Termatosaurus is an ancient type of reptile that lived during the Late Triassic period, about 203 to 201 million years ago.
It falls under the group called archosaurs, which includes crocodiles and birds. The name “Termatosaurus” means “End Lizard,” referring to its appearance at the end of the Triassic period.
Fossils of Termatosaurus have been found in different countries, including France, England, Germany, and Switzerland.
Scientists have identified two main types of Termatosaurus:
1. Termatosaurus albertii – This is the type species, described by scientists Meyer and Plieninger in 1844.
2. Termatosaurus crocodilinus – Named by Quenstedt in 1858.
There has been some confusion about Termatosaurus. At one time, it was thought to have lived until the Early Jurassic period. However, later studies suggested that some of the fossils attributed to it were actually from a different type of creature known as plesiosaurs, which are sea reptiles.
Some researchers, like Oskar Kuhn, believe that Termatosaurus is related to plesiosaurs, while others suggest it belongs to a group called phytosaurs, which were similar to crocodiles.
In summary, Termatosaurus is an interesting and somewhat mysterious reptile from the past, known mainly from its teeth. Researchers continue to study its classification to better understand this ancient creature.