20.5" Composite Fossil Plesiosaur Paddle - Goulmima, Morocco

This is a paddle of an unidentified Plesiosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (Early Turonian Stage) deposits near Goulmima, Morocco. The paddle was not found articulated but rather the bones have been remounted on the rock in their correct positions. It's likely a composite meaning the bones while all real may not have all come from the same individual Plesiosaur. It's a very impressive and displayable specimen regardless. The paddle itself is 20.5" long with the entire rock measuring 23x7"

Plesiosaurs where long-necked marine reptiles with four flippers that appeared in the Triassic and died out along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period. They reached quite larges sizes, some species as long at 17 meters, and caught slow moving prey. Plesiosaurs breathed air, and bore live young; there are indications that they were warm-blooded.