Dyrosaurus Phosphaticus Crocodile Skull and Vertebra

Vertebra: 19"/48cm x 12"/30cm (6Kg)
Skull: 44"/112cm x 14"/36cm (19Kg)

Weight
25Kg

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Description

Dyrosaurus Crocodile Fossil Skull and Vertebra

Condition Report

with minimal preparation to the bone tissue and teeth; the teeth are still in there original positions, seated in the upper and lower jaw. The bone is in excellent condition with distinct porous like texture, where the Crocodile sensory organs would have been attached, sometimes referred to as Scute.

The snout distal end shows calcite penetration, here calcite nodules have formed in the phosphate beds, the very hard calcite formations interfere with any fossil concentration, in this case the end of the Dyrosaurus snout has calcified, see close up image, using the zoom tool, Hoover your curser over image

Note

Fossil specimens of this calibre are incredibly rare to find in the beds, especially complete and intact, with minimal malformation or crushing. A rare species from the prehistoric Crocodile of the Cretaceous Period

Fossil bed History

The Tethyan phosphate trend sprawls across North Africa and the Middle East and is mined in several countries. The Moroccan portion of the trend is presently the most exploited, producing about 19 million tonnes or 14% of the global supply [1980 figures], making this one of Morocco main industries. All mining is state-owned by the Office Cherifien des Phosphates [OCP]. The plateaux in the region there are 3 -5 main outcrops of phosphate beds. Around the area of Kouribga, the Oulad-Abdoun plateau has been mined since the 1920s.The Ganntour plateau to the south has been mined for many years. A new mine in the central area of this deposit at Ben Guerir was commissioned in 1981.

Genus

Dyrosaurus Phosphaticus sp./ Dyrosaurus Phosphatosaurus sp.

Geological Age

Maastrichtian age, Cretaceous period 135-65 mya

Location

Phosphate Deposits of Benguerir, Oulad Abdoun Basin, Morocco.