List of mosasaur genera
This list of mosasaurs is a comprehensive listing of all genera that have ever been included in the family Mosasauridae or the parent clade Mosasauroidea, excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera that are now considered invalid, doubtful (nomen dubium), or were not formally published (nomen nudum), as well as junior synonyms of more established names, and genera that are no longer considered mosasauroid. Non-mosasaurid mosasauroids shall be noted as such. The list currently includes 78 genera.
Scope and terminology
There is no official, canonical list of mosasaur genera but one of the most thorough attempts can be found on the "Pythonomorpha" section of Mikko Haaramo's Phylogeny Archive.
Naming conventions and terminology follow the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Technical terms used include:
- Junior synonym: A name which describes the same taxon as a previously published name. If two or more genera are formally designated and the type specimens are later assigned to the same genus, the first to be published (in chronological order) is the senior synonym, and all other instances are junior synonyms. Senior synonyms are generally used, except by special decision of the ICZN, but junior synonyms cannot be used again, even if deprecated. Junior synonymy is often subjective, unless the genera described were both based on the same type specimen.
- Nomen nudum (Latin for "naked name"): A name that has appeared in print but has not yet been formally published by the standards of the ICZN. Nomina nuda (the plural form) are invalid, and are therefore not italicized as a proper generic name would be. If the name is later formally published, that name is no longer a nomen nudum and will be italicized on this list. Often, the formally published name will differ from any nomina nuda that describe the same specimen. In this case, these nomina nuda will be deleted from this list in favor of the published name.
- Preoccupied name: A name that is formally published, but which has already been used for another taxon. This second use is invalid (as are all subsequent uses) and the name must be replaced. As preoccupied names are not valid generic names, they will also go unitalicized on this list.
- Nomen dubium (Latin for "dubious name"): A name describing a fossil with no unique diagnostic features. As this can be an extremely subjective and controversial designation, this term is not used on this list.
Mosasaur genera
|
|
|
| Genus |
Authors |
Year |
Status |
Location |
Notes |
|
Acteosaurus |
Meyer
|
1860 |
Valid. |
 Slovenia
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid.[1] |
|
Adriosaurus |
Seeley
|
1881 |
Valid. |
Slovenia |
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Aigialosaurus |
Kramberger
|
1892 |
Valid. |
 Croatia
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Amphekepubis |
Mehl
|
1930 |
Valid. |
 Mexico
|
|
|
Amphorosteus |
Gibbs
|
1851 |
Nomen dubium. |
 USA
|
Nomen dubium. |
|
Ancylocentrum |
Schmidt
|
1927 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Prognathodon. |
|
Angolasaurus |
Telles-Antunes
|
1964 |
Valid. |
 Angola
|
|
|
Baptosaurus |
Marsh
|
1870 |
Jr. synonym. |
N/A |
Junior synonym of Halisaurus. |
|
Baseodon |
Leidy
|
1865 |
Nomen dubium. |
N/A |
Nomen dubium. |
|
Batrachiosaurus |
Harlan
|
1839 |
Jr. synonym. |
N/A |
Junior synonym of Mosasaurus. |
|
Brachysaurana |
Strand
|
1928 |
Jr. synonym. |
N/A |
Junior synonym of Prognathodon. |
|
Brachysaurus |
Williston
|
1897 |
Preoccupied. |
N/A |
Preoccupied by a junior synonym of an iguanian lizard genus, Stenocercus;[2] referred to replacement names Brachysaurana and Ancylocentrum, of which Ancylocentrum has priority as such. |
|
Carinodens |
Woodward
|
1891 |
Valid. |
 Morocco
 Netherlands
 Ukraine
 Russia
.svg.png) Belgium
|
|
|
Carsosaurus |
Kornhuber
|
1893 |
Valid. |
Slovenia |
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Clidastes |
Cope
|
1868 |
Valid. |
Russia
 Jordan
 Germany
USA
 Sweden
Mexico
|
|
|
Compressidens |
Dollo
|
1924 |
Preoccupied. |
N/A |
Preoccupied by a tusk shell; later renamed Carinodens. |
|
Dallasaurus |
Polcyn
Bell
|
2005 |
Valid. |
USA
|
|
|
Dolichosaurus |
Owen
|
1894 |
Valid. |
 UK
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Dollosaurus |
Yakovlev
|
1901 |
