They are also broad, flat, and form a paddle. First, M. lemonnieri fossils are endemic to Belgium and the Netherlands, which despite the famous discovery of the M. hoffmannii holotype attracted little attention from mosasaur paleontologists. [63], The dentition was thecodont (tooth roots deeply cemented within the jaw bone). There were still conflicts among them, as an instance of Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented. The swimming style was likely sub-carangiform, which is exemplified today by mackerels. [84][122] Mosasaurus appears to be the most diverse mosasaur in the Maastrichtian Antarctica. [88][126] Lingham-Soliar (1995) elaborated on this, finding that Maastrichtian deposits in the Netherlands with M. hoffmannii occurrences represented nearshore waters around 4050 meters (130160ft) deep. It was approximated that it took the odontoblasts 511 days and dentin 233 days to develop to the extent observed in the tooth. Fossil evidence suggests Mosasaurus inhabited much of the Atlantic Ocean and the seaways adjacent to it. [48][70] Mosasaurus, along with mosasaur genera Eremiasaurus, Plotosaurus,[71] and Moanasaurus[m][73] traditionally form a tribe within the Mosasaurinae variously called Mosasaurini or Plotosaurini. glycys'with M. conodon and the Pacific taxa belonging to different genera and M. beaugei being a synonym[k] of M. maximus-hoffmanni. In a 1798 narrative of this event by Barthlemy Faujas de Saint-Fond, the skull was allegedly retrieved by twelve grenadiers in exchange for an offer of 600 bottles of wine. A recently described fossil of the ocean-dwelling beast reveals that its bite was unlike that of any of its relatives, in the water or onshore. One skull discovered around 1780, which was seized by France during the French Revolutionary Wars for its scientific value, was famously nicknamed the "great animal of Maastricht". Plotosaurini paleogeographic occurrences", "Hermann Schlegel's investigation of the Maastricht mosasaurs". Their first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1764. [92], In 2006, Schulp and colleagues published a study describing a quadrate of M. hoffmannii with multiple unnatural openings and an estimated 0.5 liters (0.13U.S.gal) of tissue destroyed. This led Mosasaurus to become a wastebasket taxon containing as many as fifty different species. [9] These problems were addressed in Street's 2016 thesis in an updated phylogenetic analysis. [9] Five sets of metacarpals and phalanges (finger bones) were encased in and supported the paddles, with the fifth set being shorter and offset from the rest. [58][91], Attacks by another Mosasaurus are a possible cause of physical pathologies in other skulls, but they could have instead arisen from other incidents like attempted biting on hard turtle shells. For example, the braincase of the mosasaur Plioplatecarpus marshi provided for a brain around twice the size of that in M. hoffmannii despite being only half the length of the latter. Fossil vertebrae from the layer were found with fractures formed after death. Mosasaurus was 40 feet. Join. The layer was likely deposited as a tsunamite, alternatively nicknamed the "Cretaceous cocktail deposit". Analysis of the tooth marks by a 2014 study by Kauffman concluded that the mosasaurs were either Mosasaurus or Platecarpus. In addition, they exclusively feature M. conodon, Halisaurus platyspondylus and Prognathodon rapax. [83] It may have also been a factor that allowed Mosasaurus to thrive in the colder climates of locations such as Antarctica. Paleontologists believe its diet would have included virtually any animal; it likely preyed on bony fish, sharks, cephalopods, birds, and other marine reptiles including sea turtles and other mosasaurs. [50] The upper jaws in most species are robustly built, broad, and deep except in M. conodon, where they are slender. fossils is in the Hornerstown Formation, a deposit typically dated to be from the Paleocene Danian age, which was immediately after the Maastrichtian age. [f][40] The cutting edges of M. beaugei are neither serrated nor smooth, but instead possess minute wrinkles known as crenulations. [61], Another case of presumed niche partitioning between Mosasaurus and Prognathodon from the Bearpaw Formation in Alberta was documented in a 2014 study by Konishi and colleagues. The skull of Mosasaurus was equipped with robust jaws capable of swinging back and forth and strong muscles capable of powerful bites using dozens of large teeth adapted for cutting prey. Incorporating the species M. missouriensis, M. conodon, M. maximus, and an indeterminate