Ajnabia

foreigner / stranger

• ajnabi · Arabic · foreigner, stranger

The name comes from the Arabic word for "foreigner" or "stranger". It was chosen because this small mosasaur turned up in Morocco but belongs to a group whose relatives were otherwise known from other parts of the world. The species name, odysseus, also refers to a wanderer.

Named by

Longrich et al.

Year named

2021

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Maastrichtian

Found in

Phosphate deposits, Oulad Abdoun Basin, Morocco

Not a dinosaur. Ajnabia is a mosasaur, a marine squamate reptile related to lizards and snakes. The type species is Ajnabia odysseus. The etymology and authorship are given from memory, so please verify them.