Mosasaur - Απολιθωμένο δόντι - Mosasaur jaw from Morocco (χωρίς τιμή ασφαλείας)

Όμορφο σαγόνι μωσασαύρου από το Μαρόκο, με δόντια με ρίζες και μέρος του οστού της κάτω γνάθου. Το οστό έχει αποκατασταθεί μερικώς, αλλά η φυσική πορώτητα του απολιθώματος παραμένει ακόμα εμφανής. Ανακαλύφθηκε στα φωσφορικά αποθέματα της Χουριμπάγκας. Αυτός ο θαλάσσιος ερπετός της Κρητιδικής περιόδου ήταν ένας από τους μεγαλύτερους θαλάσσιους θηρευτές της εποχής του.
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.