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Durophagous Mosasauridae (Squamata) from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, with description of a new species of Globidens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2016

N. Bardet ,
X. Pereda Suberbiola ,
M. Iarochène ,
M. Amalik  and
B. Bouya
N. Bardet*
Affiliation:
UMR 5143 du CNRS, Département Histoire de la Terre, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 8 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
X. Pereda Suberbiola
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
M. Iarochène
Affiliation:
Ministère de l’Energie et des Mines, Direction de la Géologie, BP 6208, Rabat, Morocco
M. Amalik
Affiliation:
Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Centre Minier de Ben Guerir, Morocco
B. Bouya
Affiliation:
Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Centre Minier de Khouribga, Morocco
*
* Corresponding author. Email: bardet@mnhn.fr
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Abstract

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Three durophagous mosasaur species are represented by isolated teeth in the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) phosphatic beds of Morocco. Globidens phosphaticus nov. sp. is characterised mainly by a strong heterodonty, with mid-posterior teeth being bulbous, irregularly oval in crosssection, and having an inflated posterior surface, a large eccentric located and recurved apical nubbin, vertical sulci on medial and lateral faces, no carinae and an enamel surface covered by anastomosing ridges. Teeth of Prognathodon currii are broad and tall, straight cones, slightly swollen at the base, and with two serrated carinae. These two taxa have been collected from all the phosphatic series (lower to upper Maastrichtian) in the Ganntour Basin (Morocco). Globidens phosphaticus nov. sp. is probably also represented at other Maastrichtian phosphatic sites along the southern margin of the Mediterranean Tethys. Prognathodon currii was previously known only from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Negev. Of the third taxon, Carinodens belgicus, only a single tooth (now lost) is known from the Oulad Abdoun Basin (Morocco); this is low, swollen, laterally compressed and bicarinate with a large apical nubbin. Previous records of this species include Europe and Brazil.

Keywords

MosasauridaeGlobidensiniGlobidens phosphaticus nov. sp.PrognathodonCarinodensMaastrichtianphosphatesMorocco
Type
Research Article
Information
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences , Volume 84 , Special Issue 3: Proceedings of the First Mosasaur Meeting , September 2005 , pp. 167 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Stichting Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 2005

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