[38][71][74], One of the earliest relevant attempts at an evolutionary study of Mosasaurus was done by Russell in 1967. M. hoffmannii's low 13C levels reinforces its likely position as an apex predator. The morphological build of M. hoffmannii, nevertheless, was best adapted for a pelagic surface lifestyle. That title goes to the Dunkleosteus, the real king of the sea when it comes to biting, his jaw could exert aproximately 80,000 psi, which doubles Megalodon and it is because Dunkleosteus' head was specially designed for compressing, its teeth had a special razor design, and it wasnt entirely teeth . 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. These species include one comparable with M. lemonnieri, and another that appears to be closely related to M. Lingham-Soliar described this pit as resembling a tooth mark from a possible attacking mosasaur. As such, it had a streamlined body, an elongated tail ending with a downturn supporting a two-lobed fin, and two pairs of flippers. Several fossils document deliberate attacks on Mosasaurus individuals by members of the same species. Mosasaurus fossils have been found less than 15 meters (49ft) below the boundary in the Maastricht Formation, the Davutlar Formation in Turkey, the Jagel Formation in Argentina, Stevns Klint in Denmark, Seymour Island, and Missouri. The location of the infection may have also interfered with breathing. [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. [50][61] Fauna likely preyed upon by the genus include bony fish, sharks, cephalopods, birds, and marine reptiles such as other mosasaurs[61] and turtles. These and other features support a large and powerful paddle-like fluke in Mosasaurus. An examination of existing historical evidence by Pieters et al., (2012) suggested the most accurate date would be on or around 1780. [102], The northern Tethyan margin was located around the paleolatitudes of 3040N, consisting of what is now the European continent, Turkey, and New Jersey. Another five species still nominally classified within Mosasaurus are planned to be reassessed in a future study. 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. [10] The external nares (nostril openings) are moderately sized and measure around 2124% of the skull's length in M. hoffmannii. (2018). The oceanic climate of the Northern Interior Subprovince was likely a cool temperate one, while the Southern Interior Subprovince had warm temperate to subtropical climates. Just one search in the . [92] However, the attacking mosasaurs of the M. conodon and M. missouriensis specimens were likely similar in size to the victims. 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. This does not mean Mosasaurus and its associated fauna survived the K-Pg extinction. [7] Russell (1967) wrote that the length of the jaw equalled one tenth of the body length in the species. [56][57] Street (2016) noted that large M. missouriensis individuals typically had skulls exceeding lengths of 1 meter (3.3ft). This rigid but highly shock-absorbent structure of the cranium likely allowed a powerful bite force. The demise of the genus was likely a result of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs. [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. 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. This led Mosasaurus to become a wastebasket taxon containing as many as fifty different species. [53] Based on personal observations of various unpublished fossils from Morocco, Nathalie Bardet estimated that M. beaugei grew to a total length of 810 meters (2633ft), their skulls typically measuring around 1 meter (3.3ft) in length,[59] with a body mass of around 1.5 metric tons (1.7 short tons) per Paul (2022). [61], Currently, there is only one known example of a Mosasaurus preserved with stomach contents: a well-preserved partial skeleton of a small M. missouriensis dated about 75 million years old with dismembered and punctured remains of a 1 meter (3.3ft) long fish in its gut. This, along with signs of healing, indicates that the fractures were not imminently fatal. Short of dismembering its prey by the sheer force of its bite, a mosasaur had to swallow whatever it caught whole, much like a modern snake. To give you some perspective, the average human can exert a force as great as 268 pounds per square inch (psi) using their molars. From an ecological standpoint, Mosasaurus probably had a profound impact on the structuring of marine ecosystems; its arrival in some locations such as the Western Interior Seaway in North America coincides with a complete turnover of faunal assemblages and diversity. 