Gnathomortis

Nay-fo-mor-tis.

By Benjamin Gutierrez

Published on February 2, 2014

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Name

Gnathomortis ‭(‬jaws of death‭).

Phonetic

Nay-fo-mor-tis.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Mosasauroidea,‭ ‬Mosasauridae,‭ ‬Mosasaurinae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

G.‭ ‬stadtmani‭

Size

Uncertain but roughly estimated at about‭ ‬10‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Colorado‭ ‬-‭ ‬Mancos Shale.

Time Period

Campanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial skull and vertebrae.

In Depth

Originally thought to represent a species of Prognathodon,‭ ‬Gnathomortis was established as a distinct genus of mosasaur in‭ ‬2020.

Further reading

-‭ ‬Prognathodon stadtmani‭ (‬Mosasauridae‭)‬:‭ ‬a new species from the Mancos Shale‭ (‬Lower Campanian‭) ‬of western Colorado.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Utah Geological Survey Miscellaneous Publication.‭ ‬99‭ (‬1‭)‬:‭ ‬275‭–‬294.‭ ‬-‭ ‬M.‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Kass‭ ‬-‭ ‬1999.

-‭ ‬Redescription and phylogenetic assessment of‭ ‘‬Prognathodon‭’ ‬stadtmani:‭ ‬implications for Globidensini monophyly and character homology in Mosasaurinae.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology:‭ ‬e1784183.‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Lively‭ ‬-‭ ‬2020.