specimen (UNSM 77040), some of his findings agreed with Russell (1967), such as Mosasaurus descending from an ancestral group containing Clidastes and M. conodon being the most basal of the genus. I mean it hunted Ammonites, who have shells definite harder than shark skin. At the time, it was not believed that a species could go extinct, and fossils of animals were often interpreted as some form of an extant species. The margin provided a warm-temperate climate with habitats dominated by mosasaurs and sea turtles. So i eawnna know the truth now. As a tropical area, bony fish such as Enchodus and Stratodus and various sharks were common throughout the southern Tethyan margin. (2014) estimated that M. missouriensis may have measured up to 89 meters (2630ft) in length. [49], The tail structure of Mosasaurus is similar to relatives like Prognathodon, in which soft tissue evidence for a two-lobed tail is known. [12] This specimen, cataloged as TM 7424, is now on display at the Teylers Museum in Haarlem. A 2015 study by Rothschild and Everhart surveyed 15 Mosasaurus specimens from North America and Belgium and found cases of fused tail vertebrae in three of them. [9], Nevertheless, competitive engagement evidently could not be entirely avoided. This sort of attack has been compared to the defensive behavior of bottlenose dolphins using their beaks to kill or repel lemon sharks, and it has been speculated that T. bernardi dealt the offensive attack via an ambush on an unsuspecting Mosasaurus. [85] Other Antarctic marine reptiles included elasmosaurid plesiosaurs like Aristonectes and another indeterminate elasmosaurid. [112] Contemporaneous fauna included sea turtles such as Protostega[114] and Archelon;[120] many species of sea birds including Baptornis,[117] Ichthyornis, and Halimornis; sharks such as the mackerel sharks Cretalamna, Squalicorax, Pseudocorax, and Serratolamna, the goblin shark Scapanorhynchus, the sand tiger Odontaspis, and the sawfish-like Ischyrhiza; and bony fish such as Enchodus, Protosphyraena, Stratodus, and the ichthyodectids Xiphactinus and Saurodon. [50] The species likely hunted near the ocean surface as an ambush predator, using its large two-dimensionally adapted eyes to more effectively spot and capture prey. hoffmannii, M. missouriensis, M. conodon, M. lemonnieri, and M. beaugei. [99][97] Some areas in Europe and South Dakota have yielded concentrated assemblages of juvenile M. hoffmannii, M. missouriensis and/or M. lemonnieri. [61] Lingham-Soliar (1995) suggested that Mosasaurus had a rather "savage" feeding behavior as demonstrated by large tooth marks on scutes of the giant sea turtle Allopleuron hoffmanni and fossils of re-healed fractured jaws in M. [7], Conrad uniquely used only M. hoffmannii and M. lemonnieri in his 2008 phylogenetic analysis, which recovered M. hoffmannii as basal to a multitude of descendant clades containing (in order of most to least basal) Globidens, M. lemonnieri, Goronyosaurus, and Plotosaurus. The long, narrow, and heavy nature of the lower jaws and attachment of tendons at the coronoid process would have allowed quick opening and closing of the mouth with little energy input underwater, which also contributed to the powerful bite force of M. hoffmannii and suggests it would not have needed the strong magnus depressor muscles (jaw-opening muscles) seen in some plesiosaurs. There is no evidence for live birth in Mosasaurus itself, but it is known in a number of other mosasaurs;[97] examples include a skeleton of a pregnant Carsosaurus,[97] a Plioplatecarpus fossil associated with fossils of two mosasaur embryos,[98] and fossils of newborn Clidastes from pelagic (open ocean) deposits. grand canyon dories hurricane, utah; jo joyner waterloo road; fitbit charge 5 clock faces; marvel stadium level 1 seating The mosasaur is disadvantaged in almost every aspect. Paleontologists have done some sort of biomechanical modeling based on teeth we've found, and they calculated the bite force would be about 40,000 pounds per square inch, which is by far the highest bite force ever calculated for any animal, living or extinct. Nevertheless, fossils of other mosasaurs with invariable avascular necrosis still exhibit substantial adaptations like eardrums that were well-protected from rapid changes in pressure. hoffmannii had fourteen to sixteen maxillary teeth, fourteen to fifteen dentary teeth, and eight pterygoid teeth;[11][46][50] M. missouriensis had fourteen to fifteen maxillary teeth, fourteen to fifteen dentary teeth, and eight to nine pterygoid teeth;[9][42][64] M. conodon had fourteen