Disarticulated Mosasaur (Pluridens) Jaw in Situ - Morocco

This 13.2" wide section of sandstone from the Phosphate Deposits of Morocco contains a disarticulated mosasaur jaw, along with an assemblage of additional fossils. Four rooted mosasaur teeth can be seen exposed from the rock as well as an Otodus shark tooth, fish vertebrae, and an Enchodus fish fang. There are almost a dozen mosasaurs described from these deposits, but based on the teeth it is most likely from the species Pluridens serpentis.

The specimen is natural and none of the fossils have been mounted within the rock. One of the mosasaur teeth is missing much of its crown. The sandstone has been stabilized and the back has been cut flat and coated in a clear epoxy for structural integrity of the specimen.

It comes with a display stand.

Pluridens, meaning "many teeth", is an extinct genus of marine lizard belonging to the family Mosasauridae. It's placed in the subfamily Halisaurinae alongside the genera Phosphorosaurus, Eonatator, and Halisaurus. Compared to related halisaurines, Pluridens had longer jaws with more teeth, and smaller eyes. P. serpentis is found in Maastrichtian deposits in Morocco, in this instance, being the phosphate deposits of Khouribga, Morocco. It was briefly synonymized with Halisaurus by Lindgren and Siverson (2005), but subsequent studies rejected the synonymy.

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.

$595

SPECIES

Pluridens serpentis

AGE

Late Cretaceous (~70 Million Years)