Clidastes

Clidastes; Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, Coniacian-Campanian, 85–80 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
	Skeleton formerly referred to C. liodontus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Mosasauridae
Subfamily:	Mosasaurinae
Genus:	Clidastes; Cope, 1868
Species
	C. propython Cope, 1869 (type); C. iguanavus Cope, 1868 (former type species);

Clidastes is an extinct genus of mosasaur from marine environments of the late Cretaceous.^[1] It was an agile and fast swimmer which cruised the surface or shallow waters hunting for prey.

Clidastes was one of the smallest of the mosasaurs, averaging 2–4 meters (6.6–13.1 ft) in length, with the largest specimens reaching 6.2 meters (20 feet) long. It had a delicate, slim form with an expansion near the tip of the tail. This enabled it to chase down the fastest of prey.

References

↑ Cope E.D. 1869. On the reptilian orders, Pythonomorpha and Streptosauria. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 12: 250–266.

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[1] Cope E.D. 1869. On the reptilian orders, Pythonomorpha and Streptosauria. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 12: 250–266.

[1]

Clidastes Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, Coniacian-Campanian, 85–80 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓

Skeleton formerly referred to C. liodontus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Mosasauridae
Subfamily:	Mosasaurinae
Genus:	Clidastes Cope, 1868
Species
C. propython Cope, 1869 (type) C. iguanavus Cope, 1868 (former type species)