New Mosasaur Species Discovered in North Dakota Offers Insights into Evolution of Prehistoric Marine Lizards
Jörmungandr walhallaensis, a newly identified species named after a Norse sea serpent, offers a deeper understanding of the evolution and lineage of mosasaurs; the 24-foot-long creature presents a mix of features found in two other known mosasaur species, marking it as a key transition in the mosasaur evolutionary timeline.
- The newly-discovered mosasaur, named Jörmungandr walhallaensis, was a colossal 24-foot-long marine lizard and is believed to have lived around 80 million years ago.
- This new transitional species has a mix of features found in two other known mosasaur species, Clidastes and Mosasaurus, supporting the theory that it was a predecessor to the latter.
- The discovery of Jörmungandr walhallaensis in North Dakota provides new insights into the evolution of mosasaurs, the aquatic adaptations they developed, and the lineage they followed.
- Bite marks found on the fossil suggest the animal likely died during or shortly after a large biting event, possibly from another mosasaur, providing additional information about their behavior.
- The landmark discovery supports ongoing research into the number of times mosasaurs evolved flippers to become fully aquatic, speculated to be three or more times.
Newsweek 
