In Morocco, researchers have found a new species of mosasaur, a giant marine reptile, in fossils dating back 66 million years. This discovery helps us learn more about the oceans of the past.
Morocco is a country known for its phosphate deposits, a rock used in agriculture. But what many don’t know is that these mines are also a treasure for scientists! They hide incredible fossils that reveal a lot about life on Earth millions of years ago.
In the Sidi Chennane mine, located 250 kilometers from Rabat, researchers have found remains of marine creatures dating from the end of the dinosaur era, 66 million years ago. Among these fossils, a British paleontologist, Nicholas Longrich, discovered a new species of mosasaur. This mosasaur was called Carinodens acrodon.
This mosasaur measured between two and three meters long and had low, wide teeth, perfect for eating shellfish and other hard animals. This discovery is fascinating because it shows us what the oceans were like a long time ago and how certain animals lived in the water.
But the discoveries don’t stop there! Researchers also hope to find dinosaur traces in Morocco’s phosphate deposits. Although dinosaurs were land animals, some dinosaur fossils have already been found in marine sediments, offering interesting clues about their lives.
The fossils discovered in Morocco help us better understand the history of our planet and imagine the fascinating creatures that populated the seas and lands millions of years ago.
