{"product_id":"kosmodraco-dakotensis-1","title":"Kosmodraco dakotensis","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was a freshwater choristodere from the Palaeocene of North America. It was originally described as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSimoedosaurus dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and was later reassigned to the genus \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. This animal was neither a dinosaur nor a crocodile, although its general appearance may have superficially resembled that of certain predatory aquatic reptiles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt belonged to Choristodera, a lineage of semi-aquatic diapsids that survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction and retained considerable diversity in the early ecosystems of the Cenozoic. The generic name \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e can be interpreted as “ornamented dragon”, referring to the distinctive morphology of its skull, while the specific epithet \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003edakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e refers to its occurrence in Palaeocene deposits of North Dakota.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was initially described in 1987 from cranial material as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSimoedosaurus dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Subsequent studies of North American Palaeocene choristoderes identified sufficient anatomical differences to place it in a separate genus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA revision published by Brownstein in 2022 redefined the taxon as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and introduced a second species, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco magnicornis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. This study demonstrated that these freshwater reptiles displayed greater morphological diversity in post-K\/Pg ecosystems than had previously been recognised.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnatomically, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was characterised by a robust, low and elongated skull, with jaws adapted for capturing aquatic prey. Like other large choristoderes, it probably possessed an elongated body, relatively short limbs, a powerful tail and a semi-aquatic lifestyle closely associated with river and lake environments.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIts conical teeth and specialised skull indicate a carnivorous diet probably consisting of fish, amphibians, small reptiles and other vertebrates inhabiting freshwater ecosystems.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough its postcranial skeleton is less completely known than that of some other fossil reptiles, comparisons with related choristoderes allow it to be reconstructed as a low-bodied aquatic predator with a streamlined form and locomotion driven primarily by its powerful tail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom a morphometric perspective, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e may be interpreted as a medium- to large-sized member of its group, probably reaching an estimated body length of approximately 3–5 metres. This figure should nevertheless be regarded as tentative because of the incomplete nature of the known fossil material.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIts skull was probably proportionally large in relation to the body, with long, narrow jaws, a rostral region adapted for capturing prey in water and an overall architecture convergent with that of other predatory aquatic reptiles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis morphology reflects a clear ecological specialisation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was not a cursorial terrestrial animal, but a predator of continental aquatic environments, adapted for ambush hunting or rapid prey capture in rivers, lakes and channels.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKosmodraco dakotensis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e inhabited North American Palaeocene ecosystems shortly after the disappearance of the non-avian dinosaurs. This context makes the species particularly significant, as it formed part of the faunas that prospered following the mass extinction at the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn these freshwater habitats, it coexisted with fish, turtles, crocodyliforms, early mammals and other reptiles, probably occupying the ecological role of a specialised aquatic predator.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe persistence of choristoderes during this period demonstrates that some lineages of aquatic reptiles successfully survived the ecological collapse at the end of the Cretaceous and continued to diversify in Palaeocene ecosystems.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eApproximate Kosmodraco Replica Dimensions\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1:35 Scale — Complete Model\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLength: 74 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHeight: 64 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWidth: 52 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnout-to-tail length: 120 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1:20 Scale — Complete Model\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLength: 130 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHeight: 111 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWidth: 91 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnout-to-tail length: 210 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Miniature Museum","offers":[{"title":"1:35 \/ Sin imprimar","offer_id":54876945187084,"sku":"DC-1480-135-SINI","price":33.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:35 \/ Imprimado","offer_id":54876945219852,"sku":"DC-1480-135-IMPRI","price":38.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:35 \/ Pintado a mano","offer_id":54876945252620,"sku":"DC-1480-135-PINTA","price":125.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:20 \/ Sin imprimar","offer_id":54876945285388,"sku":"DC-1480-120-SINI","price":57.3,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:20 \/ Imprimado","offer_id":54876945318156,"sku":"DC-1480-120-IMPRI","price":64.3,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:20 \/ Pintado a mano","offer_id":54876945350924,"sku":"DC-1480-120-PINTA","price":187.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/1106\/7660\/files\/Kosmodraco_10.png?v=1784637475","url":"https:\/\/dinosauriacreatures.com\/en\/products\/kosmodraco-dakotensis-1","provider":"Dinosauria Creatures","version":"1.0","type":"link"}