Although the evidence is rare, fossils reveal that there were Mesozoic reptiles, including non-avian dinosaurs in New Zealand. Possibly because it lacks the right conditions for fossilization, only fragmentary dinosaur remains have been found there. These fossils are often only a single bone or a piece of a bone, and thus the dinosaurs' species cannot be identified. By comparing the fossils with other, more complete remains from other areas it can be inferenced which family or order a given fossil belonged to. Marine fossils are more common than fossils of land animals in New Zealand because dead animals and plants are easily preserved in sand and mud. Therefore, some fossils of marine reptiles are complete enough to be assigned to a specific genus or species.
__NOTOC__
Species list So far, there have been fossils found in New Zealand that have been identified as coming from:
Non-avian dinosaurs
Name Time FormationLocation Notes Ankylosaur Maastrichtian (Haumurian)Tahora Formation Probably a parankylosaur similar to Kunbarrasaurus Compsognathid? Tithonian(Puaroan or Ohauan)Huriwai Measures FormationWaikato River, Waikato Known from phalanges. Associated with possible coprolites. It can’t be identified for certain, but the bones superficially resemble Compsognatids Ornithopod Maastrichtian (Haumurian)Tahora Formation Possibly an elasmarian Joan Wiffen's theropod Maastrichtian (Haumurian)Tahora Formation Refer to the linked article for sources Titanosaur Maastrichtian (Haumurian)Tahora Formation Known from a rib
Dinosaurs that lived in the Ross Dependency, a part of Antarctica within the Realm of New Zealand, include the tetanuran Cryolophosaurus. The Ross Dependency, unlike the Chatham Islands, is not actually part of New Zealand, and this is why it is excluded from the list above until sufficient evidence shows that it entered what was the sector of Gondwana that is now New Zealand. Newer fossils from a Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary fossil formation known as the Takatika Grit in the Chatham Islands include six or seven (possibly more) bones from dinosaurs, as well as numerous bones from early birds, but more information is needed about these to add them to the list.
Other Mesozoic reptiles
Fossils of other reptiles from the Mesozoic Era have also been found in New Zealand. These creatures include:
Name Period FormationArea Notes Alexandronectes MaastrichtianConway Formation Canterbury The first Plesiosaurus described from the Conway Formation Eidolosaurus Cretaceous A mosasauroid outside of the mosasaurid family "Hector's ichthyosaur" ("Ichthyosaurus" hectori) Triassic Torlesse Composite Terrane Mount PottsThe first ichthyosaur reported from New Zealand. It is officially named as "Ichthyosaurus" hectori by Lydekker (1889), which is a replacement name for the previously used preoccupied name "Ichthyosaurus" australis, though the taxon is invalid and undiagnostic. Known from ribs, a partial humerus, a possible tooth and vertebral centra, the largest of which measured 45 cm (18 in) in diameter. With centra almost twice the diameter of those belonging to the largest ichthyosaur with preserved vertebrae, Shastasaurus sikanniensis, it may have been among the largest vertebrates to ever exist. These specimens can no longer be located, and may have been lost. A Canterbury Museum presentation mentioned unprepared giant ichthyosaur bones from Mount Potts. Kaiwhekea Late CretaceousKatiki Formation An aristonectine plesiosaur Liodon Cretaceous A dubious genus, the maximum length of this species is . Mauisaurus Late CretaceousConway Formation A dubious genus; largest plesiosaur in New Zealand Moanasaurus Late CretaceousTahora Formation Largest mosasaur in New Zealand Nothosaur Triassic Torlesse Composite Terrane Prognathodon Cretaceous Laidmore Formation A large mosasaur Pterosaur Late Cretaceous Discovered 1987. Possibly an azhdarchid. Taniwhasaurus Late CretaceousConway Formation A mosasaur Tuarangisaurus Late CretaceousTahora Formation An elasmosaurid
See also Reptiles of New Zealand Geology of New Zealand New Zealand geologic time scale
References