9.5" Crushing Mosasaur (Igdamanosaurus) Jaw Section - Morocco

Crushing Mosasaur (Igdamanosaurus) Jaw Section - Morocco #220255

This is a 9.5" long lower jaw section section of a crushing mosasaur (Igdamanosaurus aegyptiacus, formerly Globidens) from the famous phosphate deposits in the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Morocco. The bone and tooth preservation is quite nice, with relatively little breakage which is considered to be quite unusual from this site. Jaws of this species and quality are extremely rare, and are seldom seen on the market! There are three teeth in the jaw including one of considerable size.

Repairs include cracks through the bone where it was found separated within the rock and glue stabilization for lasting integrity of the bone. Some of the teeth have undergone repair as well, with one tooth missing a portion of it, though this seems to be wear. The teeth are situated in their natural positions within the mandible. The jaw also features an unerupted tooth that may have been remounted.

This jaw is accompanied by a metal/acrylic display stand to assist with presentation.

About Igdamanosaurus

Igdamanosaurus (formerly called Globidens) had semi-spherical, acorn-shaped teeth rather than the pointed teeth of most mosasaurs. These rounded teeth were best suited for crushing tough armored prey like small turtles, ammonites, nautili, and bivalves.

About the Oulad Abdoun Basin

The Oulad Abdoun Basin in central Morocco is one of the most famous phosphate deposit regions in the world, not only for its economic importance but also for its extraordinary fossil wealth. Formed during the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene, these marine phosphate layers record a time when northern Africa was covered by a warm, shallow sea teeming with life.

What makes the Oulad Abdoun deposits especially significant is the remarkable preservation and diversity of vertebrate fossils found within the phosphate beds. The basin is renowned for producing abundant remains of marine reptiles such as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, along with fossil sharks, rays, bony fish, and turtles. These fossils typically occur as isolated teeth, bones, and partial skeletons concentrated within the phosphatic sediments. Today, many of these specimens are collected as a byproduct of large-scale phosphate mining operations—rescued before the rock is processed and crushed—ultimately saving them from certain destruction in the rock crushers and preserving an extraordinary record of ancient marine life.

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