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MASSIVE MOSASAUR TEETH AND BONES IN ASSOCIATED ORIGINAL DEATH BED FOSSIL MATRIX Phosphate Deposits - Khouribga, Morocco LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 73 - 65 million years ago This is a very rare 100% natural mass death assemblage matrix fossil of the giant extinct mosasaur Mosasaurus beaugei. This species is the largest known mosasaur from the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Morocco and one of of six species known in the Maastrichtian phosphates of the Ganntour Basin (Morocco). The original matrix shows four record size massive teeth from this monster with their original roots. There are also associated mosasaur bones and bones of enchodus fish in the matrix, which might have been one of the favorite foods of this prehistoric creature. All teeth are from the same mosasaur and this matrix piece was part of a concentrated assembly of fossils from a Mosasaurus beaugei that died and its remains fossilized in one predominant region. When you see varying scattered mosasaur teeth of different species without their roots in matrix, this indicates a normal ocean bottom where these creatures lived above. As time went by, the teeth become worn and are ejected out of the mouth to be replaced with new teeth. When you see a collection of mosasaur teeth with their roots in a concentrated area and of the same species and size in matrix, this indicates a mosasaur died and sank to the bottom and became buried and fossilized. This specimen was the best of what was collected regarding matrix pieces with multiple fossil teeth. These teeth are amongst the largest we have ever seen come from this deposit and we have been extensively working with these fossils and traveling to this region for considerable time. Alone, each one of these teeth with their full roots would most definitely be investment class specimens! Having four MAXIMUM RECORD SIZE TEETH WITH ROOTS from the same mosasaur and in their original matrix with related bones and other fossils makes this piece a true prize. In recent years, Morocco has substantially curtailed the export of NATURAL fossils such as this and in the coming years, it will be more and more difficult to see anything like this unless it is a fake or an artificially assembled piece for the tourist market. Unlike the hoards of tourist and junk pieces on Ebay floating around the market artificially fabricated with fake bones and cheap grade fossils, this rare, very large specimen is 100% ORIGINAL AS FOUND and is not a composite of multiple teeth, bones, artificial matrix, etc.. Every tooth you see above is located in its ORIGINAL position exactly as it was found. This is a very three dimensional specimen with loads of high relief and display appeal. It is common for local Moroccan diggers to fabricate fake "tourist" pieces out of reproduction and junk bones placed in an artificially created matrix. Some of these can be seemingly impressive to the naive collector or armchair dealer. In contrast, this is a scientific-grade specimen of pure natural origin and minimal preparation. NO FABRICATION OR COMPOSITING OF UNRELATED TEETH OR BONES. Rare and highly recommended as Morocco is now cracking down and enforcing a country-wide export ban on all fossils of natural origin.
Mosasaurs
were the largest lizards that ever evolved and attained lengths of
almost 60 feet with a skull 6 foot long! The mosasaur was a
powerful swimmer who spent its entire life in the sea. Mosasaurs had
long and powerful bodies whose tails and limbs were adapted for
swimming. They probably swam by moving their long body in a
snake-like way, also using their finned tail to propel them forwards.
They steered with small, webbed feet. Mosasaurs had long heads, strong and flexible necks and hydrofoil-like limbs. Their large jaws had stabbing teeth and had a hinge in the mid-lower jaw similar to modern day constrictor snakes.
Mosasaurs ate large fish, shellfish, sharks and some ate mollusks. They lived during the same period T. rex roamed the earth. Mosasaurs can easily be considered the T. rex of the prehistoric seas! Such creatures were true hunter-killers that had no rival during their existence.
RARE! NATURAL "AS FOUND" LARGE MATRIX PIECE WITH "RECORD SIZE" TEETH WITH ROOTS AND ASSOCIATED BONES FROM DEATH 17" x 12.5" overall with original matrix, teeth range in size from 6" to 4.25" long $1995 DT1-039 INCLUDES STAND 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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1995 |
Back
in the second half of the 1700's, geologists made a remarkable discovery
near the southernmost city of the Netherlands. A
huge skull was unearthed belonging to a gigantic reptile which had lived
65 million years ago in the waters around what is now Maastricht. The
creature was later named the mosasaur, meaning ‘lizard of the Meuse or
Maas river'. 
This enabled them to swallow huge prey.