Hyrotrioskjan on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/hyrotrioskjan/art/Dryadissector-just-varanoid-or-draconiform-498481033Hyrotrioskjan

Deviation Actions

Hyrotrioskjan's avatar

Dryadissector- just varanoid or draconiform?

Published:
15.3K Views

Description

Recently Brian Switek wrote about a new lizard species from the campanium of Texas: Dryodissector shilleri
It's only known from teeth which are surprising theropod like blades. But even more exiting is how many teeth Wick, S., Lehman, T., Brink, A. 2014 found, they outnumber by theropod teeth from the same site, but mammal teeth are- which is pretty unusual- even higher in number! (remains of their possible pray and competitors)
Cranial or postcranial elements aren't known but the teeth are surprisingly similar to teeth known from primitive draconiformes like Apotomerus or Auroradraco. Appotomerus. But both are only known from Appalachia, while Dryadissector is a laramidian animal, this could be a interesting twist in the evolutionary biogeography of dragons. But it could also be a basal varanoid with no close relationship to dragons so I "reconstruct" this animal here in both ways.

Brian's article: phenomena.nationalgeographic.c…
Image size
3144x2360px 1.69 MB
© 2014 - 2024 Hyrotrioskjan
Comments61
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In