Tylosaurus | Facts & Information

One of the largest marine predators of the Upper Cretaceous period was the Tylosaurus. In those distant times on land were the Masters of dinosaurs, and in the water evolved giant marine reptiles, adapted very well to life in the ocean and adjacent seas.

This animal was an expert in ambushes, filled its lungs with air and then swam deep to search for its favorite food. If he had the opportunity he would also attack Sharks, other mosasaurs and cubs of other marine predator species. This was confirmed by the remains of bones found in the gut region of a Tylosaurus skeleton discovered in America.

He had a very developed territorial sense, did not tolerate another specimen of Tylosaurus near him, and when an intruder appeared almost always there were violent confrontations. One of them was wounded and any bleeding wound attracted like a magnet the greedy sharks that had appeared in those waters since before the dinosaurs.

They had a very developed olfactory sense but also a very fine hearing, they felt any struggle in the water, but also the smell of blood that betrays a weakened animal, which is in danger.

As with all mosasaur species, Tylosaurus had an elongated body, but the trunk was not extraordinarily long, especially the tail had a large size and a flattened appearance, strongly compressed laterally. Interesting was the tip of the tail, which is shaped like an arrowhead and which probably helps the creature to move easily through the water.

On the sides of the body were limbs transformed into powerful flippers, which resembled wings and which acted as a helm, helping to stabilize the body while the reptile swam.

The skull had a flattened triangular shape, was very large and long, the muzzle was elongated, the jaws provided previously with strong, sharp and curved back teeth – perfectly adapted to catch and retain slippery prey with ease.

This species of marine reptile was first described in 1869 by paleontologist Edward D. Cope, based on fossil remains discovered in Kansas in 1868. The species has been scientifically named Tylosaurus proriger and is suspected to have lived in the Mesozoic era, in the Upper Cretaceous, about 92-80 million years ago.

The researchers estimated the body length of an adult Tylosaurus at 8-12 m and the skull length at 1.3 m. in the following years other fossils were discovered in North America – in Alberta and Texas – but also in Asia and Europe.

Taking into account the conformation of the jaws and the peculiarities of the dentition, the experts concluded that there were several species of this genus to which they belong: Tylosaurus proriger (from North America), Tylosaurus gaudryi (from France) and others.

Food

Tylosaurus was a mosazaur species that lived in the open sea and mainly fed on fish.

He was a dangerous Hunter, very skilful who attacked his victim unexpectedly, often jumping sharply above the water and catching seabirds or flying dinosaurs that hovered on the surface of the water to catch fish or other small aquatic creatures.