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By comparison with extant and extinct analogs, the tail morphology of four mosasaurine genera is examined, revealing a pattern of evolution that begins with the generalized varanoid anatomy and culminates in a high-aspect-ratio fin, similar to that of sharks. However, unlike the epicercal caudal fluke of selachians in which the tail bends dorsocaudally, derived mosasaurs develop a hypocercal tail with a ventrocaudal bend. Progressive caudal regionalization, reduced intervertebral mobility, increased tail depth due to a marked downturn of the posterior caudal segment, and the development of finlike paired appendages reveal a pattern of adaptation toward an optimized marine existence. This change in morphology reflects a transition from anguilliform or sub-carangiform locomotion to carangiform locomotion, and indicates a progressive shift from nearshore dwellers to pelagic cruisers\u2014a change in foraging habitat independently corroborated by paleobiogeographic, stable isotope, osteohistological, and paleopathological data. Evolutionary patterns similar to those observed in mosasaurine mosasaurs are seen in other secondarily aquatically adapted amniotes, notably metriorhynchid crocodyliforms, cetaceans, and ichthyosaurs, and may be explained by developmental modularity governing the observed phenotypic expression.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1666\/09023.1","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,6,8]],"date-time":"2011-06-08T16:51:05Z","timestamp":1307551865000},"page":"445-469","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":46,"title":["Landlubbers to leviathans: evolution of swimming in mosasaurine mosasaurs"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"37","author":[{"given":"Johan","family":"Lindgren","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michael J.","family":"Polcyn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bruce A.","family":"Young","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,4,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0094837300024970_ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00285-006-0036-8"},{"key":"S0094837300024970_ref11","first-page":"159","article-title":"The locomotion of fishes","volume":"4","author":"Breder","year":"1926","journal-title":"Zoologica"},{"key":"S0094837300024970_ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsbl.2009.0097"},{"key":"S0094837300024970_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0022-1112.2004.00568.x"},{"key":"S0094837300024970_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1163\/156853896X00162"},{"key":"S0094837300024970_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03049153","article-title":"Studies on the comparative anatomy of the tail in Sauria and Rhynchocephalia. 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