Items Similar to Fossilised Skull of Prehistoric Marine Reptile the Mosasaur, 70Million Years Ago
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11
Fossilised Skull of Prehistoric Marine Reptile the Mosasaur, 70Million Years Ago
$17,310.15
$34,620.3050% Off
£12,757.51
£25,515.0250% Off
€14,500
€29,00050% Off
CA$23,693.79
CA$47,387.5750% Off
A$26,538.30
A$53,076.5950% Off
CHF 13,808.76
CHF 27,617.5150% Off
MX$322,305.74
MX$644,611.4750% Off
NOK 175,059.95
NOK 350,119.9150% Off
SEK 165,182.11
SEK 330,364.2250% Off
DKK 110,354.46
DKK 220,708.9150% Off
Shipping
Retrieving quote...The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation
About the Item
Upper Cretaceous, about 70-65 million years ago (Maastrichtian)
Morocco
The skull is reconstructed in good proportions with fossil pieces found in a phosphate mine in Morocco.
I attach certificate of authenticity
Upper Cretaceous, about 70-65 million years ago (Maastrichtian)
Morocco
The skull is reconstructed in good proportions with fossil pieces found in a phosphate mine in Morocco.
A certificate of authenticity will be issued at the time of purchase
The Mosasaurus was a huge marine reptile, only partly similar to our lizards, our crocodiles or our iguanas. In some way it was a relative of the current monitor lizards, whose largest species present in nature today is the monitor lizard or Komodo dragon. On average the Mosasaurus measured 10 meters in length, which could become 18 years in the case of the Mosasaurus Hoffmanni. The skull was truly impressive: it was elongated and flexible, could reach 2 meters in length and was equipped with a long row of sharp and curved teeth up to 10 cm long. The legs, broad and webbed, similar to those of modern ducks, made the reptile a very skilled swimmer. The long and powerful tail was also flattened so as to allow the marine reptile elegant, rapid and sinuous movements. Recent discoveries have revealed that some of the most evolved specimens had, at the end of their tails, crescent-shaped hawks like those of modern sharks, a characteristic that made swimming more stable and less serpentine. Some images that instead portray the reptile as having a dorsal crest are the result of initial incorrect fossil reconstructions. It is estimated that the Mosasaurus could have weighed up to 15 tons, a true heavyweight even compared to many dinosaurs that roamed land at the time.
Mosasaurs had scaled skin that is similar to that of modern snakes, in the shape of overlapping diamonds, with some differences in texture found in different finds, perhaps the shape and size of the scales were an adaptive response to local environments.
An extraordinary and very recent discovery from 2014 published in the journal Nature by J. Lindgren et al. from Lund University demonstrated that Mosasaurs had skin pigmentation similar to that of modern sharks or orcas. The presence of melanin found in the scales of the ancient marine reptile repainted it an intense black on the back and white on the belly.
- Dimensions:Height: 6.3 in (16 cm)Width: 15.75 in (40 cm)Depth: 5.91 in (15 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:70 Million Years Old
- Condition:Repaired: Additions or modifications made to the original: Paleontologists used professional tools and equipment to excavate and reveal the specimen. Minor repairs and alterations made to the original fossil. Wear consistent with age and use. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Puglia, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4426140409862
About the Seller
5.0
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2000
1stDibs seller since 2019
570 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Puglia, Italy
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllMid-Century Modern Life-Size Dog, 1970s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
This life-size dog was made of resin, probably used as an advertising dog for dog food, an original piece of furniture.
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Materials
Resin
$2,674 Sale Price
30% Off
Salvino Marsura Brutalist Forged Iron Centerpieces, 1970s
By Salvino Marsura
Located in Puglia, Puglia
One-of-a-kind round brutalist and sculptural centerpiece, designed and made in Italy in the 1970s by the Italian sculptor Salvino Marsura.
In hand-forged iron, silver patinated with...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Brutalist Decorative Baskets
Materials
Iron
$2,339 Sale Price
30% Off
Attributed to Marsura Brutalist Italian Wrought Iron Magazine Rack '70s
By Salvino Marsura
Located in Puglia, Puglia
One of a kind brutalist magazine rack, designed and made in Italy in the 70s in wrought iron, with camouflage touches.
Object attributed to the artist Salvino Marsura.
In excellent v...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Brutalist Magazine Racks and Stands
Materials
Wrought Iron
$1,069 Sale Price
30% Off
Mid-century Modern Style Italian Murano Glass and Brass Palmette Chandelier
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Large mid-century Murano glass palmette chandelier, Barovier and Toso style, Italy. The chandelier consists of a white painted metal frame, with gold Murano glass palmettes and clear...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Materials
Metal, Brass
Turtle Shell and Brass Table Lamp, Attrib. to Willy Daro
By Willy Daro
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Willy Daro (attribution), brass, tortoiseshell, lacquered wood, France, circa 1970. This table lamp is attributed to Willy Daro. The piece is typical of 1970s French design, as the s...
Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Materials
Brass
$5,730 Sale Price
40% Off
Mactan Stone Coffee Table by Magnussen Ponte, 1980s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Beautiful coffee table or side table by Magnussen Ponte, 1980s. The beautiful base of the table is made of Mactan stone or Fossil Stone. Faceted glass ...
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Stone
$2,096 Sale Price
30% Off
You May Also Like
Fossil Marine Mosasaur of The Cretaceous Period
Located in Scorton, GB
A wonderful example of a Cretaceous mosasaur. The original Halisaurus arambourgi mosasaur mandibles and vertebrae, measuring 2.9ft, include a well-preserved, near-complete skull, low...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier North African Prehistoric Natural Speci...
Materials
Limestone
Fossil Garial Crocodile
Located in Scorton, GB
A complete Fossil Garial Crocodile skull with original associated vertebrae. The bone tissue from this Dyrosaurus, now fossilised and preserved, exhibits distinct detail of the textu...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Prehistoric Natural Specimens
Materials
Limestone
1990s Naturalistic Replica of a Bronze Crocodile Skull in Bone Finish
Located in Marbella, ES
Bronze sculpture that realistically reproduces a crocodile skull in aged bone-tone bronze. It features textured details that evoke the erosion of time, with a faithful representation...
Category
Late 20th Century Spanish Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Fossilized Dire Wolf Skull
Located in New York, NY
This extraordinary fossilized dire wolf skull is a rare and remarkable artifact that offers a glimpse into the Ice Age. Featuring well-preserved bone structure, this specimen is a te...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier North American Natural Specimens
Materials
Other
Edmontosaurus Skull
Located in London, GB
An impressive skull of an Edmontosaurus, a large herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, 68-66 million years ago. The three rows of sixty or more teeth on either side of the jaw, known as the ‘dental battery’, mark the Edmontosaurus as part of the Hadrosauridae, or duckbill family of dinosaurs. It belongs to the flat-skulled, or solid-crested, Hadrosaurinae, which replaced the older hollow-crested hadrosaurs. Edmontosaurus was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs to ever exist, living shortly before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.
The Edmontosaurus was named in 1917 by Lawrence Lambe, after a partial specimen from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. The existence of large Edmontosaur bone beds...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Natural Specimens
Materials
Bone
$124,559
1990s Bronze Sculptural Replica of a Crocodile Skull on a Base
Located in Marbella, ES
Replica of a crocodile skull made of bronze with an aged metallic finish, highlighting the animal's bone texture and anatomical details. Mounted on a rectangular black base, this pie...
Category
Late 20th Century Spanish Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
