A new species of Globidens described

[Logo7]

A new species of the mosasaur genus Globidens has been described from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco. The new species has been given the scientific name G. simplex, with the new species name originating from the Latin "simplex," meaning "simple" or "plain," referring to the simple shape of the tooth crowns of the new species compared to other species in the genus, as well as the absence of accessory vertebral articulations on the cervical vertebrae. The highly compacted ribs of the specimen, in addition to other factors, suggest that the new species was adapted to eat a diet of benthic, hard-bodied prey. Here's two images of the fossils used to describe this new species (tooth and rib) and a skeletal drawing of known skull material, as well as a link to the paper describing the new species.





Paper (abstract only): https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz008/5401654?redirectedFrom=fulltext

[Shonisaurus]

Someday a collectible or toy dinosaur company should focus on making a globidens instead of tylosaurus and mosasaurus, sincerely speaking. Magnificent discovery of new skeletal remains of this new mosasaur.

[Halichoeres]

I have a pdf if anybody wants it, just pm me your email address. Interestingly, they did both a parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. The latter strikes me as uncommon in vertebrate paleontology.

[BlueKrono]

Well if it isn't my favorite prehistoric marine reptile...

[suspsy]

Globidens would be such a wonderful toy for CollectA, PNSO, or Safari to tackle (or heck, let them all go for it). Just needs to be at a scale where proper justice can be done to the teeth.