Anatomy and relationships of the bizarre Early Cretaceous pliosaurid Luskhan itilensis.

This article focuses on the description and evolutionary significance of *Luskhan itilensis*, an Early Cretaceous brachaucheniine pliosaurid from the Hauterivian of western Russia. The study provides a detailed osteological analysis of this longirostrine, tusked marine reptile, highlighting its unique cranial features such as forward-pointing premaxillary teeth supported by thickened interalveolar bone, and discusses its possible ecological and behavioral implications by comparison with other marine amniotes. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference place *Luskhan itilensis* among early brachaucheniines, effectively bisecting a previously long evolutionary gap between Late Jurassic and Middle Cretaceous pliosaurids, and reveal generally low rates of morphological evolution within Cretaceous pliosaurids prior to their extinction in the early Late Cretaceous. The findings suggest that *Luskhan itilensis* and related Early Cretaceous taxa represent an intermediate morphological grade, contributing to a better understanding of pliosaurid diversity and evolutionary dynamics during a poorly documented interval.