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Mosasauridae (mosasaur)

Reptilia - Mosasauridae

Taxonomy
Mosasauridae was named by Gervais (1852). Its type is Mosasaurus. It was considered monophyletic by Lee and Caldwell (2000), Lindgren and Siverson (2002), Cuthbertson et al. (2007), Buchy et al. (2007) and Konishi et al. (2012) and Karl and Nyhuis (2012).

It was assigned to Pythonomorpha by Cope (1869), Cope (1870), Cope (1871) and Cope (1875); to Pythonomorpha by Zittel (1890) and Hay (1902); to Mosasauriformes by Hay (1930); to Platynota by McDowell and Bogert (1954); to Lacertilia by Osborn (1899), Osborn (1899) and Thurmond and Jones (1981); to Platynota by Russell (1964), Miller (1967), Wiffen (1980), Wiffen (1990) and Lingham-Soliar (1995); to Pythonomorpha by Lee and Caldwell (2000); to Varanoidea by Baur (1890), Antunes (1964), Kuhn (1966), Welles and Gregg (1971), Seiffert (1975), Carroll (1988) and Páramo-Fonseca (2000); to Lacertilia by Nicholls and Meckert (2002); to Mosasauria by Kuhn (1946) and Reeder et al. (2015); to Mosasauroidea by Schulp et al. (2004), Bardet et al. (2005), Bell and Polcyn (2005), Schulp et al. (2008), Bell et al. (2013), Frey et al. (2016) and Hornung et al. (2018); to Squamata by Wright and Shannon (1988), Lindgren and Siverson (2002), Cuthbertson et al. (2007), Buchy et al. (2007), Polcyn and Everhart (2008), Komishi and Caldwell (2009), Konishi et al. (2010), Konishi et al. (2011), Konishi and Caldwell (2011), Polcyn et al. (2012), Konishi et al. (2012), Karl and Nyhuis (2012), Fernández and Talevi (2015), Cuthbertson and Holmes (2015), González Ruiz et al. (2019), Strong et al. (2020), Otero (2021), AbdelGawad et al. (2021), Zietlow et al. (2023) and O’Gorman et al. (2023); to Lepidosauromorpha by Agnolín et al. (2023); and to Squamata by Bardet et al. (2004), Martin and Crame (2006), Schulp et al. (2009), Otero et al. (2012), Otero et al. (2017), Lively (2018), Novas et al. (2019), Grigoriev and Grabovskiy (2020), Lively (2020), Kiernan and Ebersole (2023), Shaker et al. (2023), Plasse et al. (2024) and Rivera-Sylva et al. (2024).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1830Geosaurus mitchilli DeKay
1851Amphorosteus Gibbes p. 10
1851Amphorosteus brumbyi Gibbes p. 11
1852Mosasauridae Gervais p. 261
1868Clidastes iguanavus Cope pp. 233
1869Clidastes iguanavus Cope p. 258
1869Clidastidae Cope p. 258
1869Mosasauridae Cope p. 258
1869Mosasaurus mitchillii Cope p. 262
1869Mosasaurus brumbyi Cope p. 264
1870Mosasauridae Cope p. 183
1870Liodon congrops Cope p. 206
1870Clidastes iguanavus Cope p. 220
1870Liodon congrops Cope pp. 271-272
1870Mosasaurus crassidens Marsh p. 2
1871Clidastidae Cope p. 237
1871Mosasauridae Cope p. 237
1873Clidastes iguanavus Leidy p. 281
1873Mosasaurus platyodon Sauvage p. 385
