| Chroniosaurus Temporal range: Upper Permian | |
|---|---|
| | |
| C. dongusensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Reptiliomorpha (?) |
| Order: | † Chroniosuchia |
| Family: | † Chroniosuchidae |
| Genus: | † Chroniosaurus Tverdochlebova, 1972 |
| Species | |
Chroniosaurus is an extinct genus of chroniosuchid stegocephalian, often considered a reptiliomorph [1] but possibly a stem-tetrapod, [2] from upper Permian (upper Tatarian age) deposits of Novgorod, Orenburg and Vologda Regions, Russia. [3] It was first named by Tverdokhlebova in 1972 and the type species is Chroniosaurus dongusensis. [3]
Its lifestyle is uncertain. An early study suggested a fairly aquatic lifestyle, [4] but its femoral microanatomy [5] and dorsal dermal plates [6] suggest a rather terrestrial lifestyle.