- · Grid units represent actual meters (m); human and animals are drawn to the exact same scale with original silhouette aspect ratios preserved.
- · When a size range is recorded (e.g. 1–1.6m), the lower bound is used for scale comparison.
- · Keichousaurus silhouette: PhyloPic — Gareth Monger · CC BY 3.0
- · Human silhouette: PhyloPic — NASA · Public Domain Mark 1.0
Keichousaurus
Keichousaurus hui (Keichousaurus · Keichousaurus)
Known only from fossils. The IUCN Red List assesses only species extant since 1500 CE, so fossil taxa are not assigned a category.
💡 Everyday Comparisons for Size, Mass & Speed
- 💡 A total length of 27.4 cm is slightly shorter than the long side of an A4 sheet of paper (29.7 cm) (Comparison).
- 💡 The science publication The Scientist highlighted how the report of fossils carrying embryos inside the body overturned the assumption that "marine reptiles lay eggs."
Reference standards: coach bus ~12 m, mid-size car ~4.9 m, compact car ~1 t, basketball hoop 3.05 m, credit card 8.56 cm.
📖 1. Overview
Keichousaurus hui (genus Keichousaurus) was a small pachypleurosaurian marine reptile that lived in the seas of southern China during the Middle Triassic. It is the most abundant and representative species of the Xingyi fossil assemblage.
🦴 2. Anatomy & Morphology
Its front teeth curved inward toward the tips, which is interpreted as well suited for piercing and swallowing prey. Males and females can be distinguished by differences in bone proportions that appear as early as the embryonic stage.
🔍 3. Fossil Record & Paleoecology
It is thought to have eaten small fish and soft-bodied invertebrates such as squid and shrimp, and a 2023 study examined digestive tract traces preserved in specimens. A 2004 Nature paper reported two pregnant specimens, showing that this group gave birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
🇰🇷 4. Connection to Korea
No direct record connecting this species to Korea has been found.
📚 Sources & References
- • Fossil taxon — the IUCN Red List assesses only species living or extinct since 1500
- • paleobiodb.org — basicTaxonInfo
- • wikidata.org — Q137192195
- • commons.wikimedia.org — File:Keichousaurus hui fossil at Melbourne Museum.jpg
- • frontiersin.org — full
- • the-scientist.com — triassic-reptiles-had-live-young-49263
- • app.pan.pl — app000062013.html
- • Silhouette: PhyloPic — Gareth Monger · CC BY 3.0
Recorded dimensions are widely cited representative estimates from public literature and may vary by study or specimen.