1.6" Plesiosaur Zarafasaura Tooth Fossil In Matrix Cretaceous Dinosaur Era COA

Location: Khouribga, Morocco

Weight: 6 Ounces

Dimensions: 3.1 Inches Long, 3 Inches Wide, 1.7 Inches Thick (Matrix)

Tooth Dimensions: 1.6 Inches Long, 0.4 Inches Wide

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Plesiosaur Zarafasaura

Zarafasaura oceanis was a long-necked marine reptile belonging to the Elasmosauridae, a specialized family of plesiosaurs renowned for their extremely elongated necks and streamlined bodies adapted for life in open oceans. The name Zarafasaura is derived from the Arabic word “Zarafa,” meaning giraffe, paired with the Greek “saurus,” meaning lizard, a direct reference to its distinctive body proportions. The species name oceanis, translated as “daughter of the sea,” reflects its fully marine lifestyle.

This species was formally described in 2011 by Dr. Peggy Vincent and her colleagues from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, based on partial skull remains recovered from fossil-bearing deposits in Morocco. These Late Cretaceous marine sediments have yielded important insights into the diversity of elasmosaurids in North African waters. Although known from incomplete material, comparative anatomy suggests that Zarafasaura reached an estimated length of approximately 23 feet (7 meters).

Living between 72 and 66 million years ago, Zarafasaura inhabited warm, shallow epicontinental seas that covered large portions of what is now North Africa. Like other members of its family, it was a carnivorous predator, feeding primarily on fish, squid, and other small marine animals. Its long neck may have allowed it to strike quickly at prey while keeping its bulky body at a distance, a hunting strategy thought to be common among elasmosaurids. Zarafasaura represents an important piece of the complex marine ecosystems that existed shortly before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.

Please be aware of the nature of fossils:

Being buried underground for millions of years under immense pressure can be rough. Rarely does a fossil emerge fully intact and perfect. Most fossils require some restoration, and some are modified by humans to improve their appearance. Moroccan workers are highly skilled in discovering and conserving these natural treasures, though natural cracks often appear on the surface. These cracks are part of the fossil's natural charm and are not faults.