How Big Was Kronosaurus?
There were plenty of massive marine reptiles in the ancient seas and Kronosaurus stood out from plenty of them due to its massive size and powerful jaws. It was a member of the plesiosaur family, although from the short necked side of that family, and lived during the Early Cretaceous period and, while it wasn’t the largest marine reptile, it certainly wasn’t small. We take a look at how big the Kronosaurus was in the article below.
Kronosaurus was a massive marine reptile, measuring 9-10.5 meters (30-34 feet) in length and weighing between 10,000-13,000 kg (22,000-28,000 lbs). As one of the largest plesiosaurs, it was a dominant predator in its prehistoric marine environment, feeding on large marine reptiles, turtles fish, and squid.
We will break down the size of a Kronosaurus and compare it to other marine reptiles and mammals both that it lived with and some more modern to give you an idea of how large it was. Though, to make sure we all start form the same position we better take a quick look at what a Kronosaurus actually was.
What Was the Kronosaurus?
Kronosaurus was a carnivorous marine reptile that lived around 125 to 99 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. it has been found in Australia and South America but likely lived much more widespread than those two locations.
It belonged to the plesiosaur family, which included other powerful marine reptiles like Mosasaurus and Liopleurodon which were comparable in size.
Kronosaurus was a four-flippered predator with a short neck, massive head, and powerful jaws filled with sharp teeth. It was an agile swimmer, capable of catching and consuming a wide variety of marine life, including turtles fish, squids, and other marine reptiles including plesiosaurus!
How Big Was Kronosaurus?
As we highlighted above, Kronosaurus was a large marine reptile, with an estimated length of 9 to 10.5 meters (30 to 34 feet) and its weight estimates range up to 22-28,000 lbs. (10-13,000 kg)
While it wasn’t the largest marine reptile, that title likely belongs to an ichthyosaur Shastasaurus it was definitely up there in terms of both length and weight. As height is not really a useful measurement for a animal that lives in water we take a look at the Kronosaurus length and wight in more detail below.
| Dinosaur / Reptile | Length | Weight | When it Lived (mya) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kronosaurus | 9-10 meters (30 – 33 feet) | 10,000-13,000 kg (22,000 – 28,000 lbs.) | 125 99 mya |
Length of Kronosaurus
The length of Kronosaurus, estimated between 9 to 10.5 meters (30 to 34 feet), made it one of the largest marine reptiles of the Early Cretaceous period. The impressive length meant Kronosaurus was certainly one of the dominant predators.
The size of Kronosaurus is derived from the fossil evidence discovered so far, which includes partial skeletons and skull fragments. By studying these fossils, scientists can reconstruct the size of Kronosaurus and better understand its anatomy as well as its size.
The large size of Kronosaurus likely provided several advantages in its marine environment. For example, a larger body would have enabled it to move more efficiently through the water, allowing it to cover greater distances in search of prey.
And of course its large size would have offered protection against potential predators or rivals, ensuring its position at the top of the food chain.
Weight of Kronosaurus
The weight of Kronosaurus is estimated to be between 10,000 to 13,000 kg (22,000 to 28,000 lbs.). This massive weight contributed to its power and strength as a marine predator, bigger did tend to mean better in most circumstances. With such a heavy body, Kronosaurus would have been able to take on large and powerful prey items, including other sizable marine reptiles,
This weight advantage likely played a crucial role in the hunting and feeding strategies of Kronosaurus. The heavy weight of Kronosaurus may have been an adaptation to its environment, where being larger and more powerful was essential for hunting large prey and warding off potential threats.
Comparison with Other Marine Reptiles
it is easier to express the following section in a table form. However ther take away from this are that although not the longest or heaviest, kronosaurus is in a top 5, or top 3 for both of those length and weight measurements. . it really was a massive predator by any measure.
Table 1: Size Comparison between Kronosaurus and other marine reptiles.
| Marine Reptile | Length (m/f) | Weight (kg/lbs) | When it Lived (mya) |
| Kronosaurus | 9-10.5 meters (30-34 feet) | 10,000-13,000 kg (22,000-30,865 lbs) | 125-99 mya |
| Plesiosaurus | 4-4.5 meters (13-15 feet) | 450 kg (990 lbs) | 200-175 mya |
| Ichthyosaurus | 2-3.3 meters (6.5-11 feet) | 90-220 kg (200-490 lbs) | 250-90 mya |
| Liopleurodon | 6-7 meters (20-23 feet) up to 10 metres | 1,500-1,750 kg (3,300-3,850 lbs) up to 8000 lbs | 166-155 mya |
| Elasmosaurus | 10 – 13 meters (33 – 46 feet) | 2,000 kg (4,400 lbs) | 80 mya |
| Mosasaurus | 17-18 meters (56-59 feet) ( more likely 13 metres – 43 feet) | 5,000-8,000 kg (11,000-17,600 lbs) | 83 – 66 mya |
| Sahstasaurus | 21 metres (69 feet) | 81,000 kg ( 178,574 lbs | 235 – 205 mya |
Where Did Kronosaurus Live and With Which Other Marine Reptiles?
