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Moroccan Mosasaurs


jnoun11

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Hope this doesn't count as a topic hi-jack since it's about a Mosasaur tooth ID which I am conflicted between Prognathodon, Beaugei or Platecarpus but isn't sure or knowledgeable enough to decide conclusively, here is what it looks like:

attachicon.gifBeaugei or Plat 01.jpgattachicon.gifBeaugei or Plat 02.jpgattachicon.gifBeaugei or Plat 03.jpg

I actually started another thread in this link regarding the questioning of the ID of this tooth, here is the link in case it's more appropriate to discuss there, though I figured the Mosasaur experts will probably be in this thread:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/51849-mosasaur-tooth-beaugei-or-platecarpus/

Anyway, any input and insight from the mosasaur experts here will be appreciated. Thx in advance :)

hi aj plai

it s a prognathodon anceps inferior left tooth.

Edited by jnoun11

The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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  • 2 months later...

hi guy s

that never stop in moroccan phosphates for new species, so i corrected and updated some informations . it s now: two species of halisaurus in maestrichian bed of morocco. probably two species of prognathodon currii. and two species of tylosaurus. and more material non described yet. pictures will come soon.

The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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Amazing work jnoun! My knowledge on mosasaurs is very limited but as a fossil collector their teeth are some of my favorite fossils. Keep up the good work!

On question, how rare or Tylosaurus and Halisaurus teeth? You mentioned that Prognathodon is the most common mosasaur in the Moroccan Phosphate.

So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and door will be opened for you. -Jesus Christ

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  • 2 months later...

hi velociraptor

rarity is question of geographical moment and time moment, exemple, 2013 was very good year for tylosaurus, and 2009 for globidens, depending on where the mine dig , different ecosystems .you go in the phosphate today you will find less crocs and more mosasaurs like prognathodon. when the scientist dig somewhere, that is never a representation of the fauna of the phosphate see. that is just a representation of the fauna of this geographical point of the phosphate see. i m very busy at is moment of the year , but soon i will correct this topics with the last updates.

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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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i was wondering, what do you mean that a certain species officially dosent exsit in morrocco when a fossil of it has been found? Also, another question is that if tylosaurus teeth are normaly dark brown, can it be light brown as well?

If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM!

 

 

Mosasaurus_hoffmannii_skull_schematic.png

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hi mosasaurs lovers

another new mosasaur in moroccans phosphates. look like prognathodon little ,but the teeth are weird... if somebody have a determination about this specimen, welcome.

attachicon.gifDSC_0314.JPG

attachicon.gifDSC_0289.JPG

Just now I'm reminded of a tooth I have that seems a bit similar.

post-3991-0-32674900-1450552787_thumb.jpg

I thought it was Prognathodon when I bought it. It's really tiny and is it slightly laterally compressed as well as that it seems to be more recurved than the typical Prognathodon teeth.

Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite

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  • 1 month later...

hi mosasaurs lovers

another new mosasaur in moroccans phosphates. look like prognathodon little ,but the teeth are weird... if somebody have a determination about this specimen, welcome.

attachicon.gifDSC_0314.JPG

attachicon.gifDSC_0289.JPG

Hi jnoun11, this could be a jaw of this new species you mentioned.

It measures 9.16 inches

post-4888-0-11198000-1454235544_thumb.jpg post-4888-0-70493700-1454235549_thumb.jpg post-4888-0-39439000-1454235554_thumb.jpg post-4888-0-78417900-1454235557_thumb.jpg

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Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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Looks like Halisaurus walkeri to me. Very nice jaw.

 

Edit: nvm I'm wrong.

Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite

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Looks like Halisaurus walkeri to me. Very nice jaw.

Thank you!

Walkeri specimens aren't very common. I'll try to find more pics if I can.

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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hi andy

it slook to me too small for halisaurus walkeri,, it more halisaurus arambourgii left dentary

The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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a to view of the skull of halisaurus walkeri.

post-2284-0-59315200-1454438475_thumb.jpg

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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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Thank you for your comments and the links.



"Two weeks ago, I had a chance to see an unprepped mosasaur skull from the phosphates and I helped take part of it out of matrix. It was crushed with some of the bones shifted over to one side so it was time-consuming to separate the bones and teeth. The jaws were pressed tightly against each other. If anyone is going to be working on one, make sure you harden the bone surface as you clean it. As is often the case, the bones are more fragile than they look.



Jess"



Hi Jess, may I ask how you harden the bone surface as you clean it?


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On 2/2/2016 at 5:28 PM, jnoun11 said:

hi andy

it slook to me too small for halisaurus walkeri,, it more halisaurus arambourgii left dentary

Correct me if I'm wrong, but... From what I've seen of Halisaurus arambourgi and H. walkeri is that the back of the dentary differs. As I understand it the on H. arambourgi the dentary seems to have a significant portion on the proximal end that does not hold any teeth. While in H. walkeri the teeth do appear near the proximal end of the dentary. Based on the photo's Andy posted I would say the teeth are pretty close to the proximal end of the dentary.

 

Edit:

Nvm, I was wrong.

Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite

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While I appreciate the catalog and pictures... Correct me if i'm wrong, but all the recent papers I've read suggest "Mosasaurus (Leiodon) cf. anceps (1952)" was assigned to Prognathodon in present times consisting of the kianda, currii and giganteus species.

