Eremiasaurus

Name: Eremiasaurus.
Phonetic: Eh-ree-my-ah-sore-us.
Named By: Aaron R.‭ ‬H.‭ ‬Leblanc,‭ ‬Michael W.‭ ‬Cladwell and Nathalie Bardet‭ ‬-‭ ‬2012.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Squamata,‭ ‬Mosasauridae,‭ ‬Mosasaurinae.
Species: E.‭ ‬heterodontus‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Uncertain.
Known locations: Morocco.
Time period: Maastrichtian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Two individual specimens,‭ ‬both of partial skulls and vertebrae.

       A kind of mosasaur known from North Africa, the species name of E.‭ ‬heterodontus means different-toothed and is in reference to the different kinds of teeth that are present in the jaws of known Eremiasaurus specimens.‭ ‬This is taken to indicate that Eremiasaurus‭ ‬may have been a generalist carnivore that was not especially selective about what prey it went after.‭ ‬In depth Study of Eremiasaurus fossil material has led to it being thought to be similar to Prognathodon,‭ ‬a mosasaur better suited to feeding upon armoured prey like ammonites and turtles,‭ ‬but is also known to have taken prey like fish.‭ ‬Eremiasaurus is also noted as having a large number of pygal vertebrae‭ (‬vertebrae from the hip region‭)‬.

Further reading
A new mosasaurine from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) phosphates of Morocco and its implications for mosasaurine systematics - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32 (1): 82–104. - A.R.H. Leblanc, M. W. Caldwell & N. Bardet - 2012.



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