Disputed. |
 Spain
Sweden
Russia
|
Possible junior synonym of Prognathodon. |
|
Ectenosaurus |
Russel
|
1967 |
Valid. |
USA
|
|
|
Edestosaurus |
Marsh
|
1871 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Clidastes. |
|
Eidolosaurus |
Nopcsa
|
1923 |
Valid. |
Slovenia
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Elliptonodon |
Emmons
|
1858 |
Nomen dubium. |
|
Nomen dubium. |
|
Eonatator |
Bardet
Pereda Suberbiola
Iarochène
Bouya
Amaghzaz |
2005 |
Disputed. |
 Colombia
Sweden
|
Possible junior synonym of Halisaurus. |
|
Eremiasaurus[3] |
Leblanc
Caldwell
Bardet |
2012 |
Valid. |
Morocco
|
Type specie is Eremiasaurus heterodontus. |
|
Globidens |
Gilmore
|
1912 |
Valid. |
USA
Belgium
Jordan
Angola
 Syria
Morocco
 Egypt
|
|
|
Goronyosaurus |
Azzaroli
de Guili
Ficcarelli
Torre
|
1972 |
Valid. |
Morocco
|
|
|
Haasiasaurus |
Polcyn
Tchernov
Jacobs
|
2003 |
Valid. |
 State of Palestine
|
|
|
Hainosaurus |
Dollo
|
1885 |
Valid. |
Sweden
Russia
 Poland
USA
 France
Belgium
Spain
|
|
|
Halisaurus |
Marsh
|
1869 |
Valid. |
Morocco
 Niger
Jordan
 Peru
 Zaire
USA
Sweden
Belgium
|
Renamed Baptosaurus Marsh, 1870 when Marsh thought the name was preoccupied by a fish: Halosaurus. Modern rules allow the original. |
|
Holcodus |
Gibbs
|
1851 |
Nomen dubium. |
|
Nomen dubium, possible junior synonym of Platecarpus |
|
Holosaurus |
Marsh
|
1880 |
Preoccupied. |
|
Referred to Platecarpus. |
|
Hydrosaurus |
Kornhuber
|
1873 |
Preoccupied. |
|
Preoccupied by an agamid lizard; renamed Pontosaurus. |
|
Igdamanosaurus |
Zdansky
|
1935 |
Valid. |
Niger
Egypt
Morocco
|
|
| Kaikaifilu |
Otero et al. |
In press. |
In press. |
 Antarctica |
|
|
Kolposaurus |
Camp
|
1942 |
Preoccupied. |
|
Preoccupied by a junior synonym of Nothosaurus,[4] referred to Plotosaurus |
|
Komensaurus |
Caldwell
Palci
|
2007 |
Valid. |
Slovenia
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Kourisodon |
Nicholls
Meckert
|
2002 |
Valid. |
 Japan
 Canada
|
|
|
Lakumasaurus |
Novas
Fernandez
Gasparini
de Lirio
Mumez
Puerta
|
2002 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Taniwhasaurus. |
|
Latoplatecarpus[5] |
Konishi
Caldwell |
2011 |
Valid. |
Canada
|
Type species is Latoplatecarpus willistoni. A second species is Latoplatecarpus nichollsae originally described in genus Plioplatecarpus.[6] |
|
Leiodon |
Owen
|
1841 |
Preoccupied. |
Spain
Ukraine
UK
|
Preoccupied by a shark, referred to Liodon. |
|
Lesticodus |
Leidy
|
1861 |
Nomen dubium. |
|
Nomen dubium. |
|
Lestosaurus |
Marsh
|
1872 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Platecarpus. |
|
Liodon |
Agassiz
|
1846 |
Valid. |
USA
Germany
 New Zealand
Angola
|
|
|
Macrosaurus |
Owen
|
1849 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Halisaurus. |
|
Mesoleptos |
Cornalia
|
1851 |
Valid. |
Croatia
Slovenia
State of Palestine
|
Putative non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Moanasaurus |
Wiffen
|
1980 |
Valid. |
|
|
|
Mosasaurus |
Conybeare
|
1822 |
Valid. |
UK
 Bulgaria
Canada
New Zealand
Netherlands
 Turkey
Poland
Angola
USA
Zaire
Russia
 South Africa
Sweden
Poland
Syria
Spain
Japan
 Denmark
Belgium
Niger
 Italy
Jordan
|
|
|
Nectoportheus |
Cope
|
1868 |
Nomen dubium. |
|
Nomen dubium. |
|
Opetiosaurus |
Kornhuber
|
1901 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Aigialosaurus. |
|
Oterognathus |
Dollo
|
1889 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Plioplatecarpus. |
|
Pannoniasaurus |
Makádi
Caldwell
Ősi
|
2012 |
Valid. |
|
|
|
Phosphorosaurus |
Dollo
|
1889 |
Disputed. |
Angola
|
Junior synonym of Halisaurus. |
|
Platecarpus |
Cope
|
1869 |
Valid. |
USA
Angola
Russia
Syria
Egypt
Sweden
Morocco
Jordan
Canada
 Brazil
Spain
Niger
 Australia
|
|
|
Plesioplatecarpus[5] |
Konishi
Caldwell |
2011 |
Valid. |
|
Type species is Plesioplatecarpus planifrons, originally described in genus Clidastes, and later recombined in Platecarpus. |
|
Plesiotylosaurus |
Camp
|
1942 |
Valid. |
|
|
|
Plioplatecarpus |
Dollo
|
1882 |
Valid. |
USA
|
|
|
Plotosaurus |
Camp
|
1951 |
Valid. |
USA
|
|
|
Pluridens |
Lingham-Sollar
|
1998 |
Jr. synonym. |
Niger
|
Junior synonym of Halisaurus. |
|
Pontosaurus |
Kornhuber
|
1873 |
Valid. |
Croatia
 Lebanon
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Proaigialosaurus |
Kuhn
|
1958 |
Valid. |
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Prognathodon |
