In Depth Liodon was amongst the earliest named genera of mosasaur, with a taxonomic history going all the way back to 1841 when the naturalist Richard Owen first named the genus. However, back then Richard Owen spelt the name as Leiodon, but a few years later it was realised that the name Leiodon had already … Read more
In Depth Aigialosaurus was a semi aquatic lizard that was developed to enter the water yet still return to land. This is similar to many other lizards at this stage of the Cretaceous that would eventually evolve into the mosauridae, the last major group of marine reptiles that would adapt to ocean life during the … Read more
In Depth Plesioplatecarpus was initially named as a species of the genus Clidastes by Edward Drinker Cope back in 1874 during a period dubbed the ‘bone wars’. Later this species was assigned to the genus Platecarpus, before finally being named as an independent genus in 2011. Although different to Platecarpus, Plesioplatecarpus is still recognised as … Read more
In Depth Kleskunsaurus is a genus of lizard that lived in Canada during the Cretaceous. Further Reading - Borioteiioidean lizard skulls from Kleskun Hil (Wapiti Formation; upper Campanian), west-central Alberta, Canada. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(4):1090-1099. - R. L. Nydam, M. W. Caldwell & F. Fanti - 2010.
In Depth Hainosaurus is usually considered to be one of the largest known mosasaurs; however its actual size is a subject of on-going study. Early length estimates placed Hainosaurus at seventeen meters, while later study towards the end of the twentieth century revised this down to fifteen. A Hainosaurus specimen from Sweden that was described … Read more