. College collection of palaeontology. 54 VEBTEBRATA. dominating reptiles of tlie American Cretaceous, fifty American species being enumerated by Cope, but only four from European Cretaceous. No. 80. [263]. Mosasaurus Hoffmanni, Manteil. Lower Jaw, right ramus (cast). This is the most remarkable generaliza- tion of the lacertilian type in the Cretaceous Period. It had large pointed teeth, pyramidal and slightly recurved, expanding at the base, which was anchylosed to the top of the alveolar ridge. In the lower jaw there were fourteen teeth on each side, and in the upper, eleven; and Cuvier sup
. College collection of palaeontology. 54 VEBTEBRATA. dominating reptiles of tlie American Cretaceous, fifty American species being enumerated by Cope, but only four from European Cretaceous. No. 80. [263]. Mosasaurus Hoffmanni, Manteil. Lower Jaw, right ramus (cast). This is the most remarkable generaliza- tion of the lacertilian type in the Cretaceous Period. It had large pointed teeth, pyramidal and slightly recurved, expanding at the base, which was anchylosed to the top of the alveolar ridge. In the lower jaw there were fourteen teeth on each side, and in the upper, eleven; and Cuvier supposed that the intermaxillary bone, which was wanting, contained three more. In addition to these, the gigantic reptile had its pteryoid bone armed with teeth, like the Iguana. The vertebrae were concavo-convex like those of living Crocodiles, Monitors and Iguanas. The length of this species has been es- timated at twenty-five feet. The jaw is part of the celebrated specimen now in the Garden of Plants, which was discovered in 1780 by Dr. Hoffman, in the Upper Chalk, near Maestricht, Netherlands. Size, 3 ft. 1 in. x 11 in. No. 81. [1292] Liodon . Head, on slab (cast). This genus is distinguished, according to Cope, by compressed teeth, lenticular in cross-section; vertebral processes not articulat- ing; chevron bones free; and the humerus small and slender. The form is rare in Europe, but abounds in America. L. dyspelor, Cope, and L. proriger, Cope, are two of the largest species. The original of this cast is in pos- session of Ward & Howell, and has not been studied, but probably be- longs to one of the two species men- tioned above. From the Cre- taceous chalk of Treyo Co., Kansas. Size, 2-7 X ORDER CROCODILIA. Here belong the higliest and largest of living reptiles. In the structure of the heart, brain and stomach they approach the birds. They are covered with a cuirass of square plates placed in longi- tudinal lines; the jaws are united into a solid mass; the prem
Size: 2112px × 1183px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiod, bookdecade1900, bookyear1901
