8.3" Fossil Mosasaur (Tethysaurus) Jaws In Limestone - Asfla, Morocco

Fossil Mosasaur (Tethysaurus) Jaws In Limestone - Asfla, Morocco #215141

This is an impressive, 8.3" long association of two fossil Mosasaur (Tethysaurus nopcsai) jaw sections collected near Goulmima, Morocco. Between the two jaws there are 18 original teeth still in place that are well preserved. The longest jaw section measures 5.8" long and the smaller, more complete jaw is roughly 4.6". There are a variety of additional bone cross sections visible throughout the rock.

This gorgeous specimen comes with an acrylic display stand.

Tethysaurus was a small-to-medium-sized mosasaur that lived during the Early Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 93 million years ago. It grew to around 10 feet (3 meters) in length and seemed to be a transitional species between some of the more primitive mosasaurs and later mosasaur groups. Its fossils have been found near the villages of Asfla and Tadirhourst in east-central Morocco.

Tethysaurus was named after Tethys,‭ ‬the ancient Greek goddess of the sea. The ancient Tethys Ocean, which once separated Laurasia‭ (‬the northern continents‭) ‬from Gondwana‭ (‬the southern continents‭), is also named for this Greek goddess.