Since Liopleurodon and Mosasaurus lived in different periods, a real-life Liopleurodon vs. Mosasaurus battle could never have happened. The huge, Cretaceous sea monster Mosasaurus could win based on size comparison alone. But the quick-turning Jurassic sea monster Liopleurodon had an amazing sense of smell that made them harder to ambush.
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Battle Facts about Liopleurodon vs. Mosasaurus
| Name | Liopleurodon (Liopleurodon ferox) | Mosasaurus (Mosasaurus missouriensis) |
| Size | 16-23 feet long, 2,200-3,700 pounds | 43-58 feet long, 30,000 pounds (15 tonnes) |
| Speed | 20-25 mph | 30-35 mph |
| Offense | Powerful jaws, maneuverability | Powerful jaws, bursts of speed |
| Defense | Great sense of smell to detect enemies and food | Smart and quick, maneuvers quickly |
| Endurance and Behavior | Could stay underwater for miles; air breather | Could travel far quickly; air breather |
When did Liopleurodon and Mosasaurus Live?
Liopleurodon lived during the Middle Jurassic period from 166-155 million years ago. Dinos like Compsognathus, Brachiosaurus, and Megalosaurus were around during this period.
Mosasaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous period from 82-66 million years ago. This was when dinos like Leptoceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, Carnotaurus, and Triceratops lived.
Marine reptiles lived in water; they never met land dinosaurs. Even if they could have left the water, they would stay close to the oceans.
Who was Bigger, Liopleurodon, or Mosasaurus?
Estimations for Mosasaurus’s size vary from 43-58 feet long, similar to a Megalodon. Liopleurodon was about the size of a large Great White Shark, only 16-23 feet long. That means the Mosasaurus was over twice the length of Liopleurodon!
Mosasaurus and Liopleurodon had four flippers, but Mosasaurus’s back pair were much smaller than the front pair. Because of this, paleontologists originally believed Mosasaurus could leave the water much like mudskippers.
After finding more complete Mosasaurus fossils, scientists realized that Mosasaurus was a marine reptile like Liopleurodon.
Who was a faster dino?
Mosasaurus could swim about 10mph faster than Liopleurodon. Mosasaurus’s speed was due to the shape of its tail. Mosasaurus had a tail like a shark with a two-lobed fin that was smaller on the top. Because of its tail, Mosasaurus could accelerate up to 35 mph.
Liopleurodon had a paddle-like tail similar to a beaver or a manatee. This tail shape made the quick bursts of speed impossible. Liopleurodon’s top speed was closer to 25 mph, but they could stay at their top speed for much longer than Mosasaurus.
Who Had More Teeth, Liopleurodon or Mosasaurus?
Liopleurodon had only 20-28 teeth. The much larger Mosasaurus had an estimated 40-50 teeth. Some estimates show Mosasaurus with a whopping 60 teeth! Like modern alligators, neither had molars to grind their food, so they swallowed their prey whole.
The Mosasaurus also had a really strong bite force. With its huge jaw, its bite had up to 16,000 pounds of pressure. Liopleurodon had a bite force similar to a saltwater crocodile, around 7,700 pounds. That means Mosasaurus’s bite force was more than double the Liopleurodon!
Was Mosasaurus related to Liopleurodon?
Even though Mosasaurus and Liopleurodon looked very similar, these two marine reptiles were not related. Mosasaurus was part of the Mosasaur family, which lived during the Cretaceous period. Liopleurodon was a Pliosaur, a short-necked subgroup of Plesiosaurs.
Mosasaurus was related to several vicious sea monsters of the Cretaceous, including:
- Tylosaurus
- Prognathodon
- Eremiasaurus
- Plesiotylosaurus
Liopleurodon had several Plesiosaur relatives from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods including:
- Kronosaurus
- Elasmosaurus
- Pliosaurus
- Megacephalosaurus
Liopleurodon vs. Mosasaurus: Who Would Win the Battle?
The short answer is that Mosasaurus would win most of the fights between Liopleurodon and Mosasaurus. Mosasaurus was twice as big, twice as strong, and 10 mph faster than Lio. Mosasaurus was also an ambush predator, catching most of its prey by surprise.
Liopleurodon wasn’t completely helpless. The smaller Lio could maneuver faster, like a seal escaping from a Great White Shark. And Lio had an amazing sense of smell that could detect threats from far away. If Mosasaurus couldn’t ambush Lio, it would be hard for the bigger Mosasaur to catch the twisty Liopleurodon.
Plus, the combination of super smell and more swimming endurance could save Lio from the sharp teeth of Mosasaurus. Mosasaurus had quick bursts of speed, but if Liopleurodon got a head start, there was no way Mosasaurus could catch up!