Prognathodon (Squamata, Mosasauridae) from the Maastrichtian chalk of Denmark

Paleontologists have identified two mosasaur tooth crowns from the Maastrichtian chalk sequences of Stevns Klint and Møns Klint, Denmark, belonging to the genus Prognathodon. This discovery marks the first record of this mosasaur genus in Denmark, adding to the existing diversity documented by previous findings of Plioplatecarpus, Mosasaurus, and Carinodens. The study highlights the coexistence of four mosasaurid genera in Danish chalk, mirroring similar assemblages from the Maastrichtian type areas in the Netherlands and Belgium. By analyzing fossilized teeth, researchers reconstructed the paleobiodiversity of marine reptiles during the late Cretaceous period, providing new insights into the evolutionary history and ecological dynamics of these apex predators.

Giltaij, T. J., Milàn, J., Jagt, J. W. M., & Schulp, A. S. (2021). Prognathodon (Squamata, Mosasauridae) from the Maastrichtian chalk of Denmark. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark, 69, 53–58. https://doi.org/10.37570/bgsd-2021-69-03