Mosasaurus hoffmanni - The First Discovery of a Mosasaur?

Webpage created by Mike Everhart; Copyright © 1999-2008

Last update - 02/24/2008

Left: Woodcut showing workers moving a stone slab containing the skull of the first known mosasaur: Mosasaurus hoffmanni. (Click for larger version)

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     The first specimen of Mosasaurs of which we have historical knowledge was discovered by Doctor Hoffman, a surgeon of Maastricht, in 1780, and has been the subject of numerous descriptions and discussions by some of the most famous naturalists of the world. Its discovery, and the subsequent destination of the fossil, is the subject of the following account by M. Faujas-Saint-Fond, in his "Natural History of St. Peter's Mount":

     "In one of the galleries or subterraneous quarries of St. Peter's Mount, at Maestricht, at the distance of about 500 paces from the principal entrance, and at ninety feet below the surface, the quarrymen exposed part of the skull of a large animal imbedded in the stone. They stopped their labors to give notice to Doctor Hoffman, a surgeon at Maestricht, who had for some years been collecting fossils from the quarries, and who had liberally remunerated the laborers for them. Doctor Hoffman, observing the specimen to be the most important that bad yet been discovered, took every precaution to secure it entire. After having succeeded in removing a large block of stone containing it, and reducing the mass to a proper condition, it was transported to his home in triumph. But this great prize in natural history, which bad given Doctor Hoffman so much pleasure, now became the source of chagrin. A canon [Godding] of Maestricht, who owned the ground beneath which was the quarry whence the skull was obtained, when the fame of the specimen reached him, laid claim to it under certain feudal rights and applied to law for its recovery. Doctor Hoffman resisted, and the matter becoming serious, the chapter of canons came to the support of their

reverend brother, and Doctor Hoffman not only lost the specimen but was obliged to pay the costs of the lawsuit. The canon, leaving all feelings of remorse to the judges for their iniquitous decision, became the happy and contented possessor of this unique example of its kind.

    "But justice, though slow, arrives at last. The specimen was destined again to change its place and possessor. In 1795 the troops of the French republic, having repulsed the Austrians, laid siege to Maestricht and bombarded Fort St. Peter. The country house of the canon, in which the skull was kept, was near the fort, and the general, being informed of the circumstance, gave orders that the artillerists should avoid that house. The canon, suspecting the object of this attention, had the skull removed and concealed in a place of safety in the city. After the French took possession of the latter, Freicine, the representative of the people, promised a reward of 600 bottles of wine for its discovery. The promise had its effect, for the next day a dozen grenadiers brought the specimen in triumph to the house of the representative, and it \vas subsequently conveyed to the museum of Paris."

     It is said that after peace was established the canon was reimbursed for the specimen. But it still remains in Paris.

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Editor's note: The mosasaur remains were sent to Paris and in 1808, Baron Cuvier published the first comprehensive description of "le grand animal fossile de Maastricht." Cuvier agreed with Adrian Camper, noting that the fossil's relationships lay somewhere between iguanas and varanid lizards.

In 1822, the specimen finally received its Linnean nominal when W. D. Conybeare referred to it as "Mosasaurus" (Mosa-, the Latin name for the Meuse River near the town of Maastricht, and -saurus for lizard. It was some years later when Gideon Mantell (1829:207) added the species name, "hoffmanni" in honor of Dr. Hoffmann.

Left: Photo of the partial skull of the first specimen (1766) of Mosasaurus in the Teylers Museum. The photo of a second specimen is HERE. Photos by Menno Slaats.