Paleopedia Wiki
Advertisement


Besanosaurus
Bonadonna3

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Reptilia

Order:

†Ichthyosauria

Family:

†Shastasauridae

Genus:

†Besanosaurus

Species:

†B. leptorhyncus (type)

Besanosaurus was a genus of Ichthyosaur from the Triassic Period.

Description[]

Besanosaurus was a medium sized ichthyosaur measuring 6 meters (19 feet) in length. Its body was a similar in shape to that of a dolphin. Besanosaurus had a long, thin snout, and relatively small teeth. Like other Shastasaurids, Besanosaurus lacked the dorsal fin found in more advanced ichthyosaurs. It had a straight tail and therefore, would have swam with an eel-like motion at moderate speeds through the Triassic seas.

Diet[]

Like all ichthyosaurs, Besanosaurus was carnivorous, preying on cephalopods and small fish.

800px-Besanosaurus

Besanosaurus fossil

Advertisement