Cherminotus

Cherminotus is an extinct genus of varanoid lizard from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. The type and only species, Cherminotus longifrons, was named in 1984.

Cherminotus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 75 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Anguimorpha
Family:	Varanidae
Genus:	†Cherminotus Borsuk-Bialynicka, 1984
Species:	†C. longifrons
Binomial name
†Cherminotus longifrons Borsuk-Bialynicka, 1984

Description and history

Cherminotus longifrons was first described in 1984 from the Barun Goyot Formation. More specimens were later found in the Djadokhta Formation in localities such as Ukhaa Tolgod.^[1]

Cherminotus is small for a varanoid and has a longer snout than its closest living relative, the Earless monitor lizard. Cherminotus is also very similar in appearance to Aiolosaurus, another varanoid from the Cretaceous of Mongolia. Both lizards have a single hole in the lacrimal bone called the lacrimal foramen. Other varanoids have two holes in the lacrimal, making the presence of only one hole in Cherminotus a case of evolutionary reversal.^[2]