5.4" Mosasaur Jaw Section with Four Teeth - Morocco

Mosasaur Jaw Section with Four Teeth - Morocco #270864

This is a gorgeous, 5.4" long mosasaur (Prognathodon sp.) jaw section with four teeth, collected from the Upper Cretaceous phosphate deposits in the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Morocco. There is also an unerupted teeth still within this jaw section, visible along the medial side of the jaw.

The jaw itself is free of repair, though there are some repaired cracks through the teeth. The anterior most teeth may be a composite, possibly having been embedded in the jaw for aesthetic appeal.

Comes with an acrylic stand.

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.

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