In 2021, a groundbreaking revelation in a Moroccan phosphate mine unveiled a new species of mosasaur, Xenodens calminechari, characterized by its bizarre “screwdriver teeth.” However, recent findings by Canadian researchers have cast doubt on the authenticity of this fossil, raising questions about its legitimacy.
The initial discovery, led by Nicholas R. Longrich from the university of Bath, was based on an incomplete jawbone with four sharp teeth, dated between 72.1 and 66 million years ago. the researchers described the dental arrangement as “numerous small, short, bladelike teeth packed together to form a saw-like cutting edge,” a unique feature among tetrapods (four-limbed vertebrates). This claim sparked intrigue in the paleontological community, prompting further scrutiny.
Henry Sharpe of the University of Alberta, leading a december 16 study published in The Anatomical Record, highlighted inconsistencies in the previous research. Sharpe’s team identified “possible adhesive material” and an unusual tissue overlap between two teeth, suggesting the fossil might be a forgery. “Every time one of these teeth is resorbed and falls out, there’s a huge pit left over. And that’s because the next tooth is coming into that hole to build all that tissue back up again so that it’s firmly anchored in the jaw,” Sharpe explained to Live Science.
the fossil’s discovery in Morocco’s Khouribga province also raised red flags. It was ”obtained nonscientifically (without technical supervision) from an area in Morocco that yields many manipulated or forged specimens,” as noted in the study.Sharpe’s team ultimately suggested that the teeth and jaw might belong to two different creatures, though CT scans could confirm or refute these doubts.| Key Points |
|—————-|
| Discovery | New mosasaur species,Xenodens calminechari,identified in 2021. |
| Location | Moroccan phosphate mine in Khouribga province. |
| Unique Feature | “Screwdriver teeth” with a saw-like cutting edge. |
| Controversy | Canadian researchers suspect the fossil may be forged. |
| Next Steps | CT scans needed to verify authenticity.|
Sharpe’s rebuttal, published open-access in The Anatomical Record, calls for caution. “Our rebuttal to ‘Xenodens’ is now published open-access in The anatomical Record: this bizarre ‘shark-toothed’ mosasaur is highly likely both a forgery and nondiagnostic,” he tweeted on December 17, 2024.
For now, the scientific community awaits further analysis. If the doubts prove true, it “should be established in the published literature that this is a fake,” Sharpe emphasized. Until then, proceed with caution when encountering references to this enigmatic mosasaur.
