Kronosaurus

Kronosaurus (pronounced Kroe-noe-sore-uss) ("lizard of Kronos") is an extinct genus of short-necked pliosaur. It was among the largest pliosaurs, and is appropriately named after the leader of the Greek Titans, Kronos.

Discovery and species
Kronosaurus lived in the Early Cretaceous Period (Aptian-Albian).

The holotype specimen of the species K. queenslandicus was described by Longman in 1924, and is currently in the Queensland Museum.

Size issues
Body-length estimates had previously put the total length of Kronosaurus at 12.8 meters (43 feet). However, recent study comparing fossil specimens of Kronosaurus to other pliosaurs suggest that the previous estimate was an exaggeration, with true length probably only 9-10 meters (30 33 feet).

Teeth
The teeth of Kronosaurus are large in length (exceeding 7 cm). However, they lack carinae (cutting edges) and the distinct trihedral (three facets) of Pliosaurus and Liopleurodon teeth. The combination of large size, conical shape and lack of cutting edges allows for easy identification of Kronosaurus teeth in Cretaceous deposits from Australia.

Diet
Large, round bite-marks have been found on the skull of an Albian-age Australian elasmosaurid (Tuarangisaurus) that could be from a Kronosaurus attack.