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PLATECARPUS JAWS WITH ASSOCIATED BONE BED Khouribga, Morocco LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 96 - 66 million years ago This highly concentrated bone bed featuring a portion of a lower and upper jaw of a Platecarpus ptychodon with its associated skull elements has been fully prepared and exposed to display the remarkable detail and features. The large block was extracted from the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Morocco. Platecarpus ptychodon is a medium size (25 ft in length) mosasaur and one of five identified mosasaur species known in the Maastrichtian phosphates of the Ganntour Basin (Morocco). Before discussing the details of this piece, it is important to mention that none of the bones were arranged and that all were found as shown with just matrix removed and lowered to expose the details and positions. There is no restoration to any part of this fossil assemblage and only a clear chemical hardener has been applied to preserve the integrity of the bones and matrix. This is a 100% natural and very large authentic bone bed with a large number of remains from a Platecarpus. It cannot be compared to the cheap tourist pieces that are usually encountered where the bones have been arranged and glued on to a manufactured matrix. This superb specimen is absolutely guaranteed to be 100% authentic and as described! Also very important to mention, the teeth are not composites but are the original teeth that were in or around the jaw as shown above, when discovered. The main focus of this piece is the large lower jaw portion seen in the middle traversing the matrix. Just at the anterior part of the jaw (on the right) is an articulated portion of the upper jaw as well, still with the remains of two teeth, one tooth being complete, still embedded in this jaw. There are also three fully rooted teeth that are scattered outside of the jaws, most likely separated when the skull was crushed from a possible larger predator. The fifth image shows incredible detail of the base of two teeth where a second set are just beginning to erupt and are emerging through the upper set's roots. There's even the tip of a small shark tooth protruding from the matrix in the middle of this photo. The
Platecarpus family of mosasaurs was a mid-sized mosasaur with
lengths reaching 25 feet and with teeth not as stout as the
Tylosaurs. This has led scientists to believe that the diet of
Platecarpus consisted of softer creatures smaller in size to that which
Tylosaurus fed upon. The Platecarpus genus is still a largely
unknown family with an extensive variety of species.
This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a true
scientific and museum class associated set of bones and jaws of the Platecarpus
ptychodon mosasaur. This entire spectacular fossil is a massive
visual extravaganza of highly concentrated bones from one of the most
terrifying creatures that ruled the ancient seas during the reign of the
dinosaurs in the Cretaceous. Very rare and uncommon - HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED! SUPER HIGH-IMPACT DISPLAY SPECIMEN OF DRAMATIC DETAIL AND DISARTICULATION 13" in length x 11.75" overall with original matrix SOLD MOS08 Actual Item - One Only |
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MOSASAUR by BRIAN CHOO THIS IMAGE IS PROTECTED BY A STRICTLY ENFORCED COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY |
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