16" Fossil Mosasaur (Prognathodon) Upper Jaw in Situ - Morocco

Fossil Mosasaur (Prognathodon) Upper Jaw in Situ - Morocco #325605

This is a 16" fossil mosasaur upper jaw section from the Phosphate Deposits near, Khouribga, Morocco. The jaw is fragmented within the rock, with the teeth scattered across the entire specimen. There are ten mosasaur teeth exposed across the jaw. A naturally associated mackerel shark (Serratolamna ascheroni) and multiple fish vertebrae can be found scattered throughout the sandstone as well.

There is one repaired crack that runs across the specimen and some areas of glue stabilization. It comes with a metal display stand to assist with horizontal presentation.

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.

Prognathodon was a large, successful mosasaur from the late Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era. Mosasaurs were aquatic carnivorous reptiles related to modern monitor lizards and snakes. There are many species of Prognathodon found all over the world, suggesting that this genus had a worldwide distribution. Most Prognathodon species were around 15-18 feet (5-6 meters) in length, but the largest species, P. saturator was around 40 feet (13 meters) in length. Several adaptations, mainly of the jaws and teeth, indicate Prognathodon seemed specialized for hunting prey in deeper waters. These include specialized dentition for cracking open hard-bodied prey and slicing through their flesh, as well as reinforced eyes and eye sockets for withstanding deep ocean pressure.