Champsosaurus

Champsosaurus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous to Eocene
Champsosaurus laramiensis skeleton
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Choristodera
Family:	Champsosauridae
Genus:	Champsosaurus Cope, 1877
Species
C. profundus (type) C. albertensis C. annectens C. australis C. brevicollis C. gigas C. laramiensis C. lindoei C. natator C. tenuis C. vaccinsulensis

restoration of Champsosaurus

Champsosaurus laramiensis skull

Champsosaurus natator skeleton

Champsosaurus is an extinct genus of diapsid reptile belonging to the order Choristodera. It grew to about 1.50 m (5 ft) long.

Champsosaurus resembled a gharial and, like gharials, hunted in rivers and swamps, catching fish with its long, tooth-lined jaws. It probably swam with lateral body movements, pinning its limbs against its body to increase its streamline, just like crocodiles and the Marine Iguana. Behind the eyes Champsosaurus's skull was very wide as powerful jaw muscles were attached here.

Its name means "crocodile lizard"; "Champso-" was taken from an Ancient Greek author's statement that "The Egyptians call the crocodiles χαμψαι [champsae]."

Its fossils have been found in North America (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming) and Europe (Belgium and France), dating from the Upper Cretaceous to the mid Eocene.

Neonate sized Champsosaurus have been documented in the scientific literature.

References

• D.Lambert, D.Naish and E.Wyse 2001, "Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and prehistoric life", p. 77, Dorling Kindersley Limited, London. ISBN 0-7513-0955-9
• Lehman, T.M., and Barnes, K., 2010, Champsosaurus (Diapsida: Choristodera) from the Paleocene of West Texas: paleoclimatic implications: Journal of Paleontology, v. 84, p. 341-345. Retrieved 20 September, 2010.
• Tanke, D.H. and Brett-Surman, M.K. 2001. Evidence of Hatchling and Nestling-Size Hadrosaurs (Reptilia:Ornithischia) from Dinosaur Provincial Park (Dinosaur Park Formation: Campanian), Alberta, Canada. pp. 206-218. In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life—New Research Inspired by the Paleontology of Philip J. Currie. Edited by D.H. Tanke and K. Carpenter. Indiana University Press: Bloomington. xviii + 577 pp.