Description
Okumaya devam et...
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| [[File:Kronosaurus Scale V2.svg|thumb|alt=|upright=1.45|Size of the largest specimen traditionally attributed to ''Kronosaurus'' (MCZ 1285) with a human. The light gray diagram represents the size of the specimen as it is currently mounted at the [[Museum of Comparative Zoology]], while the dark gray one shows it with a more accurate estimate]] | [[File:Kronosaurus Scale V2.svg|thumb|alt=|upright=1.45|Size of the largest specimen traditionally attributed to ''Kronosaurus'' (MCZ 1285) with a human. The light gray diagram represents the size of the specimen as it is currently mounted at the [[Museum of Comparative Zoology]], while the dark gray one shows it with a more accurate estimate]] |
| Due to the diagnostic problems of the holotype specimen, most of the anatomical descriptions that follow are based on observations made from more complete specimens subsequently assigned to the genus, mainly from McHenry's thesis published in 2009.{{sfn|Poropat|Bell|Hart|Salisbury|2023|p=150}} ''Kronosaurus'' has a morphology typical of the pliosaurids of the [[thalassophonea]]n group, which has a large elongated skull connected to a [[neck]] of reduced length, unlike many other plesiosaurs, which have a long neck and a small head.{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=3}}<ref name="Holland2018"/> Like all other [[plesiosaur]]s, ''Kronosaurus'' has a short [[tail]], a massive [[Torso|trunk]] and two pairs of large [[Flipper (anatomy)|flippers]].{{sfn|O’Keefe|2001|p=1-2}}{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=3}} | Due to the fact that the holotype specimen of ''Kronosaurus'' is non-diagnostic, the majority of anatomical descriptions are based on observations made from more complete fossils later assigned to the genus. The majority of descriptions come from McHenry's thesis published in 2009, although some specimens have been described in other works.<ref name="Holland2018"/>{{sfn|Poropat|Bell|Hart|Salisbury|2023|p=150}} ''Kronosaurus'' has a morphology typical of the pliosaurids of the [[thalassophonea]]n group, which has a large elongated skull connected to a [[neck]] of reduced length, unlike many other [[plesiosaur]]s, which have a long neck and a small head.{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=3}}<ref name="Holland2018"/> Like all other plesiosaurs, ''Kronosaurus'' has a short [[tail]], a massive [[Torso|trunk]] and two pairs of large [[Flipper (anatomy)|flippers]].{{sfn|O’Keefe|2001|p=1-2}}{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=3}} |
| ''Kronosaurus'' is one of the largest pliosaurs identified to date,{{sfn|Kear|2003|p=291}} but several estimates as to its exact size have been proposed during his research. As early as 1930, Longman, in his description of propodiums, considered that ''Kronosaurus'' would have exceeded in size the imposing ''[[Megalneusaurus]]'', a North American pliosaurid dating from the [[Late Jurassic]].<ref name="Longman1930"/>{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=25}} After the collection of fossils assigned to the genus by the Harvard Expedition, the maximum size of ''Kronosaurus'' was set at approximately {{convert|12.8|m|ft|sp=us}} long, based on specimen MCZ 1285.<ref name="Long1998"/><ref name="OOKKronosaur"/><ref name=Ellis2003/><ref name="Pick&Sloan2004"/>{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=396}} However, as the reconstruction of the skeleton seems incorrect and elongated, McHenry gives a smaller size of this specimen between {{convert|9 and 10.5|m|ft|sp=us}} long<ref name="Pick&Sloan2004"/> for a weight of {{cvt|11|t}}.{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=562}} These same measurements are seen as the maximum possible estimates of the genus as a whole.{{sfn|McHenry|2009}} Even before McHenry's thesis was published, paleontologist Benjamin P. Kear and marine biologist [[Richard Ellis (biologist)|Richard Ellis]] proposed comparable estimates in their respective works published in 2003, ranging from {{convert|9|m|ft|sp=us}} according to Kear{{sfn|Kear|2003|p=291}} at {{convert|10.6|m|ft|sp=us}} according to Ellis.<ref name=Ellis2003/> | ''Kronosaurus'' is one of the largest pliosaurs identified to date,{{sfn|Kear|2003|p=291}} but several estimates as to its exact size have been proposed during his research. As early as 1930, Longman, in his description of propodiums, considered that ''Kronosaurus'' would have exceeded in size the imposing ''[[Megalneusaurus]]'', a North American pliosaurid dating from the [[Late Jurassic]].<ref name="Longman1930"/>{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=25}} After the collection of fossils assigned to the genus by the Harvard Expedition, the maximum size of ''Kronosaurus'' was set at approximately {{convert|12.8|m|ft|sp=us}} long, based on specimen MCZ 1285.<ref name="Long1998"/><ref name="OOKKronosaur"/><ref name=Ellis2003/><ref name="Pick&Sloan2004"/>{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=396}} However, as the reconstruction of the skeleton seems incorrect and elongated, McHenry gives a smaller size of this specimen between {{convert|9 and 10.5|m|ft|sp=us}} long<ref name="Pick&Sloan2004"/> for a weight of {{cvt|11|t}}.{{sfn|McHenry|2009|p=562}} These same measurements are seen as the maximum possible estimates of the genus as a whole.{{sfn|McHenry|2009}} Even before McHenry's thesis was published, paleontologist Benjamin P. Kear and marine biologist [[Richard Ellis (biologist)|Richard Ellis]] proposed comparable estimates in their respective works published in 2003, ranging from {{convert|9|m|ft|sp=us}} according to Kear{{sfn|Kear|2003|p=291}} at {{convert|10.6|m|ft|sp=us}} according to Ellis.<ref name=Ellis2003/> |
Okumaya devam et...