A toothy debate
UC mosasaur expert discusses new species discovered in Morocco
The Globe and Mail turned to a University of Cincinnati expert on mosasaurs to explain how researchers study teeth for clues about prehistoric species new to science.
UC College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Takuya Konishi studies ancient marine reptiles called mosasaurs that ruled the oceans more than 66 million years ago.
The Canadian news outlet reached out to Konishi to discuss a scientific debate over the fossils of a mosasaur discovered in Morocco that some researchers say is a species never before documented. The specimen features bladelike teeth like a shark's that differ from the conical teeth often associated with other mosasaurs.
Konishi was not a member of the team that made the discovery but studies ancient marine reptiles in his UC biology lab.
UC Associate Professor Takuya Konishi studies mosasaurs in his biology lab. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC
Now a group of scientists from Alberta is asking if the specimen uncovered by phosphate miners could have been altered like some fossils sold in Morocco's lucrative private fossil trade to make them more appealing to collectors.
Natural history has myriad examples of specimens new to science that were the subject of scientific controversy. Paleontology, in particular, has seen a dramatic evolution in our understanding of what these ancient animals looked like, what they ate and how they moved because there are no living comparisons. Researchers often must make inferences and calculations based on a scant fossil record.
Konishi told the Globe and Mail that he thinks experts who study ancient reptilian teeth could help shed light on the new discovery.
In the meantime, researchers told the news outlet they plan to conduct a CT scan on the specimen.
Konishi was part of a team of scientists who described a new species of Japanese mosasaur in 2023 that he and his colleagues called the Wakayama Soryu, which means blue dragon. Dragons are creatures of legend in Japanese folklore, Konishi said.
Read the Globe and Mail story.
Featured image at top: A view from within the toothy jaws of a mosasaur reproduction in UC's Department of Biological Sciences. Photo/Ravenna Rutledge/UC Marketing + Brand
UC Associate Professor Takuya Konishi was lead author of a 2023 paper in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology describing a new species of Japanese mosasaur called the "blue dragon." Graphic/Provided
Related Stories
Children exposed to gambling mechanics before they understand money
February 4, 2026
Gambling-style mechanics are becoming a routine part of children’s digital lives, appearing in online games, mobile apps and even sports betting advertisements that surround popular media. University of Cincinnati experts warned in a recent WKRC-TV Local 12 report that long before children understand the value of money, they are learning the emotional highs and lows associated with risk. Online games, such as Roblox and Fortnite, offer fast-paced rewards that can keep children glued to screens.
Study: Synthetic protein potentially improves outcomes for certain subgroups following intracerebral hemorrhage
February 4, 2026
The University of Cincinnati’s Joseph Broderick, MD, presented results from the FASTEST trial at the International Stroke Conference, simultaneously published in The Lancet, that found administering a synthetic protein, recombinant Factor VIIa, can reduce bleeding and potentially improve outcomes for certain patients at the highest risk of continued bleeding following an intracerebral hemorrhage.
UC expert explains 25th Amendment
February 4, 2026
WVXU's Cincinnati Edition talks to a University of Cincinnati political science professor about the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.