Karongasaurus
Name:
Karongasaurus
(Karonga lizard).
Phonetic: Ka-rong-ah-sore-us.
Named By: Elizabeth M Gomani - 2005.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Saurischia, Sauropoda, Titanosauria.
Species: K. gittelmani
(type).
Diet: Herbivore.
Size: Unknown due to incomplete remains.
Known locations: Malawi - Dinosaur Beds
Formation.
Time period: Aptian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Partial mandible (lower
jaw) and teeth.
Although
named from only partial remains, Karongasaurus is
truly a dinosaur
genus of the information age since its description was the first to be
published solely online. The genus name Karongasaurus
is in reference
to the Karonga district of Malawi combined with the Ancient Greek for
‘lizard’. The species name is in honour of Steve Gittelman.
The
mandible that makes up the holotype (Mal-175) hints that the skull
of Karongasaurus would have been quite long.
There has been past
speculation that this mandible may actually be from a juvenile of
another genus of called Malawisaurus,
another sauropod
that has been
named from the same formation as Karongasaurus.
However Malawisaurus
has a skull that is proportionately quite short, so unless it is
proven that the mandible of Karongasaurus is from
something like a
juvenile Malawisaurus, which had yet to change
into adult form, the
two genera are likely to remain regarded as separate.
Further reading
- Sauropod Dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of Malawi, Africa,
Elizabeth M Gomani - 2005.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Random favourites
 |
 |
 |