Re: Dominant Mesozoic varanids?

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <th81@umail.umd.edu>]

At 04:32 PM 12/7/97 -0600, Seth A. Ellestad wrote:
>>No evidence of trans-V. komodoensis sized varanids that I know of in the
>>Cretaceous.  Paleosaniwa seems to be pretty big (ora-sized), but nothing
>>larger (on land: mosasaurs being somewhat larger... :-)
>
>What about that Estesia thingy from the Nemegt?  I understand it has
>features that resemble both varanids and helodermatids, wasn't that one
>about Ora size as well?

Estesia is also a goodly-sized animal, but it is a non-varanid varanoid
rather than a varanid sensu stricto.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist     Webpage: http://www.geol.umd.edu
Dept. of Geology              Email:th81@umail.umd.edu
University of Maryland        Phone:301-405-4084
College Park, MD  20742       Fax:  301-314-9661