恐龍卡第 0428 張，共 2 027 張

Clidastes

名字的意思： “locked vertebrae”1

吃：肉滄龍類白堊紀晚期嚴格來說不是恐龍

Clidastes was a small, speedy marine lizard that lived in the Late Cretaceous seas. It was one of the smallest mosasaurs, but it was a fast swimmer that chased down fish and squid in shallow waters.1

趣味小知識：這種海生爬蟲類在海裡游泳的時候，恐龍正在陸地上走路。大家都叫牠們恐龍，但牠們其實是爬蟲類的另一個分支。

生存年代

94 到 66 百萬年前4

白堊紀晚期

化石發現地

United States (Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, Texas), Sweden, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Jordan1 4

長度

2 到 6.2 m (6.6 到 20 ft)1

體重

55 kg (121 lb)2

最高速度

時速約 33 公里（21 英里）

游泳, 估計值

牠生活在什麼時候？

三疊紀

侏羅紀

白堊紀

2 億 5200 萬年前20114566，小行星撞地球

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

牠有多重？

跟 3 隻狗一樣重

跟 6 隻狗從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 34 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長跟 14 隻家貓一樣重跟 11 顆西瓜一樣重跟 3 個幼兒園小朋友一樣重跟 1.5 個小學生一樣重能在 5.5 秒內游完一座大泳池（50 公尺）

Clidastes 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡算算數學。什麼都不會被儲存或傳送出去。

牠有多快？

走路的人 時速約 5 公里 (3 mph)

騎腳踏車的小朋友 時速約 12 公里 (7 mph)

Clidastes 時速約 33 公里 (21 mph)

一匹飛奔的馬 時速約 65 公里 (40 mph)

一隻獵豹 時速約 100 公里 (62 mph)

酷東西

趣味知識

Clidastes had special vertebrae that locked together, making its spine strong and stable for fast swimming.1

It was one of the smallest mosasaurs, only 2 to 4 meters long on average, but some grew up to 6.2 meters.1

Isotope studies on its teeth suggest Clidastes sometimes entered freshwater, like modern sea snakes.1

The first Clidastes fossils were found in Alabama in 1869 by E. D. Cope, and they were beautifully preserved.1

Its tail had extra-strong bones and muscles, which helped it chase down the fastest prey.1

Some scientists think that only one species, Clidastes propython, is valid, but others recognize more.1

Clidastes 的 AI 繪圖 — 這是電腦根據科學家目前的知識，用 AI 畫出 Clidastes 可能的樣子。這只是猜測：真正的動物可能長得不一樣，也沒有人知道牠真正的顏色。

你們都在問

關於 Clidastes 最常被問的問題

?Was Clidastes a dinosaur?

No, Clidastes was a marine lizard, not a dinosaur. It belonged to a group called mosasaurs, which are reptiles that lived in the sea.1 3

?How big was Clidastes?

Clidastes was one of the smallest mosasaurs, averaging 2 to 4 metres (6.6 to 13.1 feet) long. The largest specimens reached about 6.2 metres (20 feet).1 3

?What did Clidastes eat?

Clidastes likely ate cephalopods (like squid), fish, and other small vertebrates. It hunted in shallow water.1 3

?Could Clidastes swim in freshwater?

Yes, isotope studies on its teeth suggest Clidastes sometimes entered freshwater, similar to modern sea snakes.1

給恐龍專家

學名: Clidastes
命名者: Cope 18684
類群: 滄龍類
科 / 演化支: Mosasauridae4
分類: Mosasauroidea4
岩石的年代: 94 到 66 百萬年 (Turonian / Maastrichtian)4
岩層: Mooreville Chalk, Niobrara, Pierre Shale4
國家: 美國, 瑞典, 德國, 墨西哥, 俄羅斯, 約旦4
化石紀錄: The Paleobiology Database 收錄 34 筆4
發現: E. D. Cope named Clidastes in 1868, and in 1869 he found the first good fossils in the Mooreville Chalk of Alabama.1 4
仍有爭議: Scientists debate whether fossils from Europe and Jordan really belong to Clidastes or to other mosasaurs.1