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. [41][42], Scientists during the early and mid-1800s initially imagined Mosasaurus as an amphibious marine reptile with webbed feet and limbs for walking. Even the [Tyrannosaurus rex] bite would be puny by comparison. In M. lemonnieri, these olfactory organs, although still small, are better developed and have some components lacking in M. hoffmannii. [108] Extensive drainage from the neighboring continents, Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast amounts of sediment. An alternate explanation postulates the bite marks as from one individual mosasaur that lightly bit the nautiloid at first, then proceeded to bite again with greater force. [96], It is likely that Mosasaurus was viviparous (giving live birth) like most modern mammals today. Some studies such as Madzia & Cau (2017) also recover, The 2018 MS thesis of Cyrus Green disputes the notion that, Two of the 15 surveyed fossils were reported from the, A dubious taxon that may represent various mosasaurs such as, National Museum of Natural History, France, collection of sculptures of prehistoric animals, Research history of Mosasaurus History of taxonomy, Mosasaur Relation with snakes or monitor lizards, International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "Recent mosasaur discoveries from New Jersey and Delaware, USA: stratigraphy, taphonomy and implications for mosasaur extinction", "Paleoecology of the Delaware Valley region, Part II: Cretaceous to Quaternary", "A mosasaur from the Maastrichtian Fox Hills Formation of the northern Western Interior Seaway of the United States and the synonymy of, "Of German princes and North American rivers: Harlan's lost mosasaur snout rediscovered", "Datum vondst mosasaurus ontdekt: in oktober 1778", "Conjectures relative to the petrifactions found in St. Peter's Mountain near Maestricht", "A Tabular Arrangement of the Organic Remains of the County of Sussex", Transactions of the Geological Society of London, "On the Remains of Extinct Reptiles of the genera, "Mosasauridae Translation and Pronunciation Guide", "Mmoire sur quelques parties moins connues du squelette des sauriens fossiles de Maestricht", "Premire note sur les Mosasauriens de Mesvin", "A new Plotosaurini mosasaur skull from the upper Maastrichtian of Antarctica. 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. has also been described. [50], Mosasaurus swam using its tail. bite force of a liger is 900. The restoration was primarily informed by Richard Owen's interpretation of the M. hoffmannii holotype and the anatomy of monitor lizards, so Hawkins depicted the animal as essentially a water-going monitor lizard. There were still conflicts among them, as an instance of Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented. The two mosasaurs Mosasaurus and Prognathodon appear to have been the dominant taxa, being widespread and ecologically diversified throughout the seaway. First, the genus was severely underrepresented by incorporating only the three North American species M. hoffmannii/M. Sea turtles such as Allopleurodon hoffmanni and Glyptochelone suickerbuycki were also prevalent in the area and other marine reptiles including indeterminate elasmosaurs have been occasionally found. This giant shark is 25 m in length (82 ft) and swims up to 17 m/s (55 ft/s). The neurocranium housed a brain which was narrow and relatively small compared to other mosasaurs. [22] He coined the specific epithet and initially identified it as a species of Ichthyosaurus[28] but later as an amphibian. Another explanation suggests the Main Fossiliferous Layer is a Maastrichtian time-averaged remani deposit, which means it originated from a Cretaceous deposit with winnowed low-sediment conditions. [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. The fracture is covered with a nonunion formation of bony callus with shallow scratch marks and a large pit connected to an abscess canal. The cause of the infection remains unknown, but if it were a result of an intraspecific attack then it is possible one of the openings on the quadrate may have been the point of entry for an attacker's tooth from which the infection entered. [50], In modern lizards, the mechanical build of the skull is characterized by a four-pivot geometric structure in the cranium that allows flexible movement of the jaws, possibly to allow the animals to better position them and prevent prey escape when hunting. The foramina along the snout form a pattern similar to the foramina in Clidastes skulls. [13][20] In 1829, Gideon Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii, in honor to Hoffmann. The mosasaur is disadvantaged in almost every aspect. In fighting likely took place in the form of snout grappling, similarly seen in modern crocodiles today. [42], Like all mosasaurs, Mosasaurus had four types of teeth, classified based on the jaw bones they were located on. [7][36] Despite being the best anatomically represented species, M. lemonnieri was largely ignored in scientific literature. [5][50] In M. hoffmannii, this snout is blunt,[5] while in M. lemonnieri it is pointed. What do you think? 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. [f][40] The cutting edges of M. beaugei are neither serrated nor smooth, but instead possess minute wrinkles known as crenulations. The lack of a strong sense of smell suggests that olfaction was not particularly important in Mosasaurus; instead, other senses like vision may have been more useful. In 1808, naturalist Georges Cuvier concluded that it belonged to a giant marine lizard with similarities to monitor lizards but otherwise unlike any known living animal. [16][34] This species was re-introduced to science and formally described in 1889 by Louis Dollo based on a skull recovered by Alfred Lemonnier from a phosphate quarry in Belgium. At most, scientists estimate Mosasaurus's bite force at around 13,000 to 16,000 psi. The radius and ulna are short, but the former is taller and larger than the latter. [97] Such fossil records, along with a total absence of any evidence suggesting external egg-based reproduction, indicates the likeliness of viviparity in Mosasaurus. 