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Tuarangisaurus
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Tuarangisaurus

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Tuarangisaurus ( "ancient" + "lizard") is an extinct genus of elasmosaurid known from New Zealand. The type and only known species is Tuarangisaurus keyesi, named by "Pont" Wiffen, Joan Wiffen and Bill Moisley in 1986. The specific name honours Ian W. Keyes of the New Zealand Geological Survey.

Wikidata facts

Image
Aristonectine (formerly Tuarangisaurus cabazai).jpg
Length
8
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taxon name
Tuarangisaurus
Commons category
Tuarangisaurus
start time
78000000-0
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Article

5 sections
Contents
  • Discovery
  • Description
  • Classification
  • See also
  • References

Tuarangisaurus ( "ancient" + "lizard") is an extinct genus of elasmosaurid known from New Zealand. The type and only known species is Tuarangisaurus keyesi, named by "Pont" Wiffen, Joan Wiffen and Bill Moisley in 1986. The specific name honours Ian W. Keyes of the New Zealand Geological Survey.

==Discovery== thumb|Restored skeleton of T. cabazai (now considered as an indeterminate aristonectine) Tuarangisaurus is known from the holotype NZGS CD425, a nearly complete skull and mandible, and from NZGS CD426, rear skull elements and nine anterior-most cervical vertebrae from the same individual. Some postcranial remains of juveniles were also provisionally attributed to Tuarangisaurus, with one specimen (NZGS CD427) containing at least thirty gastroliths. It was on 20 March 1978 collected by amateur paleontologists from the Maungataniwha Sandstone Member of the Tahora Formation, dating to the upper Campanian to lower Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous.

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