Dinilysia

Dinilysia
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 85 Ma
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Illustration of the skull and vertebral column
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
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. Dinilysia was a relatively large ambush predator, measuring approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) long. The skull morphology of Dinilysia is similar to boids, suggesting that it was able to consume large prey. Living in a desert-like environment, Dinilysia is likely a terrestrial or a semi-fossorial animal.[1]

Hypothetical appearance of Dinilysia patagonica (reconstruction based on skeletal and other features).
  1. ^ Caldwell, M.W.; Albino, A.M. (2001). "Palaeoenvironment and palaeoecology of three Cretaceous snakes: Pachyophis, Pachyrhachis, and Dinilysia". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 46 (2): 203–218. doi:10.7939/R3RZ8C. S2CID 55222891.