Theses and Dissertations
Issuing Body
Mississippi State University
Advisor
Clary, Renee M.
Committee Member
Owen Nagel, Athena
Committee Member
Funderburk, Brent
Committee Member
Harrell, T. Lynn
Committee Member
Phillips, George
Date of Degree
8-7-2020
Original embargo terms
Visible to MSU only for 2 years
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Geosciences
Degree Name
Master of Science
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Arts and Sciences
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Department of Geosciences
Department
Department of Geosciences
Abstract
The taphonomy and paleoecology of a well-preserved mosasaur (DSM 10716) are reported from Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. The mosasaur was recovered from the Prairie Bluff Chalk, the exact stratigraphic position and age confirmed using established foraminiferal zonation for the Late Cretaceous of the U. S. Gulf Coastal Plain. A species identification of Mosasaurus cf. hoffmanni Mantell is given using shape and structure of the quadrate and jugal, as well as tooth counts for the dentary, maxilla, and pterygoid. DSM 10716 exhibits well-preserved trace fossils including feeding traces and the remains of encrusting bivalves. The associated fossils are probed for similar phenomena to modern whale falls and other ancient carcass falls. Based on associated fossils present on DSM 10716, evidence for a mobile scavenger stage, a possible enrichment opportunist stage, and a reef stage is established. No chemosynthetic organisms were detected to suggest the existence of a sulfophilic stage.
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/11668/18436
Recommended Citation
Moffitt, Joseph, "Taphonomy of a Late Cretaceous mosasaur specimen from Oktibbeha County, Mississippi" (2020). Theses and Dissertations. 4209.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/4209
Comments
Mosasaur||Carcass Fall||Cretaceous Marine Scavenging||Reef Stage||Mississippi Cretaceous Paleontology||Cretaceous Marine Taphonomy