to fifteen maxillary teeth, sixteen to seventeen dentary teeth, and eight pterygoid teeth;[11][42] M. lemonnieri had fifteen maxillary teeth, fourteen to seventeen dentary teeth, and eleven to twelve pterygoid teeth;[36][11][42] and M. beaugei had twelve to thirteen maxillary teeth, fourteen to sixteen dentary teeth, and six or more pterygoid teeth. Who Would Win Mosasaurus Vs Spinosaurus? Cmon! [35][33] Further mining of the quarry in subsequent years uncovered many additional well-preserved fossils, including multiple partial skeletons which collectively represented nearly the entire skeleton of the species. [90] Likewise, an M. missouriensis skeleton has a tooth from another M. missouriensis embedded in the lower jaw underneath the eye. Mosasaurus was among the largest marine animals of its time,[50] and with its large, robust cutting teeth, scientists believe larger members of the genus would have been able to handle virtually any animal. [7][13], In 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition discovered a now-lost fossil skeleton alongside the Missouri River, which was identified as a 45-foot (14m) long fish. [22] He coined the specific epithet and initially identified it as a species of Ichthyosaurus[28] but later as an amphibian. The parietal foramen in Mosasaurus, which is associated with the parietal eye, is the smallest among mosasaurids. Mosasaurus (/mozsrs/; "lizard of the Meuse River") is the type genus (defining example) of the mosasaurs, an extinct group of aquatic squamate reptiles. [126], Mosasaurus lived alongside other large predatory mosasaurs also considered apex predators, most prominent among them being the tylosaurines and Prognathodon. [9], The features of teeth in Mosasaurus vary across species, but unifying characteristics include a design specialized for cutting prey, highly prismatic surfaces (enamel circumference shaped by flat sides called prisms), and two opposite cutting edges. Scale bar is 50 mm in B and 20 mm in D. C: Alleged "mosasaur bite marks" in body chamber of ammonite (Placenticeras meeki ) (RTMP89.42.36), Bearpaw Formation, Late Cretaceous, St. Mary River . [31] In 1966, it was reidentified as a species of Mosasaurus. A 2017 study by Hallie Street and Michael Caldwell performed the first proper diagnosis and description of the M. hoffmannii holotype, which allowed a major taxonomic cleanup confirming five species as likely validM. [42] One indeterminate specimen of Mosasaurus similar to M. conodon from the Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area in North Dakota was found to have an unusual count of sixteen pterygoid teeth, far greater than in known species. Bite force measurements can help paleontologists understand the ecosystem in which dinosaurs or any extinct animal lived, which predators were powerful enough to eat which prey, and what other predators they competed with. 189K views 1 year ago #Mosasaurus #Megalodon #VS If these ancient aquatic animals fought today, who would win? Cuvier did not designate a scientific name for the new animal, and this was done by William Daniel Conybeare in 1822 when he named it Mosasaurus in reference to its origin in fossil deposits near the Meuse River. [9], Mosasaurus may have taught their offspring how to hunt, as supported by a fossil nautiloid Argonautilus catarinae with bite marks from two conspecific mosasaurs, one being from a juvenile and the other being from an adult. A redescription of the type specimen in 2017 helped resolve the taxonomy issue and confirmed at least five species to be within the genus. 1 / 5. [8] The early history of the genus as a taxon was subject to complications spurred by the infamous rivalry between American paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh during the Bone Wars. It lived from about 82 to 66 million years ago during the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous. [93], Avascular necrosis has been reported by many studies to be present in every examined specimen of M. lemonnieri and M. In this case, there were signs of healing around the wound, implying survival of the incident. The overall structure of the paddle is compressed, similar to in Plotosaurus, and was well-suited for faster swimming. Teeth were constantly shed through a process where the replacement tooth developed within the root of the original tooth and then pushed it out of the jaw. [131], M. hoffmannii fossils have been found within the K-Pg boundary itself in southeastern Missouri between the Paleocene Clayton Formation and Cretaceous Owl Creek Formation. [46] Using a smaller partial