Also Liodon are only known from the Angolan phosphates, not Moroccan and are very laterally compressed more like a dinosaur tooth? I see a lot of dated-information and incorrect spellings also?

I only recently had several "Mosasaurus anceps" and Moroccan "Liodon anceps" (names I was sold them as) teeth identified by a marine reptile specialist and all my species actually consisted of Prognathodon giganteus, currii and Mosasaurus beaugei? He had a lot of supporting evidence for these identifications and told me to avoid any ebay sellers selling the original names, as it's such dated information they're unlikely to have any clue what they're selling, besides what a wholesaler has told them?

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hi jurassic nerd

liodon was describing in north america and the publication of angolan phosphate using this name for the publication because , its more easy, all mosasaurs today must be redescribed on the light on the recent discovery, it will take a time for the scientist to do that correctly. the dealers are not scientist they just put the name , without idea of what is it really. even the specialist didnt find really a concensus today about what is really a mosasaur.

in a "leiodon"prognathodon exist so much differences on morphology , sexual dimorphism , ontogeny, place upper or lower , front or back of the dentary. is no need to create so much species. but everyone have to create new species for make the publication more hot.

and for the incorrect spellings, nobody is perfect .

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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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Serge

Thanks for the additional information. I couldn't agree more. There has been a long history of scientists trying to assign new names to the same species. Look at Cope and Marsh. In many cases there are many conflicting papers that do not offer a conclusive description and only create more confusion.

It is difficult for scientists to settle on a name or identification because two scientists will look at the same fossil and based on research and published information will draw two different conclusions as to species. Some may slander or defame one because the other refers to more recent research, which may be proven incorrect at a later date. We see it time and time again. A few examples are T-Rex & Nanotyrannus; Spinosaurus, Spinosaurus B & Sigilmassasaurus; Triceratops & Torosaurus; and the list goes on and on. It seems that every few months over the past few years a new paper has come out reassigning these dinosaurs, either dividing them or regrouping them. I would like to point out that just because the newest paper is out, it in no way means that it is the definitive answer. It is simply the most recent and there is a period where peers will review the publication, determining if they agree or disagree and choose to study it further and come up with their own conclusions.

Anyway, I ramble. I love your new location in Tucson. Fantastic work on the whales. Impressive.

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  • 2 months later...

Sorry to sound dumb, but all the books and sites I use at home don't agree on the length of mosasaurus! I'm an also only a year 7 student, so I don't have much experience when it comes to fossil collecting! :)

Thanks

Aaron

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hi aaron

the lenght of mosasaurus on a field in morocco are more an less aroud 9 meters / 10 feet maximum for an adult. lot of reconstitution in museums will be resized when somebody will control the original material founded on a field. also lot of suppositions about the lenght are doing from the biggest teeth available . but the double size of one teeth didn t mean the body size is double... 7 years student ? i m still student at 51 years old... in paleontology is better to start early .

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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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  • 2 months later...

Prognathodon Hudae



systematic paleontology


Order: Squamata Oppel, 1811


Superfamily: Mosasauroidea Gervais, 1853


Family: Mosasauridae Gervais, 1853


Subfamily: Mosasaurinae Gervais, 1853


Tribe: Globidensini Russell, 1967


Genus: Prognathodon Dollo, 1889


TypeSpecies: Prognathodon solvayi, Dollo,1889


Prognathodon hudae ;n. sp., Kaddumi , 2009



post-2284-0-62570200-1468058567_thumb.jpg

lower left dentary showing predation marks

origins : sidi-chenan ,morocco age maastrichtian : level 4


post-2284-0-17489000-1468059332_thumb.jpg

close-up of the teeth


diagnosis:


medium sized mosasaur possessing the following autapomorphies:


dentition with strong posterior and week anterior carinae; relatively slender anterior most teeth; very blunt crown apex which progressively become blunter posteriorly.



Etymology: “hudae”, in honor to author's daughter ‘Huda’ who never failed to recognize every new fossil she discovered.


medium sized prognathodon, the lower jaw mesures ; 48 cm length and 10cm height.


references :Kaddumi, H. F. 2009. A new species of Prognathodon,(Squamata:Mosasauridae) from the Maastrichtian of Harrana. In: Fossils of the Harrana Fauna and the adjacent areas. Eternal River Museum of Natural History, Amman, pp 65-71.


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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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prognathodon hudae



dentary with 14 teeth



post-2284-0-67807300-1468084747_thumb.jpg


left dentary labiale view



post-2284-0-12202000-1468084937_thumb.jpg


left dentary top view





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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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prognathodon hudae



post-2284-0-95950900-1468085041_thumb.jpg


labiale view

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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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prognathodon hudae



frontal - parietal



post-2284-0-60595000-1468088596_thumb.jpg


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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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prognathodon hudae


maestrichian couche 4



right maxillary


12 teeth


390 mm



post-2284-0-81241500-1468264882_thumb.jpg



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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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prognathodon hudae


maestrichian couche 4


310 mm


8 teeth




post-2284-0-92878800-1468266608_thumb.jpg

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The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. Terry Pratchett ...

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