Xenodens calminechari: Strange Toothed mosasaurine from Morocco

[TethysaurusUK]

This is one of the most bizarre mosasaur taxa I have ever seen. The recurved, saw-like teeth to me seem like that of the contemporaneous Squalicorax (possible competition/niche overlap). One unique aspect of this study that I don't want to be overlooked is the affiliation with Carinodens(a small, durophagous mosasaur, found in the same assemblage), a number of characteristics indicate that Carinodens and Xenodensshould be grouped together in the Mosasaurinae. Thus, complicating the already unstable status of Globidensini that was illustrated in LeBlanc et al. (2012) and was further expanded upon by Lively (2020). The homoplastic nature of the Globidensini is slowly causing it to unravel. Ecologically, Xenodens may have filled the mosasaur-equivalent of a dogfish and may have fed on small, soft prey items along with scavenging on larger carcasses (maybe the clean-up crew of the Moroccan phosphatic deposits).

[Megaraptor_Fan]

This is one of the most bizarre mosasaur taxa I have ever seen. The recurved, saw-like teeth to me seem like that of the contemporaneous Squalicorax (possible competition/niche overlap). One unique aspect of this study that I don't want to be overlooked is the affiliation with Carinodens(a small, durophagous mosasaur, found in the same assemblage), a number of characteristics indicate that Carinodens and Xenodensshould be grouped together in the Mosasaurinae. Thus, complicating the already unstable status of Globidensini that was illustrated in LeBlanc et al. (2012) and was further expanded upon by Lively (2020). The homoplastic nature of the Globidensini is slowly causing it to unravel. Ecologically, Xenodens may have filled the mosasaur-equivalent of a dogfish and may have fed on small, soft prey items along with scavenging on larger carcasses (maybe the clean-up crew of the Moroccan phosphatic deposits).

tbh what intrests me is why it needed those shark like teeth for such small prey