1.2" Mosasaur Fossil Vertebrae Bone Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Era Morocco COA

Location: Khouribga, Morocco

Weight: 0.5 Ounces

Vertebrae Dimensions: 1.2 Inches Long, 0.9 Inches Wide, 0.8 Inches Thick

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

The item pictured is the one you will receive.

100 - 66 Million Years old, Upper Cretaceous, Maastrichtian Epoch.

Name: Mosasaurus

Named By: Dollo - 1889.

Diet: Carnivore.

Size: Depending upon the species, Mosasaurs could range between 6 to possibly just under 14 meters in length.

Known locations: Fossil locations suggest a worldwide distribution, but are especially well-known from Europe and North America.

Time period: Campanian to Maastrichtian of the Cretaceous.

Mosasaurs were the largest lizards to ever exist, reaching lengths approaching 60 feet with skulls up to 6 feet long. These adept marine reptiles were highly adapted swimmers, spending their entire lives in aquatic habitats. Their elongated and robust bodies included tails and limbs specialized for effective propulsion in water. Locomotion likely involved a sinuous, snake-like motion enhanced by their finned tails for thrust, with small, webbed feet providing steering capabilities. They flourished during the late Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 96 to 65 million years ago. As apex carnivores, mosasaurs preyed on fish, sea urchins, turtles, and shellfish. Living contemporaneously with dinosaurs, they became extinct during the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction event.

Please be aware of the nature of fossils:

Being buried under the ground for millions of years under tons of pressure tends to be rough. No fossil comes out of the ground whole and perfect. Most fossils have undergone some restoration, while others are altered by man simply to enhance their presentation in different ways. The workers in the United States do a very professional job of unearthing and preserving these natural treasures; however, natural cracks are commonly visible on the surface. These are part of the natural beauty of the fossil and are not considered defects.