1875Mosasauridae Cope p. 20
1875Liodon mitchillii Cope p. 270
1876Edestosauridae Marsh p. 59
1890Mosasauridae Baur p. 262
1890Mosasauridae Zittel p. 620
1899Mosasauridae Osborn p. 188
1902Mosasauridae Hay p. 464
1902Mosasaurus brumbyi Hay p. 465
1902Mosasaurus crassidens Hay p. 465
1902Clidastes iguanavus Hay p. 467
1902Macrosaurus mitchillii Hay p. 471
1902Tylosaurus congrops Hay p. 472
1912Tylosaurus capensis Broom p. 333 figs. Plate 22
1924Globidensidae Dollo p. 188
1930Mosasauridae Hay p. 258
1930Macrosaurus mitchillii Hay p. 259
1930Tylosaurus congrops Hay p. 259
1930Mosasaurus brumbyi Hay p. 262
1930Mosasaurus crassidens Hay p. 262
1930Clidastes iguanavus Hay p. 263
1930Globidentidae Hay p. 264
1946Globidentidae Kuhn p. 61
1946Mosasauridae Kuhn p. 61
1954Mosasauridae McDowell and Bogert p. 132
1964Mosasauridae Antunes p. 137
1964Mosasauridae Russell p. 167
1966Mosasauridae Kuhn p. 59
1967Mosasauridae Miller p. 227
1967Clidastes iguanavus Russell p. 126
1971Mosasauridae Welles and Gregg p. 49
1975Mosasauridae Seiffert p. 10
1980Mosasauridae Wiffen p. 508
1981Mosasauridae Thurmond and Jones p. 148
1988Mosasauridae Carroll
1988Mosasauridae Wright and Shannon p. 102
1990Mosasauridae Wiffen p. 67
1995Mosasauridae Lingham-Soliar
2000Mosasauridae Lee and Caldwell
2000Mosasauridae Páramo-Fonseca p. 123
2002Mosasauridae Lindgren and Siverson
2002Mosasauridae Nicholls and Meckert p. 1593
2002Amphorosteus Sepkoski
2004Mosasauridae Bardet et al. p. 316
2004Mosasauridae Schulp et al. p. 744
2005Mosasauridae Bardet et al.
2005Mosasauridae Bell and Polcyn p. 178
2006Mosasauridae Martin and Crame p. 113
2007Mosasauridae Buchy et al.
2007Mosasauridae Cuthbertson et al.
2008Mosasauridae Polcyn and Everhart p. 14
2008Mosasauridae Schulp et al. p. 1
2009Mosasauridae Komishi and Caldwell p. 418
2009Mosasauridae Schulp et al. p. 162
2010Mosasauridae Konishi et al.
2011Mosasauridae Konishi et al. p. 1028
2011Mosasauridae Konishi and Caldwell p. 756
2012Mosasauridae Karl and Nyhuis
2012Mosasauridae Konishi et al.
2012Mosasauridae Otero et al. p. 130
2012Mosasauridae Polcyn et al. p. 125
2013Mosasauridae Bell Jr. et al. p. 574
2015Mosasauridae Cuthbertson and Holmes
2015Mosasauridae Fernández and Talevi p. 485
2015Mosasauridae Reeder et al.
2016Mosasauridae Frey et al. p. 20
2017Mosasauridae Otero et al.
2018Mosasauridae Hornung et al. p. 544
2018Mosasauridae Lively p. 524
2019Tylosaurus capensis Driscoll et al.
2019Mosasauridae González Ruiz et al. p. 3
2019Mosasauridae Novas et al. p. 227
2020Mosasauridae Grigoriev and Grabovskiy p. 2
2020Mosasauridae Lively p. 15
2020Mosasauridae Strong et al. p. 8
2021Mosasauridae AbdelGawad et al.
2021Mosasauridae Otero p. 2
2023Mosasauridae Agnolín et al.
2023Mosasauridae Kiernan and Ebersole p. 4
2023Mosasauridae O’Gorman et al.
