First occurrence of Mosasauridae (Squamata) in the Maastrichtian (latest Cretaceous) of Alicante (Valencia Community, Eastern Spain)

Abstract

Although the mosasaurid genus Prognathodon is known worldwide during the latest Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian), we report here its first occurrence in the Eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula. It was previously known from coeval levels of the Basque Country. The specimen from Castalla (Alicante) corresponds to a pterygoid tooth. Though it cannot be precisely determined at the specific level, the tooth belongs to a Prognathodon species with ‘slender’ teeth such as P. compressidens, P. sectorius and P. mosasauroides, all known in the Campanian-Maastrichtian of Europe, or P. kianda from the Maastrichtian of Angola.

Aunque el género de mosasaurio Prognathodon esta conocido mundialmente durante el Cretácico final (Campaniense-Maastrichtiense), damos a conocer su primera ocurrencia en el Levante Español. Previamente ya se conocía en niveles contemporáneos del País Vasco. El espécimen de Castalla corresponde a un diente del pterigoides. Aunque no se puede identificar a nivel especifico, el diente pertenece a una especie de Prognathodon con dientes ‘delgados’ como P. compressidens, P. sectorius y P. mosasauroi - des, del Campaniense-Maastrichtiense de Europa, ó P. kianda del Maastrichtiense de Angola.