Global Distribution Achieved by Halisaurine Mosasaurs Explained by a New Discovery from Japan

Explore the global distribution of halisaurine mosasaurs in this 57-minute Royal Tyrrell Museum Speaker Series talk. Delve into Dr. Takuya Konishi's research on a newly discovered skull from Japan that provides insights into the potential survival strategies of these ancient marine reptiles. Learn about the characteristics of mosasaurs, their place in the squamate family, and the significance of the Japanese fossil discovery. Examine the detailed preservation of the specimen, including cranial elements, vertebrae, and ribs, and understand how it compares to other known species. Gain a deeper understanding of mosasaur anatomy, distribution, and evolutionary adaptations through comprehensive analyses and interpretations presented by Dr. Konishi from the University of Cincinnati.

Intro
Sharing Under the Cretaceous Sea: Global Distribution Achieved by Halisaurine Mosasaurs Explained by a New Discovery from Japan
existed in Mesozoic seas
Enter Mosasaurs (Squamata: Mosasauridae)
Squamates = Lizards & Snakes
Introduction to Mosasaurs
Fins or limbs? Both included
Global Mosasaur Distribution
New Material Locality/Horizon
August 9, 2009
Nearly 2 years of acid preparation followed....
A large number of cranial elements (six paired), several vertebrae, and ribs
The State of Preservation
Interspecific Comparisons 1
Remarks on Phosphorosaurus oriliebi (not as aberrant a halisaurine as so thought)
Phosphorosaurus ponpetelegans Konishi et al., 2015
Beautiful and Puzzling
Typical Mosasaur Skull
BFOV analysis
Interpretations/Discussions
Conclusions
Acknowledgments