Teleosaurids

Teleosaurids were a family of extinct marine reptiles belonging to the group thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs. They lived during the Jurassic period. These animals were characterized by their long, slender snouts, which were often filled with numerous small, pointed teeth. This dentition suggests a diet of fish and other small marine prey.

Teleosaurids were widespread, with fossils found on every continent except Antarctica. They inhabited a variety of marine environments, from shallow coastal waters to more open seas. Their bodies were streamlined, and they likely possessed powerful tails for propulsion through the water.

Distinguishing features of teleosaurids include their relatively long, narrow skulls, and in some species, a more extensive covering of osteoderms on their backs compared to other thalattosuchians. They are often grouped with their close relatives, the metriorhynchids, though teleosaurids generally retained more robust limbs and a less aquatic lifestyle than the more highly adapted metriorhynchids. The earliest teleosaurids appeared in the Early Jurassic, and the group persisted through the Late Jurassic, eventually going extinct by the end of that period. Their extinction coincides with significant environmental changes and the rise of new marine predators.