BEES Graduate Seminar: The social ecology of mosasaurs

Thursday, January 8, 2026

3:30 PM-4:50 PM

Maximilian Scott, a volunteer at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and recent Masters degree graduate from the University of Manitoba, will discuss “The social ecology of mosasaurs as evidenced by traumatic paleopathologies.”

Abstract:
Max Scott examined a long-standing hypothesis about agonistic social interactions in Mosasauridae, an extinct family of Late Cretaceous marine toxicoferan lizards. Previous studies on mosasaur agonism presented idiosyncratic evidence, which limited behavioral interpretations. To test the hypothesis that mosasaur aggression can be quantitatively studied and better understood through the lens of their closest relatives, Max conducted a review assessing paleopathological evidence for intraspecific agonism in the fossil record and adapted existing, well-constrained anthropological methods of identifying traumatic paleopathology to create a framework applicable to fossil research. He tested the established framework in a case study using data from prior mosasaur pathology studies and new observations to identify trends,finding that agonism-attributed features are widespread across Mosasauridae. In addition, unhealed features contradict morphological, and orientation trends observed in healed features. When cross-referenced with shark-attributed features, most unhealed confamilial mosasaur bites imply scavenging rather than deadly attacks. Damage attributed to mosasaurs is predominantly antemortem (77%), cranial (81%), and horizontally oriented; damage attributed to sharks is predominantly peri/postmortem (97%), broadly spread across skeletons, and vertically oriented. Max conducted a systemic paleopathological survey (244 specimens, 2209 elements) of North American mosasaurid skull material to determine frequency, morphology, ontogeny, and taxonomic patterns of cranial trauma pathologies with comparison to known behaviors of modern relatives. 119 total lesions are documented (65 elements,2.9%) across 39 specimens (15.9%). Pathologies are most common on the anterior snout and are commonly parallel to the tooth row. Pathology frequency correlates with size class, with larger specimens showing more features. One-third of marked specimens show features at different healing stages, implying recurrent behaviors. Cranial pathologies are taxonomically widespread, suggesting this behavior is plesiomorphic for Mosasauridae. These pathologies may result from male-male intrasexual aggressive behavior, as seen in extant varanids and snakes, and their onset at 40-60% maximum size may indicate sexualmaturity. If this is correct, consistent absence of these pathologies in the largest specimens may be indirect support for reverse sexual size dimorphism in some mosasaurs, sensu modern snakes. Overall,this study provides new insights into the lives of these marine lizards and helps differentiate behaviors.

Bio:
Maximilian Scott is a paleontologist with a Master’s Degree from University of Manitoba where he wrote his thesis on Mosasaur behavior. At Indiana University, Max majored in geology with a minor in animal behavior. His career research interest is in the way animal behavior evolves. Other interests include being a long-time public science educator online and occasionally on television, and in person at museums, schools, and public lands.

Contact Information

Donna Fahres, BEES Department Administrator
bees@drexel.edu