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.
Scope and Terminology[]
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.
A[]
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- Acteosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Adriosaurus — junior synonym of Acteosaurus
- Aigialosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Amphekepubis
- Amphorosteus — nomen dubium
- Ancylocentrum — junior synonym of Prognathodon
- Angolasaurus
B[]
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- Baptosaurus — junior synonym of Halisaurus
- Baseodon — nomen dubium
- Batrachiosaurus — junior synonym of Mosasaurus
- Brachysaurana — junior synonym of Prognathodon
- Brachysaurus — preoccupied by a junior synonym of an iguanianlizard genus, Stenocercus,[1] referred to replacement names Brachysaurana and Ancylocentrum, of which Brachysaurana has priority as such.
C[]
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- Carinodens
- Carsosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Clidastes
- Compressidens — preoccupied by a tusk shell, referred to Carinodens
D[]
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- Dallasaurus
- Dolichosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Dollosaurus — possible junior synonym of Prognathodon
- Drepanodon — nomen dubium
E[]
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- Ectenosaurus
- Edestosaurus — junior synonym of Clidastes
- Eidolosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Elliptonodon — nomen dubium
- Eonatator — possible junior synonym of Halisaurus
F[]
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G[]
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An illustration of Globidens.
H[]
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An illustration of a pair of Halisaurus.
- Hainosaurus
- Halisaurus
- Holcodus — nomen dubium, possible junior synonym of Platecarpus
- Holosaurus — preoccupied by a fish, referred to Platecarpus
- Hydrosaurus — preoccupied by an agamidlizard, referred to Pontosaurus
I[]
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J[]
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•"Jormungandr"
K[]
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- Kolposaurus — preoccupied by a junior synonym of Nothosaurus,[2] referred to Plotosaurus
- Komensaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Kourisodon
L[]
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- Lakumasaurus — junior synonym of Taniwhasaurus
- Leiodon — preoccupied by a shark, referred to Liodon
- Lesticodus — nomen dubium
- Lestosaurus — junior synonym of Platecarpus
- Liodon
M[]
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The Mosasaurus skull discovered in a Maastricht limestone quarry, 1780 (contemporary engraving)
- Macrosaurus — junior synonym of Halisaurus
- Mesoleptos — putative non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Moanasaurus
- Mosasaurus
N[]
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- Nectoportheus — nomen dubium
O[]
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- Opetiosaurus — junior synonym of Aigialosaurus
- Oterognathus — junior synonym of Plioplatecarpus
P[]
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Drawing showing a Prognathodon attacking a Nautilus-like animal.
- Phosphorosaurus — possible junior synonym of Halisaurus
- Platecarpus
- Plesiotylosaurus
- Plioplatecarpus
- Plotosaurus
- Pluridens — junior synonym of Halisaurus
- Pontosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Proaigialosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
- Prognathodon
- Prognathosaurus — junior synonym of Prognathodon
- Pterycollosaurus — junior synonym of Mosasaurus
Q[]
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R[]
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- Rhamphosaurus — preoccupied by a lizard, referred to Tylosaurus
- Rhinosaurus — preoccupied,[3] referred to Tylosaurus
- Rikisaurus — junior synonym of Moanasaurus
- Rikkisaurus — lapsus calami of Rikisaurus
- Russellosaurus
S[]
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- Saurochampsa — junior synonym of Mosasaurus
- Selmasaurus
- Sironectes — junior synonym of Platecarpus
T[]
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Tylosaurus proriger specimen which was found with a plesiosaur in its stomach[4]
U[]
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V[]
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- Vallecillosaurus — non-mosasaurid mosasauroid
W[]
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X[]
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Y[]
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Z[]
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See also[]
- Mosasaur
- Pythonomorpha
- Aigialosaur
- ^ Stenocercus at Herpbreeder.com. Retrieved 12-03-2007.
- ^ Sauropterygia at Paleofile.com. Retrieved 12-03-2007.
- ^ Edward Drinker Cope "On the structure of the Pythonomorpha". (1872) Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 24:140-141
- ^ http://www.oceansofkansas.com/Tylo-prey.html