Morganucodon, One Of The Earliest True Mammals
"Set of four teeth - beyond rare"

Morganucodon watsoni

Class Mammalia; Order Triconodonta; Family Morganucodontidae

Geological Time: Late Triassic (~225 million years ago)

Size (25.4mm=1 inch): 1- 1.5 mm (each)

Fossil Site: Fissure Infillings, Pant Quarry, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Code: MORG02

Price: $825.00 - sold


MorganucodonDescription: The latest Triassic was a time of gentle subsidence and transgression of the Tethys Ocean into northern Europe, so most rocks in the region are marine in origin. Notable exceptions are deposits in fissures on islands that were gradually inundated during the earliest Jurassic. It is deposits such as these that preserve fossils of the earliest true mammals. Carboniferous limestone fissures and caves filled with silt, and becameMorganucodon jaw traps for remains of these shrew-sized mammals. These fissures are remarkable for the concentrations of small vertebrate bones they contain. Acid preparation of this material yields primarily teeth, such as these wonderful examples pictured here. Notice the different tooth morphology, a result of tooth position and function. These fissure deposits afford a clear picture of vertebrate evolution during this important time in Earth’s history. Few examples of fossils of these early mammals are ever offered. While a typical single tooth usually commands $250-$300, I am offering a grouping of these at a substantial discount. Collectors should not pass up this unique opportunity.

Fossils Purchase Information

click fossil pictures to enlarge


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