Marked Down: Dinosaur-Like Giants of the Oceans, Mososaur Fossil Vertebra

The world was introduced to the giant Mososaur in the Jurassic Park movies; it was shown leaping out of a tank. The animals lived among dinosaurs and evolved over some 50 million years. They were NOT dinosaurs, but were an aquatic giant reptile that scientists have said was related to the modern Monitor Lizard.

This vertebra is about 4 1/2 inches at its widest but might best be compared in size to between the size of a baseball and a shoftball. And the Mososaur had dozens of them. You can get an idea of size in the photo with the full skeleton, showing the many vertebra along the tail end of the Mososaur. As a reptile, despite living in the water, they had to surface to breathe.

This makes a great display piece.