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Significant Mosasaur Fossil Discovery in Mississippi

Fossil vertebra of a mosasaur displayed in a museum.

News Summary

Geologists in Mississippi have found a large fossil vertebra believed to belong to a mosasaur, an ancient marine predator. Discovered during a geological survey south of Starkville, the vertebra measures over 7 inches across and provides crucial insights into the region’s prehistoric marine ecosystem. This rare find enhances our understanding of mosasaurs, known for their size and speed, as well as the environmental conditions that existed during the Late Cretaceous period.

Starkville, Mississippi – Geologists in Mississippi have uncovered an unusually large fossil vertebra believed to belong to a mosasaur, an ancient marine predator from the Late Cretaceous period. The discovery occurred on April 15 during a geological survey conducted south of Starkville, marking a significant find for the region’s paleontological record.

The vertebra, measuring over 7 inches across, is estimated to be from Mosasaurus hoffmannii, a mosasaur species known to have reached lengths of up to 50 feet and weighed as much as 20,000 pounds. Researchers estimate that the individual from which the vertebra came was between 30 and 40 feet long at the time of its death. Mosasaurs are notable for their indeterminate growth, allowing them to grow continuously throughout their lives until death.

James Starnes, the research director for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, identified the specimen, emphasizing that although the Mississippi area is rich in fossils, large mosasaur fossils are rare. In this region, the most commonly found fossils include shell fossils and Ice Age remains of terrestrial animals like mastodons and sloths.

The unique shape of the vertebra has confirmed that it belonged to a marine lizard rather than a mammal, supporting the classification of the discovery as a mosasaur fossil. Mosasaurs were apex predators of their time, known for their speed and agility in the water, and possessed up to 60 dagger-like teeth, allowing them to consume a diverse array of prey including fish, sharks, and other marine reptiles.

This discovery enhances the understanding of the marine ecosystems that existed in Mississippi during the Late Cretaceous period, a time when the region was submerged under the Western Interior Sea Way, which facilitated the thriving of diverse marine life. The vertebra was found within the Prairie Bluff Formation, a site recognized for its abundance of fossils.

Researchers have confirmed that this vertebra belongs to Mosasaurus hoffmannii by comparing it with other known fossils at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. The significance of this find lies not only in its size but also in the insights it provides into the prehistoric marine environment of the area.

Mosasaurs are believed to have become extinct approximately 66 million years ago as a result of the catastrophic Chicxulub asteroid impact that marked the end of the Cretaceous period. Discoveries like this vertebra play a crucial role in broadening the knowledge of the evolution and extinction of marine reptiles and the environmental conditions that prevailed in ancient Mississippi.

The unearthing of this mosasaur vertebra serves as a reminder of the state’s rich paleontological heritage and opens up new avenues for research into the life forms that once roamed its waters. Researchers hope that further excavations in the region will yield additional insights into the extensive history of marine life during the Late Cretaceous, revealing more about how different species adapted to changes in their environment.