Mosasaurus

Mosasaurus is an extinct genus of large marine reptiles from the Late Cretaceous.

Mosasaurus is an extinct genus of large marine reptiles from the Late Cretaceous. It was not a dinosaur; it was a mosasaur, a squamate reptile related more closely to snakes and lizards than to dinosaurs. Fossils have been found on multiple continents, and the genus includes some of the best-known apex predators of Cretaceous seas.

Classification

Mosasaurus is a genus of mosasaur, an extinct group of marine reptiles within Squamata. Although it lived during the age of dinosaurs, it was not a dinosaur and was more closely related to modern snakes and lizards.

Appearance and size

Mosasaurus had a long body, powerful tail, paddle-like limbs, and a skull adapted for catching prey. Estimates for the largest species place it at roughly 15–17 metres in length, though exact size varies by species and source.

Diet and ecology

Mosasaurus was a top marine predator in Late Cretaceous ecosystems. Its diet is understood to have included fish and other marine animals, including cephalopods and possibly smaller marine reptiles.

Fossil record

The first known fossils were discovered in the Netherlands in the 18th century. Later finds expanded the known range of Mosasaurus to several continents, showing it lived widely in Atlantic and related seaways. In Canada, mosasaur fossils have been found and are featured in museums and educational resources.