Fossil matrix - Ichthyosauria - 29 cm

An exceptional paleontological collectible specimen displaying the skull of a prehistoric marine reptile. The specimen is identified within the order Ichthyosauria, with a high probability of belonging to the Barracudasauroides Panxianensis family, an iconic Mesozoic marine predator.

Period: Middle Triassic (Mesozoic), approximately 242–247 million years old.

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

Detailed cranial anatomical features: This piece stands out for preserving key cranial bone structures with extraordinary relief and definition:

. Orbital socket and ring: The large eye orbit on the left side 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 aperture of the reptile is perfectly visible.

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

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

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