Goronyosaurus

Goronyosaurus
Temporal range: Maastrichtian
Diagram of Goronyosaurus, reconstructed as a mosasaurine, based on known fossils.[1][2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Clade: †Mosasauria
Family: †Mosasauridae
Clade: †Russellosaurina
Clade: †Selmasaurini
Genus: †Goronyosaurus
Azzaroli et al., 1972[2]
Species:
†G. nigeriensis
Binomial name
†Goronyosaurus nigeriensis
(Swinton et al., 1930)
Synonyms

Goronyosaurus is an extinct genus of marine lizard belonging to the mosasaur family. Fossils of Goronyosaurus are exclusively known from the Late Maastrichtian of the Iullemmeden Basin in West Africa, specifically the Dukamaje Formation of Niger and Nigeria and Farin Doutchi Formation of Niger. The type specimen was first described in 1930 as Mosasaurus nigeriensis,[1] but subsequent remains revealed a highly unique set of adaptations that prompted the species to be reclassified as the only species of the new genus Goronyosaurus in 1972.[2] These unique adaptations have made Goronyosaurus notoriously difficult to classify within the Mosasauridae and it is often left out of phylogenetic analyses, although most authors agree that Goronyosaurus belonged to Mosasauridae.[3]

Goronyosaurus possesses unique teeth, which are unlike the teeth of any other mosasaur. Instead of the cutting teeth common among mosasaurs, Goronyosaurus has straight teeth with rounded apices adapted for smashing food.

  1. ^ a b c Swinton, W. E., Raeburn, C., & Tattam, C. M. (1930). On fossil reptilia from Sokoto Province. Authority of the Federal Government of Nigeria
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Aea72 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ling91 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).