Russellosaurus: Research Database Reptilia (Squamata: Mosasauria) · Late Cretaceous (~80 MYA) · North America — USA (Texas) Research Note: Russellosaurus was a mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous of Texas — significant for understanding mosasaur diversity and the evolutionary relationships of squamates during the Cretaceous period. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method Citation Impact … Read more
Pannoniasaurus: Research Database Aquatic Tetrapoda · Late Cretaceous (~83-80 MYA) · Europe — Hungary (Iharkut) Research Note: Pannoniasaurus was an aquatic tetrapod from the Late Cretaceous of Hungary — an unusual aquatic vertebrate and an important taxon for understanding aquatic tetrapod evolution in the Cretaceous of Europe. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method … Read more
In Depth Although discovered in mainland Mexico, it needs to be remembered that back in the late Cretaceous this area was actually underwater. The problem with Amphekepubis is that it has been described upon very incomplete remains, leading to speculation that Amphekepubis may actually be another mosasaur (Possibly Mosasaurus). Additionally there is further speculation that … Read more
In Depth Haasiasaurus was originally named as Haasia in 1999, but when it realised that Haasia had already been used to name a genus of millipede, the mosasaur needed to be renamed, hence the change to Haasiasaurus in 2003. As a mosasaur, Haasiasaurus would have been a predator of fish and other marine reptiles. Further … Read more
Clidastes: Research Database Reptilia (Squamata: Mosasauria) · Late Cretaceous (~80 MYA) · North America — USA Research Note: Clidastes was a mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America — significant for understanding mosasaur diversity and aquatic adaptation in varanoid lizards during the Cretaceous. Research Finding Status Grade Year Method Citation Impact Rieppel … Read more
In Depth Liodon was amongst the earliest named genera of mosasaur, with a taxonomic history going all the way back to 1841 when the naturalist Richard Owen first named the genus. However, back then Richard Owen spelt the name as Leiodon, but a few years later it was realised that the name Leiodon had already … Read more
In Depth Plesioplatecarpus was initially named as a species of the genus Clidastes by Edward Drinker Cope back in 1874 during a period dubbed the ‘bone wars’. Later this species was assigned to the genus Platecarpus, before finally being named as an independent genus in 2011. Although different to Platecarpus, Plesioplatecarpus is still recognised as … Read more
Hainosaurus: Research Database Mosasauridae (Squamata) · Late Cretaceous (~70–66 MYA) · Europe — Netherlands, Belgium (Maastricht Formation) Research Note: Hainosaurus was a large mosasaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Europe — one of the largest known mosasaurs and an apex predator in the Maastrichtian seas of Europe. As a member of the Mosasauridae, it … Read more