Kronosaurus lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 125 to 99 million years ago. Its fossils have been found primarily in Australia and South America, though it is thought to be more widespread than this.
Kronosaurus shared its environment with a diverse range of marine life, including other marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs, turtles and plesiosaurs. These marine reptiles would have coexisted in the ancient seas, occupying different niches and hunting different types of prey.
it didn’t live with either Liopleurodon or Mosasaurus however as they were 30 or so million years before and after it respectively. The oceans are big, but not big enough for that many hyper predators!
How Do We Know the Size of Kronosaurus?
As with other prehistoric creatures, scientists and paleontologists use various methods to estimate the size of marine reptiles like Kronosaurus. We discuss these in our other How big articles and you can check them out at the bottom of the page rather than repeat it here. The size of Kronosaurus is based on the analysis of fossil specimens that have been discovered and studied by paleontologists.
By examining the fossilized bones, scientists can reconstruct the skeleton and estimate the overall size and dimensions of the marine reptile.
Comparing Kronosaurus with other marine reptiles and using computer models can also help formulate these size estimates.
Size Comparisons with Modern-Day Animals
To give you some idea of how large Kronosaurus actually was, we have compared it to some more common animals you can see alive today, though hopefully from a long distance away!
Table 2: Kronosaurus size comparison modern day Marine animals.
| Marine Reptile | Length (m/f) | Weight (kg/lbs) |
| Kronosaurus | 9-10.5 meters (30-34 feet) | 10,000-13,000 kg (22,000-30,865 lbs) |
| Blue Whale | 24-30 meters (79-98 feet) | 130,000-153,000 kg (250,000-300,000 lbs) |
| Orca (Killer Whale) | 7-9 meters (23-30 feet) | 5,400 kg (11,905 lbs) |
| Great White Shark | 6 meters (20 feet) | 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) |
| Salt Water Crocodile | 7 m (23 feet) | 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) |
So, while Kronosaurus was not as large as a blue whale, nothing yet is though! it was still larger and heavier than an orca and a great white shark combined. you can see why it might be tempting to include in the upcoming MEG 2: The trench movie. Which we discuss below as well.
Who would win in a fight between kronosaurus and Megalodon.
As we mentioned above there are rumors, though we don’t know for sure, that the upcoming Movie – The MEG 2: The Trench may have a pack of kronosaurus in it. Although there has been nothing said from the movie makers about this they do appear in the Novel version of the books.
So with that we take a very quick look at what would happen if megalodon and kronosaurus did face off against each other. We have a more definitive article on this on the site you can check out on the link above and the image below.
The Kronosaurus, as mentioned earlier, measured between 9 to 10.5 meters in length (30 to 34 feet) and weighed between 10,000 to 13,000 kg (22,000 to 28,000 lbs).
In contrast, the Megalodon was substantially larger, with estimates ranging from 15 to 18 meters (for females) (50 to 60 feet) in length and weighing around 50,000 to 60,000 kg (110,000 to 132,000 lbs).
Megalodon’s massive size and powerful bite force would likely give it a significant advantage in a one-on-one confrontation, making it the probable victor.
If there were a pack of three Kronosaurus working together against a single Megalodon, the odds might shift slightly in their favor. The combined strength, and agility of the three Kronosaurus could potentially allow them to strategize and launch coordinated attacks against the Megalodon. However it is giving Kronosaurus abilities there is zero evidence for.
While the Megalodon’s size and bite force would still pose a considerable threat, the teamwork and numbers of the Kronosaurus pack might give them a fighting chance.
To be totally clear they are separated by about 80 million years and this could never happen, well unless there is a whole new marine world in the Mariana trench that is! Maybe that’s where the Bloop and Julia sea monsters have gone too!
We have a series of articles on How Big Dinosaurs were, including sauropods and carnivores, and you can follow the links below to check out the size of other popular dinosaurs. We are expanding this section on a regular basis.
In conclusion,
Kronosaurus was a huge and heavy predator that lived in the Early Cretaceous seas. Measuring 9 to 10.5 meters in length and weighing between 10,000 to 13,000 kg, it was one of the largest and most powerful marine reptiles of its time.
Comparisons with other marine reptiles and modern-day animals highlight its impressive size and allow us to appreciate the awe-inspiring creatures that once inhabited our planet. whether it could take down another Apex predator like the Megalodon, well lets leave that to Hollywood to sort out shall we
We have a selection of articles on Megalodon and other of the large Marine reptiles here on the site you can check them out in the list below.
- What was the bite force of a Megalodon
- Best Megalodon Movies
- Are Megalodon alive today?
- Where to find Megalodon teeth
- Megalodon Vs. Blue Whale
- How Big was Kronosaurus
- How Big was Mosasaurus
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronosaurus
- https://www.thoughtco.com/things-to-know-kronosaurus-1093790
- https://www.dkfindout.com/us/dinosaurs-and-prehistoric-life/prehistoric-reptiles/kronosaurus/
Hi, I am Roy Ford a General Studies and English Teacher who has taught all over the world. What started as a fossil collection became a great way to teach, motivate and inspire students of all ages and all over the world about dinosaurs and from that and children’s love of dinosaurs came the site dinosaur facts for kids, a resource for all ages.
