossil of the Tanystropheus has puzzled scientists.

How did Tanystropheus get its name?

In 1886, he gave it its name – a name which means “long necked one.” One of the most interesting facts about Tanystropheus is that when Francesco Bassani first discovered it, he thought that it was a pterosaur.

Was Tanystropheus the only prolacertiform in the Triassic sea?

Tanystropheus was not the only the only prolacertiform in Triassic seas. In China his fossils were found among those of Dinocephalosaurus, a protorosaur practically similar to Tanystropheus, only slightly smaller. Cosesaurus had shorter neck than Tanystropheus’s but still was an effective predator.

Why is the Tanystropheus neck bone so weird?

Part of its oddness is the shape of the neck bones. Unlike those in a snake or lizard, the cervical vertebrae in Tanystropheus fossils are stretched out like a giraffe’s. In fact, when its remains were first uncovered in 1852, the scattered bones were assumed to be the elongated wing bones of a flying 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.

What is a Tanystropheus neck?

Tanystropheus (Greek τανυ~ “long” + στροφευς “hinged”), was a 6-meter-long (20 ft) reptile that dated from the Middle Triassic period. It is recognizable by its extremely elongated neck, which measured 3 m (9.8 ft) long—longer than its body and tail combined. The neck was composed of 12–13 extremely elongated vertebrae.

Is Tanystropheus a reptile?

Updated May 30, 2019. Tanystropheus is one of those marine reptiles (technically an archosaur) that looked like it came straight out of a cartoon: its body was relatively unremarkable and lizard-like, but its long, narrow neck extended out for a disproportionate length of 10 feet, about as long as the rest of its trunk and tail.

How did Tanystropheus adapt to its environment?

Tanystropheus may have become adapted to plucking arboreal reptiles out of trees. Smaller ones might have fed on tree-clinging insects, as their cusped teeth indicate. Height may have been key during fights for mating privileges and territory. If taller ones were more successful, their genes would be passed on.

How did the Tanystropheus get its tail detached?

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. Like some lizards alive today, its tail could detach if seized by a predator, to allow an escape.

What kind of animal is Tanystropheus?

Tanystropheus was a piscivorous (or ‘fish-eating’). It lived during the Triassic period in Europe and the Middle East. It had an extremely elongated neck, which measured 3 meters (10 feet) long – longer than its body and tail combined. Its skull had a long, narrow snout sporting sharp interlocking teeth.

How many quarters of Tanystropheus’body length was its neck?

Three quarters of Tanystropheus’ body length was its neck and tail. If its neck had been any longer its head might have snapped off. Tanystropheus lived in shallow waters but came ashore too.

When did Tanystropheus live?

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 was the neck of Tanystropheus like?

And their necks were rather inflexible, reinforced with extra bones called cervical ribs. In the same region where many of the big Tanystropheus fossils were found, in what’s now Switzerland, there were also fossils from similar-looking animals that were only about four feet long.

What adaptations did Tanystropheus have for life in water?

Nostrils located on the top of the snout and curved teeth, perfectly adapted for catching slippery prey: The skull of Tanystropheus has several clear adaptations for life in water. Credit: Emma Finley-Jacob A fossil called Tanystropheus was first described in 1852, and it’s been puzzling scientists ever since.

Why is it called Tanystropheus Hydroides?

The researchers named the larger one Tanystropheus hydroides, after the long-necked hydras in Greek mythology. The small form bears the original name Tanystropheus longobardicus. An illustration showing Tanystropheus hydroides hunting.

What is the history of the Tanystropheus?

Tanystropheus is an extinct reptile which lived approximately 215 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period. It was first discovered during the 19 th century by Francesco Bassani. In 1886, he gave it its name – a name which means “long necked one.”

What is another name for Tanystropheus longobardicus?

T. biharicus Jurcsák, 1975 (synonym of T. longobardicus ?) Tanystropheus (Greek τανυ ~ ‘long’ + στροφευς ‘hinged’) is an extinct 6-meter-long (20 ft) reptile that dates from the Middle to Late Triassic epochs.

Is Tanystropheus antiquus a valid species?

T. antiquus is currently considered one of the few valid species of Tanystropheus. As the Gogolin Formation is upper Olenekian to lower Anisian in age, T. antiquus fossils are likely the oldest in the genus. Specimens likely referable to T. antiquus are also known from Germany and The Netherlands.

What is the difference between Tanystropheus and Cosesaurus?

In China his fossils were found among those of Dinocephalosaurus, a protorosaur practically similar to Tanystropheus, only slightly smaller. Cosesaurus had shorter neck than Tanystropheus’s but still was an effective predator. Most of prolaceriformes were relatively similar to each other by having a long neck, small head and shortened tail.

What kind of turtle has a snake like neck?

Eastern Long-necked Turtle Latin name: Chelodina longicollis Unique weird feature: Snake-like neck that pulls into the body sideways Where they’re found: South and eastern Australia Size: Length: 10 inches Diet: Insects, worms, tadpoles, frogs, small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks

Why do snakes have two heads?

Each head has its own brain, and each brain can control the shared body. As a result, these animals have unusual movements as both heads try to control the body and go in their own direction. One snake head will sometimes attack the other as they fight over food.