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==Description== [[File:Platecarpus tympaniticus.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Life restoration of a mosasaur (''[[Platecarpus tympaniticus]]'') informed by [[Trace fossil|fossil skin impressions]]]] Mosasaurs breathed air, were powerful swimmers, and were well-adapted to living in the warm, shallow [[Inland sea (geology)|inland seas]] prevalent during the Late [[Cretaceous]] period. Mosasaurs were so well adapted to this environment that they most likely [[Viviparity|gave birth to live young]], rather than returning to the shore to lay eggs as [[sea turtle]]s do.<ref>{{cite journal |title= Pelagic neonatal fossils support viviparity and precocial life history of Cretaceous mosasaurs |first1= Daniel J. |last1= Field |first2= Aaron |last2= LeBlanc |first3= Adrienne |last3= Gau1 |first4= Adam D. |last4= Behlke |journal= Palaeontology |date= 10 April 2015 |doi= 10.1111/pala.12165 |volume=58 |issue = 3 |pages=401–407 |s2cid= 4660322 |doi-access= free |bibcode= 2015Palgy..58..401F }}</ref> The smallest-known mosasaur was ''[[Dallasaurus|Dallasaurus turneri]]'', which was less than {{convert|1|m|ft|abbr=on}} long. Larger mosasaurs were more typical, with many species growing longer than {{convert|4|m|ft|abbr=on}}. ''[[Mosasaurus|Mosasaurus hoffmannii]]'', the largest known species reached up to {{convert|17|m|ft|abbr=on}},<ref>{{Cite journal| last = Grigoriev| first = D.W. | title = Giant Mosasaurus hoffmanni (Squamata, Mosasauridae) from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Penza, Russia | journal = Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS | volume = 318 | issue = 2| pages = 148–167| year = 2014 | doi = 10.31610/trudyzin/2014.318.2.148 | s2cid = 53574339 | url = https://www.zin.ru/journals/trudyzin/doc/vol_318_2/TZ_318_2_Grigoriev.pdf | access-date = 26 June 2016}}</ref> but it has been considered to be probably overestimated by Cleary ''et al.'' (2018).<ref name=Clearyetal>{{cite journal|author1=Terri J. Cleary|author2=Roger B. J. Benson|author3=Susan E. Evans|author4=Paul M. Barrett|title=Lepidosaurian diversity in the Mesozoic–Palaeogene: the potential roles of sampling biases and environmental drivers|year=2018|journal=Royal Society Open Science|volume=5|issue=3 |pages=171830|doi=10.1098/rsos.171830|pmid=29657788 |pmc=5882712 |bibcode=2018RSOS....571830C |doi-access=free}}</ref> Currently, the largest publicly exhibited mosasaur skeleton in the world is on display at the [[Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre]] in [[Morden, Manitoba|Morden]], [[Manitoba]]. The specimen, nicknamed "Bruce", is just over {{convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}} long,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/118041-largest-mosasaur-on-display |title= Largest mosasaur on display |work= Guinness World Records |year=2014 |access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref> but this might be an overestimate as the skeleton was assembled for display prior to a 2010 reassessment of the species that found its original number of vertebrae to be exaggerated, implying that the actual size of the animal was likely smaller.<ref name=BruceNewsletter>{{cite news |author=CBC News |date=August 27, 2008 |title=Manitoba dig uncovers 80-million-year-old sea creature |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-dig-uncovers-80-million-year-old-sea-creature-1.711525 |work=CBC |location=Manitoba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605122916/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-dig-uncovers-80-million-year-old-sea-creature-1.711525|archive-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Bullard, T.S.|author2=Caldwell, M.W.|year=2010|title=Redescription and rediagnosis of the tylosaurine mosasaur ''Hainosaurus pembinensis'' Nicholls, 1988, as ''Tylosaurus pembinensis'' (Nicholls, 1988)|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|volume=30|issue=2|pages=416–426|doi=10.1080/02724631003621870|bibcode=2010JVPal..30..416B |s2cid=86297189}}</ref> Mosasaurs had a body shape similar to that of modern-day [[monitor lizard]]s (varanids), but were more elongated and streamlined for swimming. Their limb bones were reduced in length and their paddles were formed by webbing between their long finger and toe bones. Their tails were broad, and supplied their locomotive power. Until recently, mosasaurs were assumed to have swum in a method similar to the one used today by [[conger eel]]s and [[sea snake]]s, undulating their entire bodies from side to side. However, new evidence suggests that many advanced mosasaurs had large, crescent-shaped flukes on the ends of their tails, similar to those of [[shark]]s and some [[ichthyosaur]]s. Rather than use snake-like undulations, their bodies probably remained stiff to reduce drag through the water, while their tails provided strong propulsion.<ref name=LCKC10>{{cite journal |last=Lindgren |first=J. |author2=Caldwell, M.W. |author3=Konishi, T. |author4= Chiappe, L.M. |year=2010 |editor1-last=Farke |editor1-first=Andrew Allen |title=Convergent Evolution in Aquatic Tetrapods: Insights from an Exceptional Fossil Mosasaur |journal=PLOS ONE |pmid=20711249 |volume=5 |issue=8 |pmc=2918493 |pages=e11998 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0011998|bibcode=2010PLoSO...511998L |doi-access=free }}</ref> These animals may have lurked and pounced rapidly and powerfully on passing prey, rather than chasing after it.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Lindgren | first1 = J. | last2 = Kaddumi | first2 = H. F. | last3 = Polcyn | first3 = M. J. | title = Soft tissue preservation in a fossil marine lizard with a bilobed tail fin | doi = 10.1038/ncomms3423 | journal = Nature Communications | volume = 4 | year = 2013 | pmid = 24022259| page=2423| bibcode = 2013NatCo...4.2423L | doi-access = free }}</ref> At least some species were also capable of aquaflight, flapping their flippers like [[sea lion]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nicholls |first1=Elizabeth L. |first2=Stephen J. |last2=Godfrey |title=Subaqueous Flight in Mosasaurs: A Discussion |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=14 |issue=3 |year=1994 |pages=450–452 |doi=10.1080/02724634.1994.10011570 |jstor=4523581|bibcode=1994JVPal..14..450N }}</ref><ref>Reassessment of the Mosasaur Pectoral Girdle and its Role in Aquatic Locomotion, gsa.confex.com/gsa/2019AM/webp ... ram/Paper333823.html</ref> Early reconstructions showed mosasaurs with dorsal crests running the length of their bodies, which were based on misidentified remains of [[trachea]]l cartilage. By the time this error was discovered, depicting mosasaurs with such crests in artwork had already become a trend.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://oceansofkansas.com/Osborn1899.html |journal=Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History |issue=4 |volume=1 |pages=167–188 |title=A Complete Mosasaur Skeleton, Osseous and Cartilaginous |first=Henry Fairfield |last=Osborn |year=1899 |access-date=25 November 2014|bibcode=1899Sci....10..919O |doi=10.1126/science.10.260.919 |pmid=17837338 |hdl=2027/mdp.39015042532336 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://oceansofkansas.com/Williston98.html |title=Origin of the Dorsal Fringe on Mosasaurs |first=Mike |last=Everhart |work=Oceans of Kansas |date=13 January 2013 |access-date=25 November 2014}}</ref>
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