Habrosaurus was a gigantic sirenid,[2] its length is estimated to be around 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in), estimated from its trunk vertebrae length (up to 2 cm long).[3]H. prodilatus possessed chisel-like teeth, while H. dilatus had bulkier crowns. The teeth of H. dilatus also exhibited heavy wear facets while those of H. prodilatus had only mild wear, suggesting that H. dilatus was more adapted for durophagy than H. prodilatus. H. dilatus may have preyed upon arthropods with hard carapaces as well as mollusks.[1]
Classification
Habrosaurus is a sister taxa to both Pseudobranchus and Siren[1] which are the only genera in the familySirenidae. Sirenids are classified by their neotenous traits (complete lack of hindlimbs and external gills in both larval and adult states).
^Bonett, R. M., Trujano-Alvarez, A. L., Williams, M. J. & Timpe, E. K. 2013. Biogeography and body size shuffling of aquatic salamander communities on a shifting refuge. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 280, 20130200.
^Wilson, Gregory P.; Clemens, William A.; Horner, John R.; Hartman, Joseph H. (2014-01-21). Through the End of the Cretaceous in the Type Locality of the Hell Creek Formation in Montana and Adjacent Areas. Geological Society of America. ISBN978-0-8137-2503-1.