Mesosaurus
Extinct genus of reptile from the early Permian of South Africa
Mesosaurus
Mesosaurus (meaning "middle lizard") is an extinct genus of marine reptile from the late Early Permian (Kungurian, ~275 million years ago) of southern Africa and South America. It is the only member of the family Mesosauridae and order Mesosauria. Two other genera of mesosaurs, Brazilosaurus and Stereosternum, were formerly recognised, but are now considered synonyms of Mesosaurus. Mesosaurus contains a single valid species, M. tenuidens. Mesosaurus represents one of the earliest lineages of aquatically adapted reptiles. It had many adaptations to a fully aquatic lifestyle, including pachyosteosclerotic (dense and thick) bones and webbed feet. Mesosaurus lived around the shorelines (including at least sometimes in coastal lagoons) of the Irati–Whitehill sea, an epicontinental sea that covered parts of southern Pangaea during the late Early Permian, likely feeding on small prey, with pygocephalomorph crustaceans in particular likely forming a large part of its diet. The findings of mesosaurs...
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