10.4" Plesiosaur Scapula Bone on Ammonite Stand - Asfla, Morocco

This is a very interesting ammonite and plesiosaur fossil display, all of which were collected from locations near Goulmima, Morocco. It features a 10.4" wide scapula from a plesiosaur, perched atop half of an ammonite fossil of the genus Mammites. The entire specimen stands 9.25" tall.

There are repaired cracks through the ammonite and the scapula also has a repaired crack.

About Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs were a diverse group of marine reptiles that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, thriving in Earth’s oceans for more than 135 million years. Although they lived alongside dinosaurs, plesiosaurs were not dinosaurs; instead, they were fully aquatic reptiles adapted for life in open water. Their most recognizable features included broad, streamlined bodies, four powerful flippers used for underwater “flight,” and a wide range of neck lengths. Fossils of plesiosaurs have been found on every continent, including Antarctica, showing that they inhabited oceans across the globe.

Plesiosaur - Paleo-art image


This group included two main body types that filled very different ecological roles. Long-necked plesiosaurs had small heads and slender teeth suited for catching fish and squid, likely relying on stealth and precise strikes. Short-necked plesiosaurs, known as pliosaurs, evolved massive skulls and powerful jaws and became apex predators capable of hunting large prey, including other marine reptiles. Together, these forms made plesiosaurs one of the most successful and adaptable marine reptile groups in Earth’s history, dominating prehistoric seas until their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous.

About Ammonites

Ammonites were
ancient marine cephalopods, similar to today's squids and octopuses, but with a defining feature: their distinctive, tightly coiled spiral shells. These shells, resembling those of modern nautiluses, served as both a protective home and a buoyancy aid, allowing ammonites to navigate the prehistoric seas with ease. First emerging around 240 million years ago in the Triassic Period, ammonites thrived for over 175 million years, adapting through numerous forms and sizes. As predatory creatures, they likely fed on smaller marine organisms, using their tentacles to capture prey. However, their long reign came to an end 65 million years ago at the close of the Cretaceous, coinciding with the mass extinction event that also eliminated the dinosaurs.

What an ammonite would have looked like while alive.
What an ammonite would have looked like while alive.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Unidentified Plesiosaur & Mammites sp. (Ammonite)
LOCATION
Asfla, Near Goulmima, Morocco
SIZE
Scapula: 10.4 x 8.75", Ammonite: 4.4" wide, On Stand: 9.25" tall
ITEM
#252630
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.