Mosasaur - Απολιθωμένο ζώο - Mosasaur jaw from Morocco - 12 cm (χωρίς τιμή ασφαλείας)

Όμορφη σιαγόνα Mosasaurus από το Μαρόκο, με δόντια με ρίζες και μέρος του κάτω γνάθου. Το οστό έχει parcialmente αποκατασταθεί, αλλά η φυσική πορώτητα του απολιθώματος είναι ακόμαClearly visible. It was discovered in the phosphate deposits of Khouribga. This Cretaceous marine reptile was one of the largest ocean predators of its time.
Mosasaurus was among the last mosasaurs and also one of the largest. Like most mosasaurs, its limbs had evolved into short but efficient flippers, with the front flippers larger than the rear ones. The largest known species, Mosasaurus hoffmannii, could reach lengths of 17–18 meters (56 feet), slightly longer than close relatives such as Tylosaurus and Hainosaurus. It was also one of the most robust mosasaurs, with some of the largest individuals estimated to weigh between 25 and 30 tons. Its body was long, thick, and barrel-shaped, with a massive skull and a powerful, tightly connected jaw. The eyes were relatively large but likely provided limited binocular vision, and the olfactory bulbs were not well developed, leading experts to believe that Mosasaurus lived primarily near the water’s surface.