Kallimodon
Extinct genus of reptiles
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Kallimodon is a genus of sphenodontian reptile from the Late Jurassic of Bavaria, southern Germany.
| Kallimodon Temporal range: Late Jurassic | |
|---|---|
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| Kallimodon pulchellus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Suborder: | Sphenodontia |
| Genus: | †Kallimodon Cocude-Michel, 1963 |
| Type species | |
| †K. pulchellus (Zittel, 1887) | |
| Other species | |
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Description
The skull lacks a quadratojugal process of the jugal. The fourth metacarpal and metatarsal bones of the forefoot and hindfoot, respectively, are longer than the third digits of these feet. The unguals are relatively flat. Preserved soft tissue shows that Kallimodon pulchellus had square scales on the tail region.[1]
Ecology
The morphology of the limbs resembles those of terrestrial lizards, but Kallimodon has been suggested as semi-aquatic, which may be supported by the finding of apparent fish remains in the body cavity of one specimen, which may represent stomach contents.[1]
Systematics
Kallimodon was originally described as a species of Homoeosaurus by Karl von Zittel in 1887. However, in 1963 it was renamed Kallimodon due to differences from the Homoeosaurus type species.[2] In 1997, Kallimodon was sunk as a junior synonym of Leptosaurus, with the type species referred to as L. pulchellus.[3] However, subsequent studies find Kallimodon to be valid and distinct from Leptosaurus. One specimen previously referred to this genus is actually a distinct taxon.[4][5] In recent studies, Kallimodon has been recovered as part of the clade Leptorhynchia, which also includes the sapheosaurs, pleurosaurs and Homoeosaurus, among others.[6]
Cladogram after Beccari et al. 2025:[1]
| Rhynchocephalia |
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