10.6" Mosasaur (Hainosaurus) Jaw with Seven Teeth - Morocco

Mosasaur (Hainosaurus) Jaw with Seven Teeth - Morocco #344926

This is a 10.6" long fossil jaw section of a mosasaur from the Phosphate Deposits near Khouribga, Morocco. It is a portion of the mandible (lower jaw) from the left side of the skull. The specimen contains seven teeth still attached to the jaw, three of which are unerupted. There are almost a dozen mosasaurs described from these deposits, but based on the teeth it is most likely from the species Hainosaurus boubker sp. nov..

The teeth are natural and have not been composited into the jaw. It was found heavily fractured, requiring significant crack repair and gap fill restoration to piece back together.

It comes with an acrylic display stand.

Hainosaurus is one of the largest known mosasaurs, from the late Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era. Mosasaurs were aquatic carnivorous reptiles related to modern monitor lizards and snakes. There are several species of Hainosaurus, including Hainosaurus boubker sp. nov., found mainly in present day Morocco. Adults of Hainosaurus could grow as large as 26 to 39 feet (8-12 meters) in length. Hainosaurus boubker represents an advanced group of tylosaurines with a blade-like dental structure, exhibiting a morphology well-adapted for cutting apart large prey.

A detailed publication on the tylosaurine mosasaur, Hainosaurus boubker sp. nov., can be found at the link below.

www.researchgate.net/publication

It comes from the massive phosphate deposits in the Oulad Abdoun Basin near Khouribga, Morocco. These deposits are mined for phosphate, one of Morocco's biggest exports. The fossils are collected as a byproduct of the mining operations, saving them from certain destruction by the rock crusher.

SPECIES

Hainosaurus boubker sp. nov.

AGE

Late Cretaceous (~70 Million Years)