Fossil Turtle Skull - Terminal Cretaceous (maastrichtian)

Authentic and rare fossil turtle skull aff. to the extinct genus Bothremys. Crane with its mandible.

The geological layers from which this fossil comes are dated from the Maastrichtian, last stage of the Cretaceous.
Approximately -72 to -66 million years ago.
Origin: Oued Zem (Morocco)

High quality preparation: The mandible is replaced after preparation of the fossil, the dislocation of the bones being almost inevitable during decomposition and fossilization. A fossil organism (even an isolated skull) is never 100% complete, taking into account the degradation of the bones (extremities or porous bodies) during possible transport (fossilization necessarily takes place in submerged sedimentary layers) and bias of fossilization. Here the skull is estimated to be complete at more than 90% of its volume. The rare gaps are vestiges of the surrounding sandstone gangue visible on the mandible.

Length 10.5 cm / maximum width 9 / Height 5.5 cm

The genus affiliated with this fossil is now extinct. The fossil remains of this species are not subject to some protection regulations (non-CITES species). From a large French collection. This fossil is a very beautiful naturalist collector's item.

(Bibliographic sources on the fossil species: - Bardet et al. (2018) The Vertebrates of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Phosphates (70.6-46.6 Ma) of Morocco, in zouhri S. (ed.), The Paleontology of the Vertebrates of Morocco. Memoirs of the Geological Society of France 180: 355-454. - Lebrun P. (2020) - Fossils of Morocco. Volume IIa. Emblematic deposits of the Mesozoic and Paleogene. Editions du Piat. 300 p.)