MOSASAURUS
Mosasaurus hoffmannii
Meaning: "Meuse River Lizard"
📊 STATS
Size comparison:
As long as a bowling alley lane!
📖 ABOUT MOSASAURUS
Meet Mosasaurus, the 'Meuse River Lizard'! This giant sea monster ruled the oceans during the Late Cretaceous period, gobbling up everything in its path!
Imagine a swimming dinosaur so big it could make waves just by turning around! That's Mosasaurus, a massive marine reptile that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Though often called a dinosaur, Mosasaurus was actually a type of lizard, part of the Squamata group, which includes modern snakes and lizards. Mosasaurus was a top predator, meaning it was at the very top of the food chain. It munched on fish, sharks, ammonites (ancient shelled creatures), and even other Mosasaurs! With its powerful jaws and sharp teeth, nothing was safe. Mosasaurus had a streamlined body, perfect for speeding through the water, and paddle-like limbs that helped it steer. Its tail was strong and flat, acting like a powerful propeller. They were truly the kings (and queens) of the ancient seas, disappearing along with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Fossils have been found all over the world, proving they were very successful predators!
🔬 CLASSIFICATION
- Group
- Squamata
- Family
- Mosasauridae
- Period
- Late Cretaceous (100-66 Ma)
- Era
- 82.0 - 66.0 million years ago
🗺️ DISCOVERY
- Year
- 1764
- Discovered by
- Quarry workers
- Location
- Maastricht, Netherlands
- Fossils found in
- Netherlands, USA, Morocco, New Zealand
🎨 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION
Artistic reconstruction of Mosasaurus based on fossil evidence
🗺️ WHERE FOSSILS WERE FOUND
Netherlands, USA, Morocco, New Zealand
🤓 FUN FACTS
- ✨ Mosasaurus means 'Meuse River Lizard' because the first fossil was found near the Meuse River in the Netherlands!
- ✨ Mosasaurus could grow as long as a school bus!
- ✨ Scientists believe Mosasaurus could hold its breath for a very long time, just like whales!
- ✨ Mosasaurus had a double-hinged jaw, like a snake, allowing it to swallow large prey whole!
- ✨ Baby Mosasaurs were probably born in the open ocean and had to fend for themselves right away!
💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Get this! Mosasaurus had teeth INSIDE its mouth, on the roof of its mouth, to help it grip slippery prey. Talk about a toothy grin!
