Mosasauroidae
Order: Squamata
Family: Mosasauridae
Name: Platecarpus
Time: Late Cretaceous
Geography: Europe (Belgium) North America (Alabama, Colorado, Kansas en Mississippi)
Length: 4,3 meter
This mosasaur lived some 75 million years ago. It had a long tail that was the same size as its body. Platecarpus moved forward by making snake-like movements the short paddles and flippers were used for stearing. With its long pointed jaws filled with conical teeth it hunted on fish squads, ammonites were also on his menu.
Name: Platosaurus
Time: Late Cretaceous
Geography: North America (Kansas)
Length: 10 meter
Platosaurus was a giant among the mosasaurs body and neck consisted out of 50 vertebrates and the tail had at least as many vertebrates. A vertical fin was located at the end of the tail and the legs were developed into paddles. Skin impressions showed it had a scaly skin.
Name: Mosasaurus hoffmani
Time: Late Cretaceous
Geography: Europe North America Africa Australia Asia
Length: 15 meter
Mosasaurus hoffmani was one of the latest and highest developed mossasaur and also the largest one known. Its gigantic jaws were filled with long curved teeth. The eyes were big, but Mosasaurus hoffmani did not had a good binoculair view.
It was a powerful swimmer that moved by the power of its tail, the paddles were used for stearing.
In 1998 a new skeleton of Mosasaurus hoffmani was discovered in Limburg, The Netherlands, if you want to learn more about this discovery you can go to the site of the Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht at: Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht
