The King of the Riverbanks of North America — Mosasaurs

Mosasaurs are among the most famous marine reptiles. Because of their enormous size and formidable predatory habits, they are widely recognized as some of the most representative marine predators of the Late Cretaceous. In 2022, however, a mosasaur tooth fossil—catalogued as NDGS 12217—was discovered in the Hell Creek Formation of North Dakota. What makes this specimen particularly intriguing is the nature of the surrounding deposits. Instead of marine fossils, the sedimentary environment contains remains of freshwater and even terrestrial organisms. This unusual context raises the possibility that mosasaurs were not strictly marine animals. The central question becomes whether the owner of this tooth actually lived in freshwater environments or merely entered rivers occasionally. The study discussed here seeks to explore that question in detail.

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