Several artificial backbones were added to the vertebral column, increasing the length of the specimen to The articulated skeleton represents the most complete specimen of Kronosaurus queenslandicus on display in Australia.
Hacon noticed parts of the mandibles lying on the ground while he was poisoning prickly acacia. He uncovered the rest of the specimen by scraping away layers of soil with a loader. The specimen is on display at Kronosaurus Korner along with several other Kronosaurus specimens.
Left to right: Mr Robert Hacon discovering parts of the Euraba Kronosaurus ; uncovering more of the specimen with a loader; and sitting with the specimen at Kronosaurus Korner. Most specimens of Kronosaurus queenslandicus have been discovered from units within the Rolling Downs Group of Outback Queensland.
Dr Ralph Molnar suggested that Kronosaurus material from the Doncaster Member circa million years ago could represent a different species to specimens from the Toolebuc Formation circa million years ago. However, Dr Colin McHenry suggested that taphonomy could be responsible for differences between these specimens.
Based on research by Dr Colin McHenry, Kronosaurus queenslandicus was a relatively large pliosaur, measuring approximately metres in length and weighing 11, kilograms. In comparison to other thalassophonean pliosaurs, it would have been surpassed in size by some species of Pliosaurus.
Typical of other thalassophoneans, Kronosaurus has a large head with elongate jaws. The largest recorded Kronosaurus skull measures 2. Estimated bite forces for the skull of Kronosaurus arestimated to be rces for the skull of Kronosaurus some form of small fin. The teeth of Kronosaurus are anisodont — being uneven in shape and size throughout the jaws. Enormous fang-like teeth within the maxilla can measure up to 30 cm from the crown tips to the bottom of the roots. Teeth are mostly conical cone-like in shape, although some specimens are slightly recurved towards the tip.
The surfaces lack carinae sharp edges and are covered around the circumference by prominent longitudinal ridges. Some Kronosaurus teeth exhibit wear from feeding on hard objects or rubbing against other teeth. The neck of Kronosaurus is short but was relatively flexible, perhaps an adaptation for hunting small evasive prey. The compact body is fusiform, being tapered towards both ends and streamlined in shape. Gastralia abdominal ribs supporting the stomach would have kept the body firm. It is unknown whether the relatively small tail had some form of small fin as postulated for some plesiosaurs.
The skeleton on display at the MCZ nicknamed ' Plasterosaurus ' is one-third plaster, and liberties have been taken in reconstructing its size. The reconstructed skeleton, although impressive, is The modeled skeleton took almost thirty years to produce, the original bones having been discovered in Plesiosauria pliosaurs and plesiosaurs were secondarily marine tetrapods that evolved from a group of terrestrial sauropterygian reptiles during the latest Triassic.
Both pliosaurs and plesiosaurs survived until the Late Cretaceous, becoming extinct at the end of the era in the end-Cretaceous extinction event. Relationships of Kronosaurus are debated, as are the relationships of pliosaurs in general. The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.
Image credit: gadigal yilimung shield made by Uncle Charles Chicka Madden. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more. Skip to main content Skip to acknowledgement of country Skip to footer Kronosaurus queenslandicus, from the Early Cretaceous of Queensland, was the largest known pliosaurid. Introduction Kronosaurus queenslandicus , from the Early Cretaceous of Queensland, was the largest known pliosaurid.
Identification Plesiosaurs pliosaurids and elasmosaurids were secondarily marine tetrapods that evolved from a group of terrestrial sauropterygian reptiles during the latest Triassic. Habitat Kronosaurus lived in the cool, high-latitude Eromanga Sea - an inland sea that covered vast areas of inland Australia from million years ago Aptian-Albian-Cenomanian. Distribution Kronosaurus queenslandicus was found at Army Downs near Hughenden in north-central Queensland. Life history cycle Plesiosaurs propelled themselves through the water using lift-based appendicular locomotion, as in birds, sea lions and sea turtles.
Fossils description Kronosaurus queenslandicus was named in from a jaw fragment with six teeth found near Hughenden, north-central Queensland. Evolutionary relationships Plesiosauria pliosaurs and plesiosaurs were secondarily marine tetrapods that evolved from a group of terrestrial sauropterygian reptiles during the latest Triassic.
References Hampe, O. Ein grosswuechsiger pliosauride Reptilia, Plesiosauria aus der Unterkreide oberes Aptium von Kolumbien. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg , Longman, H. A new gigantic marine reptile from the Queensland Cretaceous, Kronosaurus queenslandicus new genus and species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 8, Kronosaurus queenslandicus.
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