Mosasauroidea Explained

Mosasauroidea is a superfamily of extinct marine lizards that existed during the Late Cretaceous. Basal members of this group consist of small semiaquatic forms with terrestrial limbs ("plesiopedal"), while laters members include larger fully aquatic paddle-limbed ("hydropedal") forms commonly known as mosasaurs.[1] These were traditionally grouped within their own separate families, the Aigialosauridae and Mosasauridae respectively. However, phylogenetic studies have since found plesiopedal mosasauroids to be a non-monophyletic group, with some taxa nestled within the mosasaurids.[2] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Augusta, B.G.. Zaher, H.. Polcyn, M.J.. Fiorillo, A.R.. Jacobs, L.L.. A Review of Non-Mosasaurid (Dolichosaur and Aigialosaur) Mosasaurians and Their Relationships to Snakes. The Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Snakes. 2022. Cambridge University Press. Gower, D.J.. Zaher, H.. 157-179. 10.1017/9781108938891. 9781108938891.
  2. Caldwell, M.W.. Palci, A.. 2007. A new basal mosasauroid from the Cenomanian (U. Cretaceous) of Slovenia with a review of mosasauroid phylogeny and evolution. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27. 4. 863-880. 10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[863:ANBMFT]2.0.CO;2.
  3. Caldwell, M.W.. A challenge to categories: "What, if anything, is a mosasaur?". 2012. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 183. 1. 17–34. 10.2113/gssgfbull.183.1.7.

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