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Tylosaurus kansasensis, a new species of tylosaurine (Squamata, Mosasauridae) from the Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas, USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2016

M.J. Everhart
M.J. Everhart*
Affiliation:
Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas 67601, USA. Email: [email protected]

Abstract

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Tylosaurus kansasensis sp. nov. is described herein on the basis of thirteen specimens collected from the Smoky Hill Chalk (upper Coniacian) of western Kansas, USA. The new species, originally designated Tylosaurus n. sp., co-occurred with T. nepaeolicus and exhibits a number of primitive characters that place it in a basal position in the mosasaur phylogeny. Among the key differences separating this species from other tylosaurines are a shortened, more rounded pre-dental process of the premaxilla, a distinctive quadrate lacking an infrastapedial process, and a parietal foramen located adjacent to the frontal-parietal suture.

Keywords

CretaceousNiobraramosasaurTylosaurus kansasensisWestern Interior Seanew species
Type
Research Article
Information
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences , Volume 84 , Special Issue 3: Proceedings of the First Mosasaur Meeting , September 2005 , pp. 231 - 240
Copyright
Copyright © Stichting Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 2005

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