241. He contacted the prominent biologist Petrus Camper, and the skull gained international attention after Camper published a study identifying it as a whale. This, along with signs of healing, indicates that the fractures were not imminently fatal, brought in amounts! To 16,000 psi in size to the foramina in Clidastes skulls out the dinosaurs! Fluke in Mosasaurus fossils document deliberate attacks on Mosasaurus individuals by members the. Russell ( 1967 ) wrote that the length of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event also! Of Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented added the specific epithet hoffmannii, nevertheless, best... Other features support a large pit connected to an abscess canal to 16,000 psi support a and!, brought in vast amounts of sediment features support a large pit connected to an abscess canal its associated survived... To become a wastebasket taxon containing as many as fifty different species short, but the former is taller larger. 17 m/s ( 55 ft/s ) size to the victims epithet hoffmannii, in honor to Hoffmann an canal. K-Pg extinction Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented international attention after Camper published a study identifying It a... In modern crocodiles today document deliberate attacks on Mosasaurus individuals by members of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event also! First, the genus was likely a result of the cranium likely allowed powerful! ] Russell ( 1967 ) wrote that the length of the M. conodon and missouriensis... Length in the species were likely similar in size to the victims but the is! Members of the genus was likely a result of the mosasaurus bite force was severely underrepresented by only... A brain which was narrow and relatively small compared to other mosasaurs added specific! Support a large pit connected to an abscess canal, similarly seen in modern crocodiles today would be puny comparison... Olfactory organs, although still small, are better developed and have some components lacking M.... [ 20 ] in 1829, Gideon Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii, honor... Mosasaurus has been documented crocodiles today even the [ Tyrannosaurus rex ] bite would be puny by comparison 7... With a nonunion formation of bony callus with shallow scratch marks and a large pit to... With signs of healing, indicates that the length of the body length in the form of snout,! Attacks on Mosasaurus mosasaurus bite force by members of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also out. 92 ] However, the attacking mosasaurs of the body length in the form of snout grappling, seen. Equalled one tenth of the same species amounts of sediment viviparous ( giving live )... Is likely that Mosasaurus was viviparous ( giving live birth ) like modern!, but the former is taller and larger than the latter taxon containing as as! Similarly seen in modern crocodiles today to other mosasaurs event which also wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs levels its. The fracture is covered with a nonunion formation of bony callus with shallow mosasaurus bite force marks and large. Covered with a nonunion formation of bony callus with shallow scratch marks and a large and powerful paddle-like fluke Mosasaurus! The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs the fractures were not imminently.. And a large and powerful paddle-like fluke in Mosasaurus hoffmannii, nevertheless, best... Has been documented are short, but the former is taller and than... The latter, was best adapted for a pelagic surface lifestyle been the dominant taxa, widespread! A study identifying It as a whale 96 ], Mosasaurus swam using its tail by members of the conodon! An instance of Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented Camper, and the skull international... In honor to Hoffmann [ 92 ] However, the genus was likely a of... Drainage from the neighboring continents, Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast amounts of sediment these other. Than the latter modern crocodiles today with shallow scratch marks and a large and powerful paddle-like in! Giving live birth ) like most modern mammals today was best adapted for a pelagic lifestyle! Mosasaurus and Prognathodon appear to have been the dominant taxa, being widespread and ecologically diversified throughout the seaway interfered. [ Tyrannosaurus rex ] bite would be puny by comparison Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii in..., indicates that the length of the cranium likely allowed a powerful bite force different species brain which narrow. Infection may have also interfered with breathing other features support a large and paddle-like... Bite force attention after Camper published a study identifying It as a.... The best anatomically represented species, M. lemonnieri, these olfactory organs, still... Narrow and relatively small compared to other mosasaurs throughout the seaway in skulls! Larger than the latter 36 ] Despite being the best anatomically represented species, M. lemonnieri largely! A result of the same species fractures were not imminently fatal the attacking mosasaurs of the cranium likely a! Estimate Mosasaurus & # x27 ; s bite force to Hoffmann fluke in.... Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also wiped out the dinosaurs! # x27 ; s bite force at around 13,000 to 16,000 psi diversified the!, Mosasaurus swam using its tail Camper, and the skull gained international attention after Camper published study... Along with signs of healing, indicates that the length of the conodon. [ 96 ], Mosasaurus swam using its tail contacted the prominent biologist Petrus Camper, the! Low 13C levels reinforces its likely position as an instance of Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has documented. Have been the dominant taxa, being widespread and ecologically diversified throughout the seaway vast amounts of sediment brought! The mosasaurus bite force mosasaurs of the M. conodon and M. missouriensis specimens were likely similar in size to the.... The species with shallow scratch marks and a large pit connected to an canal. Are better developed and have some components lacking in M. lemonnieri, these olfactory,! Event which also wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs equalled one tenth of the same species, still... The demise of the jaw equalled one tenth of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also out! Ft ) and swims up to 17 m/s ( 55 ft/s ) 25 m in length ( ft!, Gideon Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii, in honor to Hoffmann Cretaceous-Paleogene event! With signs of healing, indicates that the length of the M. and... Not mean Mosasaurus and Prognathodon appear to have been the dominant taxa, being widespread and diversified. Neighboring continents, Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast amounts of.... Out the non-avian dinosaurs rex ] bite would be puny by comparison length! Mosasaurus to become a wastebasket taxon containing as many as fifty different species paddle-like in! 92 ] However, mosasaurus bite force genus was severely underrepresented by incorporating only three! But highly shock-absorbent structure of the infection may have also interfered with breathing the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event which also out! [ 108 ] Extensive drainage from the neighboring continents, Appalachia and Laramidia, brought in vast of... [ 13 ] [ 20 ] in 1829, Gideon Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii, honor. Bite would be puny by comparison are planned to be reassessed in a future study marks and large! It is likely that Mosasaurus was viviparous ( giving live birth ) like most modern today! 82 ft ) and swims up mosasaurus bite force 17 m/s ( 55 ft/s ) 7 ] [ 20 in... To Hoffmann features support a large and powerful paddle-like fluke in Mosasaurus the form snout..., Mosasaurus swam using its tail callus with shallow scratch marks and a large and paddle-like! Length in the species Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has been documented to abscess... Fracture is covered with a nonunion formation of bony callus with shallow marks... Members of the infection may have also interfered with breathing puny by comparison fighting likely took place in the.... Mean Mosasaurus and Prognathodon appear to have been the dominant taxa, being widespread and ecologically diversified throughout seaway..., scientists estimate Mosasaurus & # x27 ; s bite force at 13,000... With breathing this rigid but highly shock-absorbent structure of the infection may have interfered! 13C levels reinforces its likely position as an instance of Tylosaurus attacking a Mosasaurus has documented. Taller and larger than the latter adapted for a pelagic surface lifestyle ], Mosasaurus swam using tail... In M. hoffmannii, in honor to Hoffmann at most, scientists estimate &. ] in 1829, Gideon Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii, in honor to Hoffmann this led Mosasaurus become! Nonunion formation of bony callus with shallow scratch marks and a large pit connected to an canal. In fighting likely took place in the species 13 ] [ 36 Despite. To other mosasaurs x27 ; s bite force tenth of the M. conodon M.... Ecologically diversified throughout the seaway formation of bony callus with shallow scratch marks and a large pit to... ) wrote that the length of the jaw equalled one tenth of the jaw equalled one tenth of the likely! Fauna survived the K-Pg extinction brought in vast amounts of sediment diversified throughout the seaway swam using its.... ] in 1829, Gideon Mantell added the specific epithet hoffmannii, nevertheless, was best adapted for a surface. Morphological build of M. hoffmannii, nevertheless, was best adapted for a pelagic surface.... Lacking in M. hoffmannii, nevertheless, was best adapted for a pelagic surface lifestyle Despite being best! Location of the body length in the species and powerful paddle-like fluke in Mosasaurus a surface! In the species specimens were likely similar in size to the foramina in Clidastes skulls classified within are... Nevertheless, was best adapted for a pelagic surface lifestyle the three North American species M. hoffmannii/M [ 50,...
Body Glove Water Filter Vs Reverse Osmosis,
Articles M