Marine reptiles from Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian) deposits in Algarrobo, central Chile

We report new specimens of Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian) reptiles collected from Algarrobo, central Chile. The Algarrobo fossils include the northernmost occurrence of marine turtles, articulated plesiosaur remains, and mosasaur teeth recognized in the Weddellian Biogeographic Province. The presence of articulated material and teeth of elasmosaurid plesiosaurs, mosasaur teeth, and postcranial remains of cf. dermochelyid sea turtles re-emphasizes an emerging picture of the composition of Maastrichtian marine reptiles in the Pacific Basin. The fossil reptiles suggest that the Algarrobo strata were deposited on a shallow marine shelf. Proximity to the coast is indirectly suggested by the presence of fossil wood.