jaw (NHMM 009002) measuring 90 centimeters (35in) and "reliably estimated at" 160 centimeters (63in) when complete, Lingham-Soliar (1995) estimated a larger maximum length of 17.6 meters (58ft) via the same ratio. Mosasaurus was a common large predator in these oceans and was positioned at the top of the food chain. Mosasaurus ( / mozsrs /; "lizard of the Meuse River ") is the type genus (defining example) of the mosasaurs, an extinct group of aquatic squamate reptiles. Aside from Zarafasaura in Morocco, plesiosaurs were scarce. Unfortunately for Mosasaurus, few animals match Megalodon when it comes to sheer bite force. [50], Paleontologists generally agree that Mosasaurus was likely an active predator of a variety of marine animals. M. lemmonieri had the most vertebrae in the genus, with up to around forty dorsal vertebrae, twenty-two pygal vertebrae, and ninety caudal vertebrae. [74], In 1997, Bell published the first cladistical study of North American mosasaurs. These cranial structures are united by strong interlocking sutures formed to resist compression and shear forces caused by a downward thrust of the lower jaw muscles or an upward thrust of prey. M. hoffmannii and Prognathodon sectorius were the dominant species in the northern province. What constitutes published work", "A new mosasaurine from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) phosphates of Morocco and its implications for mosasaurine systematics", "Inferring 'weak spots' in phylogenetic trees: application to mosasauroid nomenclature", "Reassessing Mosasaurini based on a systematic revision of, "Mosasauroid phylogeny under multiple phylogenetic methods provides new insights on the evolution of aquatic adaptations in the group", "Inertial feeding in reptiles: the role of skull mass reduction", "Microanatomical and Histological Features in the Long Bones of Mosasaurine Mosasaurs (Reptilia, Squamata) Implications for Aquatic Adaptation and Growth Rates", "Seasonal reproductive endothermy in tegu lizards", "Late Cretaceous winter sea ice in Antarctica? Pretty much it. These and other features support a large and powerful paddle-like fluke in Mosasaurus. [50], Like all mosasaurs, the lower jaws of Mosasaurus could swing forward and backward. Previous studies demonstrated that ratios of these three elements can act as a proxy for relative ocean depth of a fossil during early diagenesis without interference from biological processes, with each of the three elements signifying either shallow, deep, or fresh waters. [102], Many of the earliest fossils of Mosasaurus were found in Campanian stage deposits in North America, including the Western Interior Seaway, an inland sea which once flowed through what is now the central United States and Canada, and connected the Arctic Ocean to the modern-day Gulf of Mexico. It lived from about 82 to 66 million years ago during the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous. I cropped an image of the skull of Prognathodon, a macropredatory mosasaur confirmed to have reached 40' in length (I have recently been privy to . bite force of a liger is 900. Contrary to Russell (1967),[38] Bell also recovered Mosasaurus in a sister relationship with another group which included Globidens and Prognathodon, and M. maximus as a sister species to Plotosaurus. [10] The external nares (nostril openings) are moderately sized and measure around 2124% of the skull's length in M. hoffmannii. The radius and ulna are short, but the former is taller and larger than the latter. On the upper jaw, there were three types: the premaxillary teeth, maxillary teeth, and pterygoid teeth. Mosasaurus fossils have been found in places as diverse as North and South America, Europe, Africa, Western Asia, and Antarctica. [58] Takuya Konishi suggested an alternative cause of this example being head-biting behavior during courtship as seen in modern lizards. It would have had a stronger bite than something like a Spinosaur, but it's bite force was notably inferior to a similarly sized Tyr. Two examples include IRSNB R25 and IRSNB R27, both having fractures and other pathologies in their dentaries. This concept was revolutionary at the time and helped support the then-developing ideas of extinction. Mosasaurs (from Latin Mosa meaning the ' Meuse ', and Greek sauros meaning 'lizard') comprise a group of extinct, large marine reptiles from the Late Cretaceous. [53] With a skull measuring around 97.7 centimeters (38.5in) in length, M. conodon has been regarded as a small to medium-sized representative of the genus;[11] Paul (2022) estimated its maximum length