Complete Mosasaur Fossilised Vertebra
$136.96
A very well preserved and complete vertebra, belonging to a mosasaur. The fossil displays the vertebral body, as well as the spinous process – the bony projection that would have formed the attachment point from the spine to ligaments and muscles. Given the shape of its centrum, this is likely a marine animal – a mosasaur. This item was found in Texas, in the Sulfur River.
Date: Circa 100 million years ago
Period: Mid Cretaceous Period
Provenance: From a Surrey gentleman's collection (DG), purchased on the London Art Market from an ADA member, formed 1990's onward. This item was found in Texas, in the Sulfur River.
Condition: Excellent condition - entire vertebra structure has been preserved.
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Vertebra would have been joined together to form the spine of the animal in question. It is rare to find a fossil of the entire vertebral structure, rather than part of the vertebrae. We can gain information about an animal by examining its vertebrae – for instance, marine animals had different vertebrae to land dwelling animals.
Mosasaurs were large, marine reptiles – from the Late Cretaceous Period. They became extinct around 66 million years ago – along with all other non avian dinosaurs. This was in the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which was caused by an asteroid colliding into earth.
