Chaohusaurus

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

Chaohusaurus is an extinct genus of basal ichthyopterygian, or ichthyosaur, from the Lower Triassic of Chaohu and Yuanan, China.

It was closer in time and form to Cymbospondylus and Mixosaurus than to more advanced genera like Ichthyosaurus. It did not have the dolphin-like form of later ichthyosaurs, but it was fully aquatic. The tail fin is wide-based and short. The neck is rather long, whereas later ichthyosaurs have no neck. There is no dorsal fin.

It was one of the smallest ichthyosaurs, about 70 to 180 cm long. Its weight was about 10 kg.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is Chaohusaurus?

A: Chaohusaurus is an extinct genus of basal ichthyopterygian, or ichthyosaur, from the Lower Triassic of Chaohu and Yuanan, China.

Q: How is Chaohusaurus related to other ichthyosaurs?

A: Chaohusaurus was closer in time and form to Cymbospondylus and Mixosaurus than to more advanced genera like Ichthyosaurus.

Q: Did Chaohusaurus have a dolphin-like form like later ichthyosaurs?

A: No, Chaohusaurus did not have the dolphin-like form of later ichthyosaurs, but it was fully aquatic.

Q: What was the tail fin like on Chaohusaurus?

A: The tail fin is wide-based and short in Chaohusaurus.

Q: Did Chaohusaurus have a dorsal fin?

A: No, there is no dorsal fin on Chaohusaurus.

Q: How big was Chaohusaurus?

A: Chaohusaurus was one of the smallest ichthyosaurs, about 70 to 180 cm long and weighed approximately 10 kg.

Q: Did Chaohusaurus have a neck like later ichthyosaurs?

A: Yes, Chaohusaurus had a neck which was rather long, whereas later ichthyosaurs have no neck.