2.1" Mosasaur Prognathodon Fossil Tooth Rooted Cretaceous Dinosaur Era COA Stand
Location: Oued Zem, Morocco
Weight: 0.6 Ounces
Dimensions: 2.1 Inches Long, 0.9 Inches Wide, 0.6 Inches Thick
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Comes with a free Acrylic Base. (Stand) & Mineral Tack.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
This is a genuine fossil.
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 to possibly just under 14 meters in length.
Known locations: Fossil locations suggest a worldwide distribution, but are especially well-known in Europe and North America.
Time period: Campanian to Maastrichtian of the Cretaceous.
Prognathodon was a late Mosasaur that showed a trend towards a different kind of predation that saw it living like the much earlier basal placodont reptiles of the Triassic, such as Placodus. This means that Prognathodon specialized in eating tough-shelled prey items like shellfish, ammonites, and turtles. The diet of Prognathodon was for a long time just speculation based upon the teeth and jaw construction, but two discoveries in Canada in the early years of the twenty-first century not only revealed the full body shape of Prognathodon but the diet as well. One specimen revealed the presence of turtle and ammonite fossils located where its stomach would have been. Interestingly, it also had a one-hundred and sixty centimeters long fish in its gut, suggesting that while Prognathodon was a specialized predator, it was also opportunistic in its feeding.
Prognathodon featured a sturdy, powerful jaw built to handle immense bite forces from its strong muscles. Its teeth stand out as especially remarkable—not only are they tough and perfectly suited for crushing, but they also possess serrations visible under close examination. This design uniquely equips the teeth for dual functions: breaking through tough shells and slicing through flesh efficiently. Additionally, the bony rings around its eye sockets demonstrate a specialized adaptation for deep-water environments, allowing the eyes to endure high pressure when diving for prey like ammonites. This fossil is a rare glimpse into an extraordinary predator’s biology.
Why Prognathodon shifted towards this kind of diet when mosasaurs are generally perceived to be apex predators of other reptiles and fish remains uncertain. It could have been that competition for the ecological niche of apex predator was so fierce that the only way Prognathodon could evolve and survive was by adapting to a different food source, removing the need for competition with other predators. It could also be that the number of large prey animals that mosasaurs are traditionally associated with began to fall, necessitating a need to switch to a different diet. It could have been to simply exploit an abundant food supply. What is certain is that Prognathodon was not the only mosasaur to adjust to this diet with another named Globidens also having particularly large and rounded crushing teeth in its mouth.
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.
