2.3" Plesiosaur Fossil Vertebrae Cretaceous Dinosaur Era Zarafasaura Elasmosaurus COA
Location: Khouribga, Morocco
Weight: 3.9 Ounces
Dimensions: 2.3 Inches Long, 2 Inches Wide, 1.4 Inches Thick
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
This is a genuine fossil.
Plesiosaur Zarafasaura
Zarafasaura Oceanis belongs to the family Elasmosauridae. The generic name Zarafasaura derives from Zarafa, an Arabic word for ‘giraffe,’ and Saurus, Greek for ‘lizard.’ The specific name means ‘daughter of the sea’ in Latin.
Dr. Peggy Vincent, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France, and her team first identified this species in 2011 based on partial skull fossils discovered in Morocco. Zarafasaura Oceanis measured about 23 feet (7 meters) in length and lived roughly between 72 and 66 million years ago.
Plesiosaurus is just one genus of many that form the family Plesiosauriae. In artistic depictions, many artists do not distinguish between these types of Plesiosaur. Additionally, much of the art depicting the Plesiosaurus is heavily influenced by cryptozooid mythology surrounding the Loch Ness Monster and other similar creatures.
Existed from 228 million years ago to 61.6 million years ago
Lived in a marine environment
Was a carnivore
938 different specimens have been found by paleontologists.
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.