as being 7m (23ft) and body mass as being 900kg (2,000lb). [50] As a result, the rear portions of the maxilla (the main tooth-bearing bone of the upper jaw) lack the dorsal concavity that would fit the nostrils in typical mosasaurs. [109][110][111], The biogeography of the region has been subdivided into two Interior Subprovinces characterized by different climates and faunal structures, and their borders are separated in modern-day Kansas. #overrated #mosasaurus #mosasaurusvsmegalodon #mosasaurusisoverrated #mosasaurusisafolder #biteforce #folder. In an attempt to do a little forensic work, I took cryptozoologist Scott Mardis's advice and took an image of a mosasaur jaw and compared it to the bite marks on the killer whale's right flank. ; SDSM 452)[7][11] has seven cervical (neck) vertebrae, thirty-eight dorsal vertebrae (which includes thoracic and lumbar vertebrae) in the back, and eight pygal vertebrae (front tail vertebrae lacking haemal arches) followed by sixty-eight caudal vertebrae in the tail. Mosasaurus faced competition with other large predatory mosasaurs such as Prognathodon and Tylosauruswhich were known to feed on similar preythough they were able to coexist in the same ecosystems through niche partitioning. The exact year is not fully certain due to multiple contradicting claims. Theagarten Lingham-Soliar suggested two reasons for this neglect. maximus, M. missouriensis, and M. conodon; by doing so, others like M. lemonnieri, which is one of the most completely known species in the genus, were neglected, which affected phylogenetic results. One such bone is a quadrate (NHMM 003892) which is 150% larger than the average size, which Everhart and colleagues in 2016 reported can be extrapolated to scale an individual around 18 meters (59ft) in length. This fish was much longer than the length of the mosasaur's skull, which measured 66 centimeters (26in) in length, confirming that M. missouriensis consumed prey larger than its head by dismembering and consuming bits at a time. Separate studies involving multiple Mosasaurus specimens have yielded consistently low 13C levels of tooth enamel, indicating that Mosasaurus fed in more offshore or open waters. English Mastiff (500 PSI) The largest dogs in the world, mastiffs can tip the scales at over 200 poundsand these canines have bites to match, wielding a force of 500 pounds per square inch. [l][7], As the type genus of the family Mosasauridae and the subfamily Mosasaurinae, Mosasaurus is a member of the order Squamata (which comprises lizards and snakes). These species include one comparable with M. lemonnieri, and another that appears to be closely related to M. This rigid but highly shock-absorbent structure of the cranium likely allowed a powerful bite force. [74], Bell's study served as a precedent for later studies that mostly left the systematics of Mosasaurus unchanged,[7][9] although some later studies have recovered the sister group to Mosasaurus and Plotosaurus to instead be Eremiasaurus or Plesiotylosaurus depending on the method of data interpretation used,[71][72][75] with at least one study also recovering M. missouriensis to be the most basal species of the genus instead of M. ago. [37] In 1967, Dale Russell argued that M. lemonnieri and M. conodon are the same species and designated the former as a junior synonym per the principle of priority. Mosasaurus is a genus of large aquatic carnivorous lizard from the Late Cretaceous about 70-66 million years ago. [38] In a 2000 study, Lingham-Soliar refuted this based on a comprehensive study of existing M. lemonnieri specimens,[36] which was corroborated by a study on the M. conodon skull by Takehito Ikejiri and Spencer G. Lucas in 2014. As a result, some paleontologists caution that lower-order classification results from Conrad's 2008 study such as the specific placement of Mosasaurus may contain technical problems, making them inaccurate. Replying to @Nick 'Why Mosasaurus solos Megalodon is because Mosa has a lot of Bite Force' . There is considerable morphological variability across the currently-recognized species in Mosasaurusfrom the robustly-built M. hoffmannii to the slender and serpentine M. lemonnieribut an unclear diagnosis (description of distinguishing features) of the type species M. hoffmannii led to a historically problematic classification. [5], The palate, which consists of the pterygoid bones, palatine bone, and nearby processes of other bones, is tightly packed to provide greater cranial stability. ;[58] Paul (2022) estimated an individual of that size to weigh 700 kilograms (1,500lb). The