Fossil matrix - Ichthyosauria - 29 cm

Exceptional paleontological collectible piece that shows the skull of a prehistoric marine reptile. The specimen is identified within the order Ichthyosauria, with a high likelihood of belonging to the family Barracudasauroides Panxianensis, an iconic marine predator of the Mesozoic era.

Period: Middle Triassic (Mesozoic), approximately between 242 and 247 million years ago.

Origin: Former private collection acquired in Hong Kong. Dimensions: 23 cm in total length (29 cm with the matrix included).

Detailed anatomical features of the skull: This piece stands out for preserving key cranial bony structures with extraordinary relief and definition:

. Orbital cavity and ring: The large ocular orbit in the left sector is clearly visible, maintaining the three-dimensional depth of the structure that housed the scleral ring.

. Nasal fossa (Naris): Just in front of the orbit, the elongated opening corresponding to the external nasal fossa of the reptile is perfectly visible.

. Mandibular structure and sutures: The elongated snout (rostrum) shows the lines of junction and natural sutures between the upper and lower jaw bones, revealing the original hydrodynamic features of the animal.

. Texture of fossilized bone: In the posterior and superior areas of the skull, genuine porosity and the rough texture of the bone material replaced by minerals are evident, distinguishing it from artificial reproductions.

. Insertion of calcite and matrix: As an exceptional geological and aesthetic feature, the piece is transversely crossed by a natural vein of white calcite that cleanly cuts both the rock of the matrix and the snout of the fossil. This mineral line acts as an indisputable "authenticity seal", proving that the fossil and the rock shared the same fracture and tectonic mineralization process over millions of years.