1.5" Mosasaur Prognathodon Fossil Tooth In Matrix Cretaceous Dinosaur Era COA
Location: Oued Zem, Morocco
Weight: 5.2 Ounces
Dimensions: 2.7 Inches Long, 2.4 Inches Wide, 1.6 Inches Thick (Matrix)
Tooth Dimensions: 1.5 Inches Long, 0.9 Inches Wide
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: Prognathodon (Forejaw tooth).
Named By: Dollo - 1889.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Depending upon the species, Prognathodon could range between 6 and 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.
The story of Prognathodon has largely been shaped by fossil discoveries that revealed not just how it looked, but how it lived. Initially known only from isolated teeth and skull fragments, this Late Cretaceous mosasaur puzzled paleontologists due to its unusually strong jaws and rounded teeth. Over time, complete specimens uncovered in Canada transformed scientific understanding, showing a predator adapted to crushing shelled prey such as ammonites and turtles.
The fossils even preserved stomach contents, offering rare insight into prehistoric feeding behavior. Alongside the expected shelled animals, scientists discovered the remains of a large fish, suggesting that Prognathodon was capable of opportunistic feeding despite its specialized anatomy. This combination of versatility and specialization likely helped it survive in marine ecosystems crowded with competing predators.
Its skeletal features include reinforced eye structures that may have supported deep-water hunting, where pressure levels were high and shelled prey abundant. These adaptations paint a picture of a formidable marine hunter that occupied a distinctive ecological niche among mosasaurs during the final stages of the dinosaur era.
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 Morocco do a very professional job of unearthing and preserving these natural treasures; however, commonly, natural cracks are visible on the surface. These are part of the natural beauty of the fossil and are not considered defects.