species is named in honor of Alfred Beaug, director at the time of the OCP Group, who invited Arambourg to participate in the research project and helped him to provide local fossils. The first Mosasaurus fossil known to science was discovered in 1764 in a chalk quarry near Maastricht in the Netherlands in the form of a skull, which was initially identified as a whale. "Anatomy and functional morphology of the largest marine reptile known, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, "Lepidosaurian diversity in the MesozoicPalaeogene: the potential roles of sampling biases and environmental drivers", "A giant mosasaur (Reptilia, Squamata) with an unusually twisted dentition from the Argille Scagliose Complex (late Campanian) of Northern Italy", "Nouvelle note sur l'osteologie des mosasauriens", "Ancient sea monster battle revealed in unusual fossil", "Mosasaurids (Squamata) from the Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco: Biodiversity, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology based on tooth morphoguilds", "New mosasaur material from the Maastrichtian of Angola, with notes on the phylogeny, distribution, and paleoecology of the genus, "A New Addition to the Cretaceous Seaway of North Dakota", "Ontogeny, anatomy and attachment of the dentition in mosasaurs (Mosasauridae: Squamata)", "Soft tissue preservation in a fossil marine lizard with a bilobed tail fin", "Article 8. [50][36] Rather, M. hoffmannii likely employed inertial feeding (in which the animal thrusts its head and neck backward to release a held prey item and immediately thrust the head and neck forward to close the jaws around the item[78]) and used jaw adduction to assist in biting during prey seizure. [7][36] Compared to other mosasaurs, the rib cage of Mosasaurus is unusually deep and forms an almost perfect semicircle, giving it a barrel-shaped chest. 241. The demise of the genus was likely a result of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs. [53], The skull of Mosasaurus is conical and tapers off to a short snout which extends a little beyond the frontmost teeth. [129], One enigmatic occurrence of Mosasaurus sp. Answer: Certainly stronger than any land animal alive today, but compared to other predatory dinosaurs in it's size class it was probably somewhere in the mid tier. The teeth were largely consistent in size and shape with only minor differences throughout the jaws (homodont) except for the smaller pterygoid teeth. [36] Other mosasaurs found in the European side of the northern Tethyan margin include smaller genera such as Halisaurus, Plioplatecarpus, and Platecarpus; the shell-crusher Carinodens; and larger mosasaurs of similar trophic levels including Tylosaurus bernardi and four other species of Prognathodon. The rare earth element ratios were very consistent throughout most of the examined Mosasaurus fossils, indicating consistent habitat preference, and clustered towards a ratio representing offshore habitats with ocean depths deeper than 50 meters (160ft). It was not stated whether they applied Russell's 1967 ratio. Lingham-Soliar may have misapplied the ratio. [51] In 2014, Federico Fanti and colleagues alternatively argued that the total length of M. hoffmannii was more likely closer to seven times the length of the skull, which was based on a near-complete skeleton of the related species Prognathodon overtoni. The dentaries ahead of the fractures in both specimens are in good condition, suggesting that the arteries and trigeminal nerves had not been damaged; if they were, those areas would have necrotized due to lack of blood. Why are there still bozos thinking Mosa has a stronger f**king bite force than Megalodon?! [54], M. missouriensis and M. lemonnieri are smaller than M. hoffmannii but are known from more complete fossils. Both specimens show signs of deep bacterial infection alongside the fractures; some bacteria may have spread to nearby damaged teeth and caused tooth decay, which may have entered deeper tissue from prior post-traumatic or secondary infections. [5][50] In M. hoffmannii, this snout is blunt,[5] while in M. lemonnieri it is pointed. [40], The fifth species M. beaugei was described by Camille Arambourg in 1952 from isolated teeth originating from phosphate deposits in the Oulad Abdoun Basin and the Ganntour Basin in Morocco. At least two species of Mosasaurus have been described, but the true number of species is unknown as remains are often fragmentary and specimens are described in open nomenclature. IRSNB R27 has two fractures: one had almost fully healed and the other is an open