Californosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CalifornosaurusTemporal range: Upper Triassic, 216–218 mya
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| Californosaurus perrini | |
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Shastasauridae
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Californosaurus
Kuhn, 1934
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Californosaurus was an ancient marine reptile called an ichthyosaur. It lived a very long time ago, during the Triassic period. Imagine a creature that looked a bit like a dolphin, but was actually a reptile! Californosaurus swam in the oceans that once covered what is now California.
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What Was Californosaurus?
Californosaurus was a type of ichthyosaur, which means "fish lizard." These were large, extinct reptiles that lived only in the water. They were not dinosaurs, but they lived around the same time. Californosaurus grew to be about 10 feet (3 meters) long. That's about the length of a small car!
How Did It Look and Live?
Californosaurus had a body shaped a lot like a modern dolphin. It had four flippers that helped it swim through the water. Its jaws were long and pointed, filled with sharp teeth. These teeth were perfect for catching its favorite foods: fish and other small sea creatures.
Like other ichthyosaurs, Californosaurus probably never came onto dry land. It spent its whole life in the ocean. Scientists believe it gave birth to live young directly in the water, just like dolphins and whales do today.
Its Unique Features
Californosaurus is known as one of the earliest "true" ichthyosaurs. This means it had many features that became common in later ichthyosaurs. For example, its head was small compared to its body. It also had a long snout, similar to other early ichthyosaurs like Mixosaurus.
A special feature of Californosaurus was its tail. It turned sharply downwards, which is something seen in more developed ichthyosaurs. This downward turn helped support a small vertical tail fin. It might have also had a small fin on its back, called a dorsal fin. These features helped it swim fast and hunt in the ancient seas.
Images for kids
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Size comparison
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Life reconstruction
See also
In Spanish: Californosaurus para niños
