Dinilysia
| Dinilysia Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, | |
|---|---|
| Illustration of the skull and vertebral column | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Clade: | Ophidia |
| Family: | †Dinilysiidae |
| Genus: | †Dinilysia Woodward, 1901 |
| Type species | |
| Dinilysia patagonica Woodward, 1901 | |
Dinilysia (meaning "terrible ilysia") is an extinct genus of snake from the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) of South America. Dinilysia was a relatively large ambush predator, measuring approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) long. The skull morphology of Dinilysia is similar to boids, suggesting that it was able to consume large prey. Living in a desert-like environment, Dinilysia is likely a terrestrial or a semi-fossorial animal.