Story: Fossils

Mosasaur skull (3rd of 3)

Mosasaur skull

This mosasaur skull, Prognathodon overtoni, was collected in October 1980 from Mangahouanga Stream, a tributary of the Te Hoe River, Hawke's Bay, by Joan Wiffen and her husband Pont. It is late Cretaceous in age (around 80 million years ago). Mosasaurs were marine reptiles. Able swimmers, they could chase squid and fish and also preyed upon turtles and ammonites. Ammonites have been found with bite marks where mosasaurs tried to crack them open.

This fossil is part of the GNS Science National Paleontological Collection.

Using this item

GNS Science
Reference: CN34320/19

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Hamish Campbell, 'Fossils - Age of the dinosaurs – Mesozoic', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/9855/mosasaur-skull (accessed 28 March 2024)

Story by Hamish Campbell, published 12 Jun 2006