Dollo
|
1889 |
Valid. |
Belgium
USA
 Saudi Arabia
Spain
 Israel
Angola
Italy
New Zealand
Zaire
Russia
Canada
Poland
France
Germany
Netherlands
Syria
Jordan
|
|
|
Prognathosaurus |
Dollo
|
1889 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Prognathodon. |
|
Pterycollosaurus |
Dollo
|
1882 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Mosasaurus. |
|
Rhamphosaurus |
Cope
|
1872 |
Preoccupied. |
|
Preoccupied by another lizard, referred to Tylosaurus. |
|
Rhinosaurus |
Marsh
|
1872 |
Preoccupied. |
|
Preoccupied,[7] referred to Tylosaurus. |
|
Rikisaurus[8] |
Wiffen
|
1990 |
Jr. synonym. |
New Zealand
|
Junior synonym of Moanasaurus. |
|
Rikkisaurus |
Bell
Caldwell
Holmes
Wiffen
McKee
|
1999 |
Lapsus calami. |
|
Lapsus calami of Rikisaurus. |
|
Romeosaurus[9] |
Palci
Caldwell
Papzzoni
|
2013 |
Valid. |
Italy
|
|
|
Russellosaurus[10] |
Polson
Bell
|
2005 |
Valid. |
USA
|
|
|
Saurochampsa |
Wagler
|
1830 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Mosasaurus. |
|
Selmasaurus[11] |
Wright
Shannon
|
1988 |
Valid. |
USA
|
|
|
Sironectes |
Cope
|
1840 |
Jr. synonym. |
|
Junior synonym of Platecarpus. |
|
Taniwhasaurus |
Hector
|
1874 |
Valid. |
Antarctica
New Zealand
Japan
|
|
|
Tethysaurus[12] |
Bardet
Superbiola
Jalil
|
2003 |
Valid. |
Morocco
|
|
|
Tylosaurus |
Marsh
|
1872 |
Valid. |
USA
Canada
Spain
Jordan
Mexico
Sweden
New Zealand
|
|
|
Vallecillosaurus[13] |
Smith
Buchy
|
2008 |
Valid. |
Mexico
|
Non-mosasaurid mosasauroid. |
|
Yaguarasaurus |
Paramo
|
1994 |
Valid. |
Colombia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See also
Notes
- ↑ Redescription of Acteosaurus tommasinii von Meyer, 1860, and a discussion of evolutionary trends within the clade Ophidiomorpha. 2010.
- ↑ Stenocercus at Herpbreeder.com Archived April 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.. Retrieved 12-03-2007.
- ↑ Leblanc, A.R.H.; Caldwell, M.W.; Bardet, N. (2012). "A new mosasaurine from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) phosphates of Morocco and its implications for mosasaurine systematics". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 32 (1): 82–104. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.624145.
- ↑ Sauropterygia at Paleofile.com. Retrieved 12-03-2007.
- 1 2 Konishi, T.; Caldwell, M.W. (2011). "Two new plioplatecarpine (Squamata, Mosasauridae) genera from the Upper Cretaceous of North America, and a global phylogenetic analysis of plioplatecarpines". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 31 (4): 754–783. doi:10.1080/02724634.2011.579023.
- ↑ Cuthbertson, R.S.; Mallon, J.C.; Campione, N.E.; Holmes, R.B. (2007). "A new species of mosasaur (Squamata: Mosasauridae) from the Pierre Shale (lower Campanian) of Manitoba". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 44 (5): 593–606. doi:10.1139/e07-006.
- ↑ Edward Drinker Cope "On the structure of the Pythonomorpha". (1872) Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 24:140-141
- ↑ Wiffen, J. 1990: New mosasaurs (Reptilia; family Mosasauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand journal of geology and geophysics, 33: 67-85.
- ↑ Alessandro Palci, Michael W. Caldwell and Cesare A. Papazzoni (2013). "A new genus and subfamily of mosasaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of northern Italy". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 33 (3): 599–612. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.731024.
- ↑ Polcyn, M. J. & Bell Jr., G. L., 2005: Russellosaurus coheni n. gen., n. sp., a 92 million-year-old mosasaur from Texas (USA), and the definition of the parafamily Russellosaurina. –Netherlands Journal of Geosciences - Geologie en Mijnbouw: Vol. 84, #3.
- ↑ Wright, K. R. & Shannon, S. W., 1988: Selmasaurus russelli, a new plioplatecarpine mosasaur (Squamata, Mosasauridae) from Alabama. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: Vol. 8, #1, pp. 102-107
- ↑ Bardet, N., X. Pereda Suberbiola, and N-E. Jalil. 2003. A new mosasauroid (Squamata) from the Late Cretaceous (Turonian) of Morocco. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Palevol 2:607–616.
- ↑ Smith, K.T. and Buchy, M-C. 2008 A new aigialosaur (Squamata-Anguimorpha) with soft tissue remains from the Upper Cretaceous of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(1): 85-94.
References
