Kronosaurus (Longman, 1924)

Classification

Sauropterygia > Eosauropterygia > Eusauropterygia > Pistosauroidea > Plesiosauria > Pliosauroidea > Pliosauridae or Brachaucheniidae

Kronosaurus queenslandicus (Longman, 1924) (Type species)

Material

Type is in the Queensland Museum (unspecified). Referred material includes the famous Harvard skeleton MCZ 1285 - an incomplete skeleton; and MCZ 1284, a rostrum with teeth.

Distribution

Albian (Lower Cretaceous); 'Army Downs', the Hughenden district (north of Richmond), Queensland, Australia

Images

Kronosaurus queenslandicus skeleton on display in the Museum of Comparitive Zoology (MCZ 1285) (photo courtecy of H. E. Rivera).

Kronosaurus boyacensis (Hampe, 1992)

Distribution

Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Boyaca region, Northern Colombia

Discussion

Due to its large size, Kronosaurus is one of the most famous plesiosaurs. The iconic Harvard skeleton is nicknamed 'plasterosaurus' because much of it is reconstructed in plaster - in fact the specimen is 1/3 plaster and has at least seven too many vertebrae in the dorsal region. As mounted the specimen measures 42 feet (12.8m), but in life this was probably far less. Kronosaurus was named after Kronos who according to Greek mythology swallowed his five children as they were born.