Khinjaria

Khinjaria
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
(late Maastrichtian)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Clade: Mosasauria
Family: Mosasauridae
Clade: Russellosaurina
Subfamily: Plioplatecarpinae
Clade: Selmasaurini
Genus: Khinjaria
Species:
K. acuta
Binomial name
Khinjaria acuta
Longrich et al., 2024

Khinjaria (meaning "dagger") is an extinct genus of plioplatecarpine mosasaurid from the Late Cretaceous Ouled Abdoun Basin of Morocco. The genus contains a single species, K. acuta, known from a partial skull and vertebra. Khinjaria was likely an apex predator in its environment, as its large body size, blade-like teeth, and unusual skull morphology would have allowed it to attack large prey animals.