Phosphorosaurus
| Phosphorosaurus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Mosasauridae |
| Subfamily: | Halisaurinae |
| Genus: | Phosphorosaurus Dollo, 1889 |
| Species | |
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Phosphorosaurus ("Phosphate Lizard") is an extinct genus of mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). Although treated as synonymous with Halisaurus in the past, recent study recognizes it as valid. Two species are known, Phosphorosaurus ortliebi from Belgium, and P. ponpetelegans from Hokkaido in Japan.
Taxonomy
Belgian palaeontologist Louis Dollo defined the genus in 1889,[1] with the description of Phosphorosaurus ortliebi from the upper Maastrichtian ‘‘Craie phosphateé’’ of Ciply in Belgium. The holotype is a fragmented and incomplete skull that is estimated to have been around 42 cm long. It was reclassified as Halisaurus ortliebi in 1996,[2] but this was not taken up by later authorities due to differences in the cranium.[3]
The genus Phosphorosaurus is classified in the subfamily Halisaurinae, alongside Halisaurus and Eonatator.[4]
Two species are known, P. ortliebi and P. ponpetelegans, the latter from the oldest Maastrichtian beds located in Hokkaido, Japan.[5][2][4] The skull of the latter species is thought to be around 50 cm long.[4]
Palaeobiology
Analysis of Phosphorosaurus biology suggests that this mosasaur was a deep-water or nocturnal hunter, preying on animals such as squid and bioluminescent fish similar to the modern lanternfish present in the same areas. The large eyes of Phosphorosaurus had overlapping fields of vision, giving it depth perception, which would have given it an advantage when chasing such animals in poorly-lit conditions. Studies also indicate that the animal was likely an ambush predator that would lie in wait for prey, as it was not as efficient a swimmer as larger mosasaurs. [6]
With a length of around 3 m (10 ft), it was small compared to most other mosasaurs.[6]
References
- ↑ Ellis, Richard (2003). Sea Dragons: Predators of the Prehistoric Oceans. University Press of Kansas. p. 214. ISBN 9780700612697.
- 1 2 Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten (1996). "The first description of Halisaurus (Reptilia Mosasauridae) from Europe, from the Upper Cretaceous of Belgium". Bulletin de l'Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre 66: 129–136.
- ↑ Holmes, Robert B.; Sues, Hans-Dieter (2000). "A partial skeleton of the basal mosasaur Halisaurus platyspondylus from the Severn Formation (Upper Cretaceous: Maastrichtian) of Maryland" (PDF). Journal of Paleontology 74 (2): 309–16. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2000)074<0309:APSOTB>2.0.CO;2.
- 1 2 3 Konishi, Takuya; Caldwell, Michael W.; Nishimura, Tomohiro; Sakurai, Kazuhiko; Tanoue, Kyo (2015). "A new halisaurine mosasaur (Squamata: Halisaurinae) from Japan: the first record in the western Pacific realm and the first documented insights into binocular vision in mosasaurs". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology: 1–31. doi:10.1080/14772019.2015.1113447.
- ↑ Bardet, N., Pereda Suberbiola, X., Iarochene, M., Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M. (2005). "A new species of Halisaurus from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, and the phylogenetical relationships of the Halisaurinae (Squamata: Mosasauridae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143 (3): 447–472. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2005.00152.x.
- 1 2 University of Cincinnati (8 December 2015). "Unique Mosasaur fossil discovered in Japan". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
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