Description
- Plesiosaur Vertebra
- Species: Elasmosaurus mauritanicus
- Age: Late Cretaceous, Approx 70–90 Million Years Old
- Source: Morocco
- Size: Approx 40–80mm
- Image shows exact item received.
This fossil vertebra comes from Elasmosaurus mauritanicus, a long-necked marine reptile that lived in warm, shallow seas during the Late Cretaceous. Elasmosaurids are characterised by their extremely elongated necks, small heads, and paddle-like limbs adapted for swimming.
Plesiosaurs were fully aquatic predators that fed mainly on fish and small marine animals. Their backbone was made up of numerous vertebrae, especially in the neck region, where some species had over 70 individual bones. This allowed for flexible movement while hunting.
Vertebrae from Moroccan deposits are often well preserved, showing clear central cavities, joint surfaces, and natural surface texture. These features help distinguish plesiosaur vertebrae from those of other marine reptiles such as mosasaurs.
Each specimen varies naturally in shape and size depending on its position in the spine and degree of preservation. This vertebra displays the typical structure of elasmosaurid bones and is suitable for study, display, or inclusion in a fossil collection.
