Primitive Whale - Fossil tooth - 10 cm - 5 cm

a fossil tooth of Basilosaurus, an extinct genus of archaeocete cetaceans (primitive whales) that lived in the Late Eocene, about 40 to 34 million years ago. Visible features of the fossil: Crown: The upper part has a triangular shape typical of the molars and premolars of this marine predator. The edge is characterized by several cusps or sharp denticles on the lateral margins, which helped it grasp and slice its prey (mollusks, fish). Root system: The piece has long mineralized roots well separated (double or multiple structure) separated by a hollow space, which is a major anatomical feature of mammals compared to marine reptiles like mosasaurs (which have a single massive conical root). Hue and texture: The color ranges from dark brown to ochre beige, indicating the fossilization process and the replacement of organic tissues by mineral sediments. This type of fossil very often comes from Moroccan phosphate deposits (Dakhla region or Ouled Abdoun Basin).