2023Mosasauridae Shaker et al. p. 4
2023Mosasauridae Zietlow et al. p. 6
2024Mosasauridae Plasse et al. p. 4
2024Mosasauridae Rivera-Sylva et al. p. 4

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
RankNameAuthor
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Squamata()
familyMosasauridae
familyMosasauridae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. †Mosasauridae Gervais 1852 [mosasaur]
show all | hide all
G. †Compressidens Dollo 1924
+
Compressidens belgicus Woodward 1891
G. †Haasiasaurus Polcyn et al. 2003
+
Haasiasaurus gittelmani Polcyn et al. 1999
Invalid names: Haasia Polcyn et al. 1999 [replaced]
Unr. †Halisaurinae Bardet et al. 2005
+
Unr. †Halisaurini Longrich et al. 2021
+
G. †Eonatator Bardet et al. 2005
+
Eonatator coellensis Páramo-Fonseca 2013
Eonatator sternbergii Wiman 1920
G. †Halisaurus Marsh 1869
+
Halisaurus arambourgi Bardet et al. 2005
Halisaurus hebae Shaker et al. 2023
Halisaurus onchognathus Merriam 1894
Invalid names: Baptosaurus Marsh 1870 [nomen dubium]
G. †Phosphorosaurus Dollo 1889
+
Phosphorosaurus ponpetelegans Konishi et al. 2016
Unr. †Pluridensini Longrich et al. 2021
+
G. †Pluridens Lingham-Soliar 1998
+
Pluridens calabaria Longrich 2016
Pluridens serpentis Longrich et al. 2021
Pluridens walkeri Lingham-Soliar 1998
Subfm. †Mosasaurinae Gervais 1853
+
G. †Clidastes Cope 1868
+
Clidastes cineriarum Cope 1870
Clidastes intermedius Leidy 1870
Clidastes liodontus Merriam 1894
Clidastes moorevillensis Shannon 1975
Clidastes propython Cope 1869
+
Invalid names: Clidastes medius Merriam 1894 [synonym], Clidastes pumilus Marsh 1871 [synonym], Clidastes westi Williston and Case 1892 [synonym], Clidastes wymani Marsh 1871 [synonym], Edestosaurus dispar Marsh 1871 [synonym], Edestosaurus rex Marsh 1872 [synonym], Edestosaurus stenops Cope 1871 [synonym], Edestosaurus tortor Cope 1871 [synonym], Edestosaurus velox Marsh 1871 [synonym]
Invalid names: Edestosaurus Marsh 1871 [synonym]
G. †Dallasaurus Bell and Polcyn 2005
+
Dallasaurus turneri Bell and Polcyn 2005
Tr. †Globidensini Russell 1967
+
G. †Carinodens Thurmond 1969
+
Carinodens belgicus Woodward 1891
Carinodens fraasi Dollo 1913
Carinodens minalmamar Schulp et al. 2009
G. †Globidens Gilmore 1912
+
Globidens alabamensis Gilmore 1912
Globidens dakotensis Russell 1975
Globidens phosphaticus Bardet et al. 2005
Globidens schurmanni Martin 2007
Globidens simplex LeBlanc et al. 2019
G. †Prognathodon Dollo 1889
+
Prognathodon currii Christiansen and Bonde 2002
Prognathodon giganteus Dollo 1889
Prognathodon kianda Schulp et al. 2008
Prognathodon lutugini Yakovlev 1905
Prognathodon overtoni Williston 1897
Prognathodon rapax Hay 1902
+
Invalid names: Ancylocentrum hungerfordi Chaffee 1939 [synonym], Liodon validus Cope 1868 [synonym]
Prognathodon saturator Dortangs et al. 2002
Prognathodon solvayi Dollo 1889
Prognathodon waiparaensis Welles and Gregg 1971
