Diphydontosaurus

Diphydontosaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fossil
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryotes
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Diapsida
Infraclass:	Lepidosauria
Order:	Sphenodontia
Family:	Gephyrosauridae †
Genus:	Diphydontosaurus †
Species
D. avonis † (type) Whiteside, 1986[1]

Diphydontosaurus was a sphenodontian reptile from the Late Triassic of England (UK). This small animal was related to the living tuatara, which survives on the island of New Zealand. Diphydontosaurus may have hunted and eaten insects in the crevices of ancient caves. It may have grown to a length of 4 inches (10 centimeters).^[2]

References

1. ^ http://paleobackup.nceas.ucsb.edu:8090/cgi-bin/bridge.pl
2. ^ http://dipbsf.uninsubria.it/paleo/diphydontosaurus.htm

• Whiteside DI. 1986. The head skeleton of the Rhaetian sphenodontid Diphydontosaurus avonis gen. et sp. nov., and the modernising of a living fossil. Phil Trans R Soc London B312:379–430
• Jones MEH. 2008. Skull shape and feeding strategy in Sphenodon and other Rhynchocephalia (Diapsida: Lepidosauria). Journal of Morphology. 269: 945–966. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10634
• Whiteside DI, Marshall JEA. 2008. The age, fauna and palaeoenvironment of the Late Triassic fissure deposits of Tytherington, South Gloucestershire, UK. Geological Magazine 145:105–147. DOI: 10.1017/S0016756807003925

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