Habrosaurus
Encyclopedia
Habrosaurus is an extinct genus
of prehistoric salamander
, and the oldest known member of the family Sirenidae. Two species are known, Habrosaurus prodilatus from the Campanian of Alberta, and Habrosaurus dilatus from the late Maastrichtian and Paleocene of western North America. It is relatively common in the Lance Formation of Wyoming, and less common in the Hell Creek of Montana. Habrosaurus was a large animal, about the size of the modern hellbender
. The palate is specialized for crushing, with a series of blunt teeth arranged in rows, suggesting that Habrosaurus may have fed on hard-bodied prey such as crayfish or snails.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of prehistoric salamander
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
, and the oldest known member of the family Sirenidae. Two species are known, Habrosaurus prodilatus from the Campanian of Alberta, and Habrosaurus dilatus from the late Maastrichtian and Paleocene of western North America. It is relatively common in the Lance Formation of Wyoming, and less common in the Hell Creek of Montana. Habrosaurus was a large animal, about the size of the modern hellbender
Hellbender
The hellbender , also known as the hellbender salamander, is a species of giant salamander that is endemic to eastern North America...
. The palate is specialized for crushing, with a series of blunt teeth arranged in rows, suggesting that Habrosaurus may have fed on hard-bodied prey such as crayfish or snails.
See also
- Prehistoric amphibian
- List of prehistoric amphibians