“Mosasaurus” iembeensis from the upper Cretaceous of Angola historical overview
Keywords:
Tylosaurus, Systematics, Itombe Formation, Museum collectionsAbstract
The mosasaurid record of Angola is relatively diverse and unique, including
some exclusive taxa, such as Angolasaurus bocagei and “Mosasaurus”
iembeensis. The type specimen of “Mosasaurus” iembeensis was first
described by Miguel Telles Antunes in 1964, and it was considered lost
after the fire of 1978 at the Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência
(MUHNAC, Lisbon, Portugal). Herein, we will provide a historical overview
of this specimen, including aspects as its discovery and description, its alleged
loss, and the more recent systematic approaches. This specimen is notified
here as housed in the paleontological collections of MUHNAC, without
remarkable damage. The current redescription of “Mosasaurus” iembeensis,
performed by us, will be key to test the validity of this taxon and its possible
assignment to the genus Tylosaurus.
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