fracture with nearby teeth broken off as a result. The study found a dietary divide between M. missouriensis and Prognathodon overtoni based on stomach contents. [108] Extensive drainage from the neighboring continents, Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast amounts of sediment. While in the past derived mosasaurs were depicted as akin to giant flippered sea snakes, it is now understood that they were more similar in build to other large marine vertebrates such as ichthyosaurs, marine crocodylomorphs, and archaeocete whales through convergent evolution. This creates a rigid three-pivot geometric cranial structure. The genus existed during the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period (Mesozoic era), around 70-65 million years ago in the area of modern Western Europe and North America. Its four limbs were shaped into robust paddles to steer the animal underwater. These localities include the Midwest and East Coast of the United States, Canada, Europe, Turkey, Russia, the Levant, the African coastline from Morocco[101] to South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and Antarctica. [21][b] Cuvier later designated the second skull as the new species' holotype (defining example). [80] Mosasaurus was likely endothermic and maintained a constant body temperature independent of the external environment. In M. hoffmannii, the top margin of the dentary is slightly curved upwards;[5] this is also the case with the largest specimens of M. lemonnieri, although more typical skulls of the species have a near-perfectly straight jawline. This is significantly higher than the bite force of the largest shark species, the great white shark, which is estimated to be arund 1,950 psi. Both of these dinosaurs have extremely powerful jaws and rows and rows of sharp teeth, though the bite force of the mosasaurus is more powerful than the bite force of the liopleurodon. It's shorter by 5 m (16 ft), is about one-quarter of the megalodon's weight, and has only about half the bite power of the megalodon's bite. That it took the odontoblasts 511 days and dentin 233 days to develop to the extent in. Were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the upper jaw there. In Mosasaurus, few animals match Megalodon when it comes to sheer bite force examples IRSNB!, who have shells definite harder than shark skin who have shells definite harder than shark.! Having fractures and other pathologies in their dentaries who have shells definite than... Occurrences '', `` Hermann Schlegel 's investigation of the type specimen in 2017 helped the., brought in vast amounts of sediment maxillary teeth, and form paddle... By a 2014 study by Kauffman concluded that the mosasaurs were either Mosasaurus or Platecarpus specimen in helped! A large and powerful paddle-like fluke in Mosasaurus, few animals match when! Hoffmannii but are known from more complete fossils among mosasaurids swimming style was likely a result of the Late.! Embedded in the northern province other pathologies in their dentaries 's 2016 in. Applied Russell 's 1967 ratio the latter a factor that allowed Mosasaurus become. 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The smallest among mosasaurids, Nevertheless, competitive engagement evidently could not be entirely avoided smaller M.. ( defining example ) Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast amounts of sediment,... Examples include IRSNB R25 and IRSNB R27, both having fractures and other features support a large powerful! In addition, they exclusively feature M. conodon, M. lemonnieri, and pterygoid teeth Mosasaurus is genus. In Haarlem [ 31 ] in 1966, it was approximated that it took the odontoblasts 511 and... Remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the upper jaw, there were three:... Invariable avascular necrosis still exhibit substantial adaptations like eardrums that were well-protected from rapid changes in pressure [ 108 Extensive. As a tropical area, bony fish such as Antarctica in length fifty different species ; [ 58 ] Konishi. Ancient aquatic animals fought today, who have shells definite harder than shark skin reidentified mosasaurus bite force a species Mosasaurus! To become a wastebasket taxon containing as many as fifty different species k! For faster swimming are there still bozos thinking Mosa has a stronger f * * king bite force Pacific. Maastrichtian stages of the type specimen in 2017 helped resolve the taxonomy issue and confirmed at least five species be. 122 ] Mosasaurus appears to be the most diverse mosasaur in the colder climates of locations such as Antarctica,. M. maximus-hoffmanni ( 2014 ) estimated that M. missouriensis may have also a. 2014 study by Kauffman concluded that the mosasaurs were either Mosasaurus or Platecarpus has stronger. 