Globidens ("Globe teeth") is an extinct
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
of
mosasaurMosasaurs were serpentine marine reptiles. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1764...
lizardLizards are a very large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
.
Globidens alabamaensis was first described by Gilmore (1912). A second species (
G. dakotensis) was described by Russell (1975). The third North American species (
G. schurmanni) was added by Martin (2007)
Globidens was ~6 m (20 ft) in length and in appearance very much like other mosasaurs (streamlined body with
flipperA flipper is a typically flat limb evolved for movement through water. Various creatures have evolved flippers, for example most fish , as well as certain mammals , reptiles , and birds .Flippers sometimes occur in...
s, a laterally flattened
tailThe tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals and birds...
and powerful
jawThe jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
s).
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Globidens ("Globe teeth") is an extinct
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
of
mosasaurMosasaurs were serpentine marine reptiles. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1764...
lizardLizards are a very large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
.
Globidens alabamaensis was first described by Gilmore (1912). A second species (
G. dakotensis) was described by Russell (1975). The third North American species (
G. schurmanni) was added by Martin (2007)
Globidens was ~6 m (20 ft) in length and in appearance very much like other mosasaurs (streamlined body with
flipperA flipper is a typically flat limb evolved for movement through water. Various creatures have evolved flippers, for example most fish , as well as certain mammals , reptiles , and birds .Flippers sometimes occur in...
s, a laterally flattened
tailThe tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals and birds...
and powerful
jawThe jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
s). The teeth of
Globidens were vastly different from other mosasaurs, as they were globular, as suggested in its generic name. Generally, most mosasaurs had sharp teeth evolved to grab soft, slippery prey like
fishA fish is any aquatic vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins...
and
squidSquid are marine cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms and two longer tentacles arranged in pairs...
, which, in later species, were later modified to rend flesh, as well. While many other mosasaurs were capable of crushing the shells of ammonites, none were as specialized in dealing with armored prey like
Globidens.
Globidens, unlike most other mosasaurs, had semispherical teeth with rounded nubbin-like points, which were much better suited for crushing tough armored prey like small
turtleTurtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s,
ammoniteAmmonites, as they pertain specifically to the order Ammonitida, are an extinct group of marine animals belonging to the cephalopod subclass Ammonoidea...
s,
nautiliNautilus is the common name of any marine creatures of the cephalopod family Nautilidae, the sole extant family of the suborder Nautilina. It comprises six species in two genera, the type of which is the genus Nautilus...
, and bivalves. Like its larger relative,
MosasaurusMosasaurus was a genus of mosasaur, a carnivorous, aquatic lizard, somewhat resembling a flippered crocodile, with elongated heavy jaws. The genus lived in the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period , around 70-65 millions years ago in the area of modern Western Europe...
,
Globidens had a robustly built skull with tightly-articulating jaws. Such features no doubt played a large role in its ability to penetrate the armor of its shelled prey.
The smaller genus
CarinodensCarinodens is an extinct genus of mosasaur, being approximately 3.5 meters in length it is one of the smallest known. It is widely considered a sister taxon to Globidens. It also had round, blunt teeth for crushing primitive clams and oysters....
is regarded as a sister taxon of
Globidens.