Invalid names: Ancylocentrum Schmidt 1927 [synonym], Brachysaurana Strand 1926 [synonym], Brachysaurus Williston 1897 [synonym], Dollosaurus Yakovlev 1901 [synonym], Liodon Owen 1842 [nomen dubium]
G. †Gnathomortis Lively 2020
+
G. †Igdamanosaurus Lingham-Soliar 1991
+
G. †Jormungandr Zietlow et al. 2023
+
Jormungandr walhallaensis Zietlow et al. 2023
G. †Kourisodon Nicholls and Meckert 2002
+
Kourisodon puntledgensis Nicholls and Meckert 2002
G. †Leiodon Owen 1842
+
Leiodon anceps Owen 1841
Leiodon lundgreni Schröder 1885
G. †Megapterygius Konishi et al. 2023
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Megapterygius wakayamaensis Konishi et al. 2023
G. †Moanasaurus Wiffen 1980
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Tr. †Mosasaurini Russell 1967
+
G. †Eremiasaurus LeBlanc et al. 2012
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Eremiasaurus heterodontus LeBlanc et al. 2012
G. †Plotosaurus Camp 1951
+
Plotosaurus bennisoni Camp 1942
Plotosaurus tuckeri Camp 1942
Invalid names: Garzasaurus Anderson 1943 [nomen nudum], Kolposaurus Camp 1942 [replaced]
Invalid names: Liodon asiaticum Répelin 1915 [nomen dubium]
G. †Mosasaurus Parkinson 1822
+
Mosasaurus beaugei Arambourg 1952
Mosasaurus caroliniensis Gibbes 1851
Mosasaurus conodon Cope 1881
Mosasaurus couperi Gibbes 1851
Mosasaurus dekayi Bronn 1838
+
Invalid names: Mosasaurus major DeKay 1842 [synonym], Mosasaurus meirsii Marsh 1869 [synonym]
Mosasaurus depressus Cope 1869
+
Invalid names: Halisaurus fraternus Marsh 1869 [synonym], Mosasaurus copeanus Marsh 1869 [synonym]
Mosasaurus flemingi Wiffen 1990
Mosasaurus gaudryi Thevenin 1896
Mosasaurus gracilis Owen 1850
Mosasaurus grosjeani Greppin 1870
Mosasaurus hobetsuensis Suzuki 1985
Mosasaurus hoffmannii Mantell 1829
+
Invalid names: Mosasaurus belgicus Holl 1829 [synonym], Mosasaurus camperi Meyer 1832 [synonym], Mosasaurus maximus Cope 1869 [synonym]
Mosasaurus horridus Williston 1895
Mosasaurus ivoensis Russell 1967
Mosasaurus lemonnieri Dollo 1889
Mosasaurus lonzeensis Dollo 1904
Mosasaurus minor Gibbes 1851
Mosasaurus missouriensis Harlan 1834
+
Invalid names: Mosasaurus maximilliani Goldfuss 1845 [synonym], Mosasaurus neovidii von Meyer 1845 [synonym]
Mosasaurus mokoroa Welles and Gregg 1971
+
Invalid names: Leiodon haumuriensis Hector 1874 [synonym]
Mosasaurus occidentalis Morton 1844
Mosasaurus prismaticus Sakurai et al. 1999
Mosasaurus scanicus Schröder 1885
Invalid names: Amphekepubis Mehl 1930 [synonym], Baseodon Leidy 1865 [synonym], Batrachiosaurus Harlan 1839 [synonym], Batrachotherium Harlan 1839 [synonym], Drepanodon Leidy 1861 [synonym], Lesticodus Leidy 1861 [synonym], Macrosaurus Owen 1849 [synonym], Mosasaurus impar Leidy 1856 [nomen dubium], Mosasaurus reversus Leidy 1865 [nomen dubium], Nectoportheus Cope 1868 [synonym], Pterycollosaurus Dollo 1882 [synonym]
G. †Plesiotylosaurus Camp 1942
+
G. †Polygonodon Leidy 1856
Unr. †Prognathodontini Russell 1967
+
G. †Thalassotitan Longrich et al. 2022
+
Thalassotitan atrox Longrich et al. 2022
G. †Rikisaurus Wiffen 1990
