Dinilysia

Dinilysia Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 85 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓

Illustration of the skull and vertebral column
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Clade:	Ophidia
Family:	†Dinilysiidae
Genus:	†Dinilysia Woodward, 1901
Type species
Dinilysia patagonica Woodward, 1901

Dinilysia (meaning "terrible ilysia") is an extinct genus of snake from the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) of South America. The snake reached a length of 6-10 feet (1.8-3 meters) and preyed on smaller animals. The shape of the animal's skull does not support the suggestion that snakes were burrowers during their ancestry; it is clear that Dinilysia was terrestrial.

Restoration

References

Caldwell, M.W. & Albino, A.A., 2002. Exceptionally preserved skeletons of the Cretaceous snake Dinilysia patagonica, Woodward, 1901. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22: 861-866.
Fossils (Smithsonian Handbooks) by David Ward
Dinosaurus: The Complete Guide to Dinosaurs by Steve Parker. Pg. 99
Fossil Snakes of North America: Origin, Evolution, Distribution, Paleoecology (Life of the Past) by J. Alan Holman

Fossil snakes

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Squamata

Genera with hindlimbs and a sacrum	Najash

Genera with hindlimbs only	Eupodophis Haasiophis Pachyrhachis

Madtsoiidae	Alamitophis Gigantophis Madtsoia Sanajeh Wonambi Yurlunggur

Dinilysiidae	Dinilysia

Palaeophiidae	Palaeophis Archaeophis

Boidae	Titanoboa Boavus

Snake List of snakes List of Serpentes families Category:Cretaceous snakes

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