Associated Fossil Mosasaur (Tethysaurus) Jaws - Asfla, Morocco

This is a pair of associated fossil Mosasaur (Tethysaurus nopcsai) jaws collected near Goulmima, Morocco. They are both approximately 8 inches long with original teeth in place and well preserved. There is some repair and gap fill restoration near the right edge of the piece.

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.