# Nothosaurus (*Nothosaurus mirabilis*)

Nothosaurus was a powerful marine reptile that swam the ancient seas using flippers and a streamlined body.

- **Category:** [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/ancient)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mesozoic oceans and coastal waters

![Nothosaurus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Nothosaurus_mirabilis_01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Model created by Adam Procházka , Baden-Baden, Germany for Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Germany. Foto: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nothosaurus_mirabilis_01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Nothosaurus has a sleek, lizard-like body with a long neck and a flat, triangular head. Its mouth is filled with sharp, needle-like teeth, and it sports four powerful paddle-like limbs for swimming.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia

## Interesting facts

- Its name means 'false lizard' as early scientists thought it was a different reptile.
- Nothosaurus could hunt both in water and on land, like a giant ancient crocodile!
- Some fossils suggest Nothosaurus mothers cared for their young, a rare reptile trait!
- This ancient hunter lived when the first dinosaurs were just appearing on Earth!

## Special abilities

- **Spear Jaws:** Nothosaurus has long, sharp teeth that help them snap up slippery fish with a quick, powerful bite.
- **Amphibious Explorer:** Nothosaurus can explore land because its robust limbs helped it move out of water, perhaps for basking or egg-laying.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 3-4 m
- **Weight:** 100-300 kg
- **Era:** Triassic Period
- **Extinct Millions Years Ago:** 201

## Diet & Feeding

A swift ancient hunter, it munched on fish and squid with its sharp, needle-like teeth.

- **Primary Foods:** Fish, Squid, Small marine reptiles
- **Foraging Method:** Pursuit

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** Ancient ray-finned fish (*Saurichthys annulatus*) — A swift hunter of ancient Triassic fish.
- **Eaten by:** Giant Ichthyosaur (*Cymbospondylus piscosus*) — Larger marine predators may have preyed on Nothosaurus.
- **Hunts:** Small Ichthyosaur (*Mixosaurus cornalianus*) — Would also hunt smaller marine reptiles like this ichthyosaur.

## Traits

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient): Ancient refers to organisms, objects, or geological formations that have existed for an extremely long period.
- [Artifact](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/artifact): An artifact is an object made or modified by human culture, typically of historical or archaeological interest.
- [Fossil](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fossil): A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of an ancient organism embedded in rock or other geological deposits.

## Collections

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/ancient)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

While extremely dangerous in their time, this creature is now extinct.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Nothosaurus?

Compare skull shape, horns, plates, limbs, posture and tail. Museum models and toys can mix features or follow outdated reconstructions. Dinosaur Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Nothosaurus?

3-4 m

### How much does Nothosaurus weigh?

100-300 kg

### What does Nothosaurus eat?

A swift ancient hunter, it munched on fish and squid with its sharp, needle-like teeth.

### Where is Nothosaurus usually found?

Mesozoic oceans and coastal waters

### How does Nothosaurus hunt?

Pursuit

### What geologic era did Nothosaurus live in?

Triassic Period

### When did Nothosaurus go extinct?

201

## More Ancient

- [Tyrannosaurus rex](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tyrannosaurus-rex) (*Tyrannosaurus rex*)
- [Triceratops](https://www.snappit.app/explore/triceratops) (*Triceratops horridus*)
- [Stegosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stegosaurus) (*Stegosaurus stenops*)
- [Brachiosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brachiosaurus) (*Brachiosaurus altithorax*)

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Source: [Nothosaurus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/nothosaurus)