Mosasaur Skull, Oulad Abdoun Basin, Morocco

Description

This spectacular Mosasaur skull belonged to a ferocious 35-foot predator and measures nearly 5 feet in length! Mosasaurs were prehistoric reptiles that roamed the ancient oceans 70 million years ago, during the last age of the dinosaurs. They have become famous ever since they were highlighted in the Hollywood film, Jurassic World.

The first Mosasaur fossils were excavated near the Meuse River in Germany in 1764; however, this recent find came from North Africa. Mosasaurs were the apex predators of prehistoric oceans. It's hard to imagine the biting force of these ancient beasts, which would have dwarfed the largest crocodile and more than doubled the body length of a Great White shark.

Their massive jaws were hinged and could expand to swallow large prey, including other mosasaurs, sea turtles and sharks. They had two sets of razor-sharp teeth in the upper jaw, including curved teeth that securely hooked their prey. Incredibly, both sets of teeth are present in this superb mosasaur fossil.

Although they lived during the Cretaceous Period, Mosasaurs are not in fact dinosaurs, but are relatives of monitor lizards like the Komodo dragon.

A skull of this size and preservation is a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. It's the perfect showcase piece to inspire awe in children and adults alike. This world class specimen is ideal for the sophisticated collector, museums and galleries. It would also be an imposing and attention-grabbing centre piece in any corporate or public setting.

This museum quality skull is incredibly well-preserved with original teeth. It was painstakingly extracted from the surrounding rock matrix and assembled into a 3-dimensional skull.

This is a complete skull with only minor restoration (~12%).

Details

Measures 4.75'L / 1.44 metres x 1.37'W / 0.42 metres x 2.75'H / 0.84 metres (including stand) and weighs approximately 100 lbs. / 45 kg.

Shipping included in North America. We will crate and pack item free of charge. We can arrange shipping worldwide.

This impressive mosasaur has recently been in the news.

See this video clip from City News Toronto

Check out the articles in The Toronto Star and Vaughan Citizen.

We'd love to talk more about this amazing piece - Call Jim at 416-888-2285, email at plovisek@fossilrealm.com, or contact us here.