| Thalassomedon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mounted cast of the type specimen,American Museum of Natural History | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Family: | †Elasmosauridae |
| Genus: | †Thalassomedon Welles, 1943 |
| Species: | †T. haningtoni |
| Binomial name | |
| †Thalassomedon haningtoni Welles, 1943 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Thalassomedon (from Greek,thalassa, "sea" andGreek,medon, "lord" or "ruler", meaning "sea lord") is agenus ofplesiosaur, named byWelles in 1943.
Thalassomedon is among the largest elasmosaurids, with the holotype measuring 10.86 metres (35.6 ft) long and weighing more than 4.44 metric tons (4.89 short tons).[1][2] There is a larger skull, however, suggesting a much larger animal, potentially up to 11.6 metres (38 ft).[3] The neck is also very long; it comprises 62vertebrae[4] and is about 5.9 metres (19 ft) - over half of the total length. The skull is 47 centimetres (19 in; 1.54 ft) long, with 5 centimetres (2.0 in) long teeth. The flippers were about 1.5–2 metres (4.9–6.6 ft) long. Stones have been found in its stomach area leading some to theorize that they were used for ballast ordigestion. If the latter, stomach action would cause the stones to help grind ingested food.
This genus of plesiosaur lived in North America, approximately 95million years ago - this places it during theCenomanian stage. Its closest relative isElasmosaurus, and both belong to the familyElasmosauridae. There are six specimens of varying states of preservation on display at various museums in theUnited States.
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