Skull of an indeterminate Moroccan plioplatecarpine skeleton, possibly G. almaghribensis
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Clade:
†Mosasauria
Family:
†Mosasauridae
Clade:
†Russellosaurina
Clade:
†Selmasaurini
Genus:
†Gavialimimus Strong et al., 2020
Type species
†Gavialimimus almaghribensis
Strong et al., 2020
Gavialimimus is an extinct genus of plioplatecarpine mosasaur from the Maastrichtian of Morocco. The holotype MHNM.KHG.1231, an articulated skull and associated fragmentary postcrania, was found in the Ouled Abdoun Basin.[1]
The etymology of this genus means "gharial mimic" (Hindi Gavial = "gharial" + Greek mimus = "mimic"). The genus name refers to morphological convergence between Gavialimimus and the extant gharial (Gavialis gangeticus). Gavialimimus has been said to occupy the niche of a large piscivore. In this way, through severe specialization, it managed to co-exist with several other large mosasaur species in the same area.[1]
It was a medium-sized mosasaur, measuring 6 metres (20 ft) long.[2]
^ abStrong, Catherine R. C.; Caldwell, Michael W.; Konishi, Takuya; Palci, Alessandro (2020-09-28). "A new species of longirostrine plioplatecarpine mosasaur (Squamata: Mosasauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco, with a re-evaluation of the problematic taxon 'Platecarpus' ptychodon". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 18 (21): 1769–1804. doi:10.1080/14772019.2020.1818322.
^Cooper, S.L.A.; Marson, K.J.; Smith, R.E.; Martill, D. (2022). "Contrasting preservation in pycnodont fishes reveals first record of regurgitalites from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Moroccan phosphate deposits". Cretaceous Research. 131 (4). 105111. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105111.
refers to morphological convergence between Gavialimimus and the extant gharial (Gavialis gangeticus). Gavialimimus has been said to occupy the niche of a...
compared to eleven in the closely related Goronyosaurus, twelve in Gavialimimus, and eleven or twelve in Selmasaurus johnsoni. Like Goronyosaurus, Khinjaria...
clade was recovered by Strong et al. (2020) in their description of Gavialimimus. The results of the analyses of Longrich et al. are shown in the cladogram...
present in. A dubious taxon that may represent various mosasaurs such as Gavialimimus or Platecarpus somenensis James G. Ogg; Linda A. Hinnov (2012), "Cretaceous"...
gut contents of a 6.5-7 metre Prognathodon kianda, alongside a 4 metre Gavialimimus sp. and a 4.6 metre cannibalized subadult Prognathodon kianda which were...
plioplatecarpine mosasaurids. They named this clade—also containing Gavialimimus, Goronyosaurus, and Selmasaurus—the Selmasaurini. Selmasaurus johnsoni...
Maastrichtian A mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual cutting dentition. Gavialimimus G. almaghribensis Maastrichtian An unusual longirostrine plioplatecarpine...
sister taxon to Goronyosaurus. They named this clade—also containing Gavialimimus and Selmasaurus—the Selmasaurini. The results of their analyses are shown...
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