+
Rikisaurus tehoensis Wiffen 1990
G. †Stelladens Longrich et al. 2023
+
Stelladens mysteriosus Longrich et al. 2023
G. †Xenodens Longrich et al. 2021
+
Xenodens calminechari Longrich et al. 2021
Invalid names: Globindensini Bell 1997 [empty], Leiodontini Lingham-Soliar 1995 [empty], Plotosaurini Russell 1967 [empty]
G. †Prognathosaurus Dollo 1889
Unr. †Russellosaurina Bell 1997
+
G. †Angolasaurus Antunes 1964
+
Angolasaurus bocagei Antunes 1964
Invalid names: Angolasaurus bocagei Antunes 1964 [valid]
Subfm. †Plioplatecarpinae Dollo 1884
+
G. †Angolasaurus Antunes 1964
+
Angolasaurus bocagei Antunes 1964
Invalid names: Angolasaurus bocagei Antunes 1964 [valid]
G. †Ectenosaurus Russell 1967
+
Ectenosaurus clidastoides Merriam 1894
+
Invalid names: Platecarpus oxyrhinus Merriam 1894 [synonym]
Ectenosaurus shannoni Kiernan and Ebersole 2023
Ectenosaurus tlemonectes Kiernan and Ebersole 2023
Unr. †Plioplatecarpini Russell 1967
+
G. †Latoplatecarpus Konishi and Caldwell 2011
+
Latoplatecarpus nichollsae Cuthbertson et al. 2007
Latoplatecarpus willistoni Konishi and Caldwell 2011
G. †Platecarpus Cope 1869
+
+
Invalid names: Holcodus coryphaeus Cope 1871 [synonym], Lestosaurus felix Marsh 1872 [synonym], Lestosaurus gracilis Marsh 1872 [synonym], Lestosaurus latifrons Marsh 1872 [synonym], Lestosaurus simus Marsh 1872 [synonym], Liodon ictericus Cope 1870 [synonym], Liodon mudgei Cope 1870 [synonym]
Invalid names: Holcodus Gibbes 1851 [synonym], Holosaurus Marsh 1880 [synonym], Lestosaurus Marsh 1872 [synonym], Platecarpus affinis Leidy 1873 [nomen dubium], Platecarpus anguliferus Cope 1874 [nomen vanum], Platecarpus brachycephalus Loomis 1915 [nomen dubium], Platecarpus glandiferus Cope 1871 [nomen dubium], Platecarpus latispinus Cope 1871 [nomen dubium], Platecarpus tectulus Cope 1871 [nomen dubium], Sironectes Cope 1874 [synonym]
G. †Plesioplatecarpus Konishi and Caldwell 2011
G. †Plioplatecarpus Dollo 1882
+
Plioplatecarpus marshi Dollo 1882
Plioplatecarpus peckensis Cuthbertson and Holmes 2015
Plioplatecarpus primaevus Russell 1967
Invalid names: Oterognathus Dollo 1889 [synonym]
G. †Sarabosaurus Polcyn et al. 2023
+
Sarabosaurus dahli Polcyn et al. 2023
Unr. †Selmasaurini Longrich et al. 2024
+
G. †Gavialimimus Strong et al. 2020
+
Gavialimimus almaghribensis Strong et al. 2020
G. †Goronyosaurus Azzaroli et al. 1972
+
Goronyosaurus nigeriensis Swinton 1930
G. †Khinjaria Longrich et al. 2024
+
Khinjaria acuta Longrich et al. 2024
G. †Selmasaurus Wright and Shannon 1988
+
Selmasaurus johnsoni Polcyn and Everhart 2008
Selmasaurus russelli Wright and Shannon 1988
G. †Yaguarasaurus Páramo 1994
+
Yaguarasaurus columbianus Páramo 1994
Yaguarasaurus regiomontanus Rivera-Sylva et al. 2024
Invalid names: Platecarpus ptychodon Arambourg 1952 [nomen dubium], Platecarpus somenensis Thevenin 1896 [nomen dubium]
Invalid names: Platecarpus ptychodus Arambourg 1952 [nomen dubium]
Subfm. †Tylosaurinae Wiliston 1895
+
G. †Hainosaurus Dollo 1885