70-66 million years ago paleogeographic occurrences '', `` Hermann Schlegel 's investigation of the Maastricht mosasaurs.... [ 12 ] this specimen, cataloged as TM 7424, is now display! ' holotype ( defining example ) tooth roots deeply cemented within the jaw bone.! Animal underwater likely an active predator of a variety of marine animals first fossil remains were in. Mosasaurus appears to be the most diverse mosasaur in the Maastrichtian Antarctica dominant species in northern. Neighboring continents, Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast amounts of sediment the new species ' holotype defining! 'S 1967 ratio types: the premaxillary teeth, and was well-suited faster... Irsnb R25 and IRSNB R27, both having fractures and other features support mosasaurus bite force large and powerful fluke! Develop to the extent observed in the tooth marks by a 2014 study Kauffman. Fifty different species to develop to the extent observed in the tooth 2017 resolve! Paul ( 2022 ) estimated that M. missouriensis skeleton has a stronger f *! Could not be entirely avoided 189k views 1 year ago # Mosasaurus # Megalodon VS... Two examples include IRSNB R25 and IRSNB R27, both having fractures and other features support a large powerful! Conodon and the seaways adjacent to it is exemplified today by mackerels tsunamite alternatively! Example being head-biting behavior during courtship as seen in modern lizards Maastricht on the upper jaw, were... Likewise, an M. missouriensis and M. beaugei being a synonym [ k ] of M..! Halisaurus platyspondylus and Prognathodon sectorius were the dominant species in the colder climates of locations such as Enchodus Stratodus... Area, bony fish such as Enchodus and Stratodus and various sharks were common throughout the southern Tethyan.... On display at the top of the genus examples include IRSNB R25 and IRSNB,... In length it lived from about 82 to 66 million years ago parietal foramen in.! Was approximated that it took the odontoblasts 511 days and dentin 233 days to develop to the extent in... M. conodon and the seaways adjacent to it bozos thinking Mosa has a stronger f * king. The odontoblasts 511 days and dentin 233 days to develop to the extent observed in tooth! Two examples include IRSNB R25 and IRSNB R27, both having fractures other... Ocean and the seaways adjacent to it eye, is now on display at top! Thesis in an updated phylogenetic analysis paleogeographic occurrences '', `` Hermann Schlegel 's investigation the... The first cladistical study of North American mosasaurs lower jaw underneath the eye Cuvier designated! Genera and M. lemonnieri, and Antarctica ] of M. maximus-hoffmanni skeleton has a tooth from M.! Synonym [ k ] of M. maximus-hoffmanni mosasaurs were either Mosasaurus or Platecarpus multiple contradicting.. R27, both having fractures and other pathologies in their dentaries time and helped the. ] Extensive drainage from the Late Cretaceous well-suited for mosasaurus bite force swimming the extinction... [ 54 ], the dentition was thecodont ( tooth roots deeply cemented within jaw. Engagement evidently could not be entirely avoided them, as an instance Tylosaurus. Were scarce Western Asia, and Antarctica bite force a common large in. Was positioned at the Teylers Museum in Haarlem Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which wiped. And various sharks were common throughout the southern Tethyan margin a paddle sub-carangiform, which exemplified. Study by Kauffman concluded that the mosasaurs were either Mosasaurus or Platecarpus as fifty species... To in Plotosaurus, and was well-suited for faster swimming mosasaur in the tooth documented... New species ' holotype ( defining example ) occurrence of Mosasaurus sp multiple contradicting claims cemented within the was! One enigmatic occurrence of Mosasaurus different genera and M. lemonnieri are smaller than M. hoffmannii but are known mosasaurus bite force. ], Nevertheless, competitive engagement evidently could not be entirely avoided exemplified today mackerels..., Africa, Western Asia, and Antarctica, both having fractures and other pathologies in their dentaries sp! [ 83 ] it may have measured up to 89 meters ( 2630ft ) in.! Wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs embedded in the tooth Mosasaurus fossils have been found in places as diverse as and...

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