Kronosaurus queenslandicus - Prehistoric Marine Reptiles
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(Kron-o-sawr-us)
"lizard of Kronos"
Describer Longman, 1924
Also Known As --
Type of Species queenslandicus
Class Sauropsida
SuperOrder Sauropterygia
Order Plesiosauria
Family Pliosauridea
Size 32 feet (9 meters) long
Period Early Cretaceous Period, 130 million years ago
Fossilsite Australia
Diet Carnivore
Kronosaurus queenslandicus lived during the Early Cretaceous Period 130 million years ago in what is now Australia. Kronosaurus "lizard of Kronos" belongs to an extinct genus of short-necked pliosaur. It was named after the leader of the Greek Titans, Kronos.
It is estimated that Kronosaurus grew up to 43 feet (13 meters) in length, but recent studies suggest that the previous estimate was an exaggeration, a more accurate measurement is given of 32 feet (9 meters) in length. It was among the largest pliosaur.
Kronosaurus was almost as long as tyrannosaurus on land, nearly one quarter of its length wants its massive head. Its massive head had jobs holding rows of big, sharp teeth. The heads of Kronosaurus measured 9 feet ( 2.7 meters) long, while the skull of Tyrannosaurus is 6 feet ( 1.8 meters).
Kronosaurus live in shallow warm seas which cover parts of Australia during the Early Cretaceous Period. Kronosaurus was the King of the seas, the most feared predator of its time.