+
Hainosaurus boubker Rempert et al. 2022
Hainosaurus neumilleri Martin 2007
G. †Kaikaifilu Otero et al. 2017
+
Kaikaifilu hervei Otero et al. 2017
G. †Taniwhasaurus Hector 1874
+
Taniwhasaurus antarcticus Novas et al. 2002
Taniwhasaurus mikasaensis Caldwell et al. 2008
Taniwhasaurus oweni Hector 1874
+
Invalid names: Tylosaurus haumuriensis Hector 1874 [synonym]
Invalid names: Lakumasaurus Novas et al. 2002 [synonym]
G. †Tylosaurus Marsh 1872
+
Tylosaurus bernardi Dollo 1885
Tylosaurus iembeensis Antunes 1964
Tylosaurus ivoensis Russell 1967
Tylosaurus kansasensis Everhart 2005
Tylosaurus laticaudus Marsh 1870
Tylosaurus pembinensis Nicholls 1988
Tylosaurus perlatus Cope 1869
Tylosaurus proriger Cope 1869
+
Invalid names: Rhinosaurus micromus Marsh 1872 [synonym]
Tylosaurus saskatchewanensis Jiménez-Huidobro et al. 2018
Tylosaurus zangerli Russell 1970
Invalid names: Elliptonodon Emmons 1858 [nomen dubium], Elliptonodon compressus Emmons 1858 [nomen dubium], Mosasaurus alseni Stolley 1892 [nomen dubium], Rhamphosaurus Cope 1872 [replaced], Rhinosaurus Marsh 1872 [replaced], Tylosaurus dyspelor Cope 1870 [nomen vanum]
Invalid names: Hainosaurus lonzeensis Dollo 1904 [nomen dubium]
Subfm. †Yaguarasaurinae Palci et al. 2013
+
G. †Romeosaurus Palci et al. 2013
+
Romeosaurus fumanensis Palci et al. 2013
Romeosaurus sorbinii Palci et al. 2013
G. †Russellosaurus Polcyn and Bell 2005
+
Russellosaurus coheni Polcyn and Bell 2005
Invalid names: Amphorosteus Gibbes 1851 [nomen vanum], Amphorosteus brumbyi Gibbes 1851 [nomen vanum], Clidastes iguanavus Cope 1868 [nomen dubium], Clidastidae Cope 1869 [synonym], Edestosauridae Marsh 1876 [synonym], Globidensidae Dollo 1924 [synonym], Globidentinae [empty], Halisauromorpha Bell and Polcyn 2005 [empty], Liodon congrops Cope 1870 [nomen vanum], Mosasaurus crassidens Marsh 1870 [nomen dubium], Mosasaurus mitchillii DeKay 1830 [nomen vanum], Mosasaurus platyodon Sauvage 1873 [nomen dubium], Platecarpinae Williston 1897 [empty], Tylosaurus capensis Broom 1912 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. D. Cope 1869The vertebrae without the zygosphen articulation; the pterygoids in contact on the median line; (?) a postparietal arch.
E. D. Cope 1869 (Clidastidae)The vertebrae with the zygosphen articulation; the pterygoids free on the internal and external margins; no (?) postparietal arch
S. B. McDowell and C. M. Bogert 1954Temporal arch present; frontals fused; descending processes of frontals meeting to underarch olfactory tracts bu tnot separating orbits; pineal foramen present; vertebral central articulations not oblique; hyperphalangy present; no sacrum; interclavicle absent or reduced; pelvis much reduced; cervical vertebrae seven; palatine toothless, pterygoid strongly toothed; quadrate massive, surrounding the columella auris of the stapes; muzzle long and pointed, the nasal fused to the premaxilla; teeth secondarily thecodont, lodged in an uncompartmented groove.