Newly discovered Triassic Marine Reptile from Alaska coloring page

 

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Today's new drawing is a type of ancient marine reptile called a 

Thlatosaur.  This new species was discovered in Alaska. 

Gunakadeit the Thlattosaur a Triassic Marine Reptile from Alaska

Gunakadeit joseeae was a very unique and very early marine reptile from way back in the Triassic Period.  The Triassic Period was the first period of the Mesozoic Era.  The more well known Jurassic Period occurred after the Triassic.  The Cretaceous Period followed the Jurassic Period.  

Thalatosaurs were a very early group of marine reptiles that were less evolved for sea life than the later marine reptiles of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods.  The Thalatosaurs still had feet that were on their way to evolving into paddles.  

Gunkadeit was unique among Thalatosaurs because it did not have a broad alligator-like mouth.  It had a much more pointed mouth and must have fed on soft bodies animals among the reefs... like jawless fish.  Some Thlatosaurs had powerful and more blunt and bigger teeth for crusing shells of brachiopods, bivalves, and ammonites.   Gunkadeit had small sharp teeth in its mouth. . . that went to a tapered point.  Gunkadeit was discovered in Southeast Alaska during low tide.  It had to be quickly removed form the rock on the edge of the sea before the high tide submerged it again.  

The "ironing board shark" or Stethacanthus lived in the Triassic seas.  The things that look like flowers are sea lillies or crinoids and they are in fact animals that fed and feed on plankton.  The slightly blurry animal way in the background is a large Ithcthyosaur that was huge.  It is called Shonisaurus and was up to 70 feet or about 21 meters long.  The curled shelled creatures are ammonites.  Ammonites were cephalopod and are related to the modern squids, octopus, cuttlefish, and nautalis.  Cephalopods have a rather unique jet propulsion system.  Look closely and you can see that in the drawing.  The fish are also Triassic Period fish.  

IF you have seen drawings of Mosasaurs then you will notice the similarities to this Thalatosaur.  This is an example of convergent evolution.  The body shape is a successful type for an ocean predator so both Thalatosaurs and Mosasaurs evolved a similar shape.  But, the two types of animals are NOT closely related.  

NOTE:  This drawing can be found in printable form by clicking on the button labeled "Paleontology."  Then scroll down to get to the new drawing.  It will be at the bottom of the list of printable drawings.