A highly important Dyrosaurus crocodile and vertebrae measuring 4.4ft, complete with partial vertebrae and the teeth of the reptilian intact and in the original placement positions in the alveoli (tooth sockets), within the upper and lower maxilla and mandible. All too often during the fossilisation process, the animal's teeth are lost, damaged or severely weathered out of their sockets. This fine large specimen evokes the predatory nature of these vertebrates from the Cretaceous period, the condition is exceptional, and the clenched jaws portray the character of this once fierce apex predator crocodile.

All too often these anatomical gems are discovered in an unarticulated and damaged condition, the mandibles separated as the bacteria in the muds which hold the decaying animal, devour cartilage and muscle tissues, allowing the bones to be scattered often by watercourse cutting through evolving fossil beds. This example must have been covered rapidly in heavy silts or mud creating an anoxic environment. The lack of oxygen preserved the skeletal parts for perpetuity and allows us this unique glimpse back into the terrors of the Cretaceous period and prehistory when these giant gharial crocodiles patrolled the swamps and lagoon margins of the warm tropical Cretaceous of Africa.

The bone tissue from this Dyrosaurus, now fossilised, is preserved exceedingly well, showing distinct, clear detail and texture around the muscle and sensory nerve attachment areas, note the scute, dermal plates rear of the skull with rippled or dimpled structure, thus giving the crocodiles the archetypical leathery hide effect in life. This fossil has lots of characterful attributes, is a scientific study piece and forms an aesthetically pleasing display which could be a central statement fossil in a collection or used as a quirky interior design element.

The details

Genus: Dyrosauridae | Dyrosaurus sp
Origin: Morocco, North Africa
Age: Cretaceous, Maastrichtian epoch, 65,000,000 - 70,000,000 years
Stats: Full-size crocodile length: 4.2M / Home Sapien height: 1.8M

Dyrosaurus skull: Overall L: 136 CM / Skull L: 120 CM / W: 60 CM / D: 15 CM
Dyrosaurus Vertebrae: L: 78 CM / W: 36 CM / D: 12 CM / KG: 40.872