Mesozoic Collection (#5)

Excavating a Mosasaur skull
Title page picture from Histoire Naturelle de la Montagne de St Pierre de Maestricht by Faujas de Saint Fond, 1799. Mosasaur was a carnivorous marine reptile from the Cretaceous period

Geosaurus gracilis
The fossil skeleton of the Geosaurus gracilis, an extinct aquatic crocodylian which lived during the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous periods

Hastings amber
This amber is from the Lower Cretaceous rocks of Hastings, East Sussex. Amber is fossilised tree resin

Oxynoticeras oxynotum, ammonite
Shown here is the ventral view of this Lower Jurassic oxycone ammonite

Aulacostephanus autissiodorensis, ammonite
Shown here is an Upper Jurassic macroconch (larger form) ammonite. Despite some damage to the shell, the fine ribbing is still apparent

Triassic and Devonian rocks
An angular unconformity between two rock formations: Triassic rocks (horizontal) on Devonian rocks (inclined at about 40 degrees), western England, UK

Ostracods
Small arthropods with two valves. These examples are Jurassic in age

Gryphaea incurva, oyster
Fossil oyster also known as the Devils Toenail, specimen from the Lower Lias, Gloucestershire

Leedsichthys problematicus
Fossilised tail of a Leedsichthys problematicus, the giant Middle Jurassic fish which is the largest fish known to have ever inhabited the Earths oceans

Diplodocus skeleton
Weighing around 20 tonnes & reaching up to 26 metres in length Diplodocus is one of the worlds longest dinosaurs to have been discovered. It was first described by Marsh in 1878

Gallimimus
Outline illustration of a Gallimimus

Plagiostoma, fossil shell
This shell of Plagiostoma from the British Jurassic measures 8.5 cm wide and shows radial ornamentation and growth banding

Gonioteuthis, a fossil belemnite
Guard of the belemnite Gonioteuthis, 8 cm long, from the Cretaceous Chalk of Salisbury, England

Dactylioceras, fossil ammonite
Dactylioceras, represented here by a 9.5 cm wide individual, is a characteristic and abundant ammonite in the Lower Jurassic of north Yorkshire, England

Starstones - columnals of isocrinid crinoids

Perisphinctes, ammonite
A Pyritised (golden cloured) ammonite from the Jurassic, Callovian, Jason Beds; Uetzing, Germany

Hoplites, fossil ammonite
Hoplites, a stongly-ribbed Cretaceous ammonite. This 7.8 cm wide specimen is from the Cretaceous of Southern England

A fossil Cataceramus
Cataceramus is a subgenus of the genus Inoceramus, a bivalve that became extinct toward the end of the Cretaceous period

Isastraea oblonga, polished coral
Isastraea oblonga (Fleming). From the Jurassic period, Portlandian, Upper Beds, Tisbury, Wiltshire

Spiriferina, a fossil brachiopod
Remarkable preservation of the delicate brachidium which supported the lophophore in a French Jurassic specimen of the spiriferide brachiopod, Spiriferina

Ichthyornis dispar, cretaceous bird
Painting by Maurice Wilson (c. 1950)

Nostroceras, ammonite

Maorites densicostatus, ammonite
This flat-shelled ammonite dates from the Lower to Middle Campanian of the Upper Cretaceous, Vega Island, Graham Land, Antarctica

Tylocidaris clavigera (Konig), sea-urchin
This sea-urchin has highly characteristic club-like spines and is 80-83m yrs old. Specimen originates from the Upper Cretaceous Upper Chalk, S. England

Thecosmilia trichotoma, colonial coral
Colonial coral originating from the Jurassic rocks of Nattheim, Germany, c. 170 million years ago. Paul Morh collection

Massospondylus
Outline illustration of a Massospondylus

Orodromeus
Outline illustration of an Orodromeus

Tenontosaurus
Outline illustration of a Tenontosaurus

Troodon
Outline illustration of a Troodon

Camarasaurus
Outline Illustration of a Camarasaurus

Stramentum, a fossil barnacle
Cretaceous goose-necked barnacle Stramentum from the Chalk of Kent, England, about 2 cm wide

Ventriculites, sponge
A Cretaceous flint broken open to reveal the sponge Ventriculites with a root-like base

Sphecidae sp. digger wasp
Shown here is a fossilized wing of a digger wasp. This specimen is around about 130 million years old and originates from the Cretaceous rock of Surrey, England

Ophioderma egertoni (Broderip), brittlestar
Brittlestars belong to the echinoderms and are a close relative of sea stars. This specimen dates from the Middle Lias of the Jurassic from Bridport, Dorset c. 195-189 million years old

Cryptoclidus
A fossil skeleton of Cryptoclidus, a plesiosaur that lived 165 to 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period. Fossils have beeen found in England, France, Russia and South America

Pachyrhinosaurus
This dinosaur, whose name means thick nosed lizard was a herbivore living during the Upper Cretaceous period, 76-74 million years ago

Pholiodophorus bechei, fossil fish
A bony fish specimen preserved in the Jurassic rocks near Lyme Regis, Dorset

Uintacrinus, stemless crinoid
A black and white photograph of a stemless crinoid, which dates from the Cretaceous. Crinoids have five or more feathery arms radiating from a central disc

Promicroceras planicost, jurassic ammonites
A rock specimen containing many Promicroceras a small shelled Jurassic ammonites. Ammonites are an extinct group of marine fossil cephalopods related to todays Nautilus

Gleichenites, Late Jurassic fern
Model of a Late Jurassic fern which would have been found on drier ground

Ammonite internal cast
Shown here is an internal cast of a Jurassic ammonite clearly depicting individually preserved chambers within the coiled shell

Petrified conifer trunk
Containing precious opal, width approx. 10 cm, discovered at White Cliffs, New South Wales, Australia. Dates back to the Late Cretaceous period

Proceratosaurus fossil skull
A fossil skull that belonged to Proceratosaurus, a carnivorous, dinosaur from the suborder of Theropods that lived during the Middle Jurassic period around 169 - 164 mya

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Step back in time to the Mesozoic era, where ancient creatures roamed the Earth's oceans and land. Among them were magnificent marine reptiles like the Ichthyosaurus and Plesiosaurus, now long extinct but forever etched in history. These fascinating beings ruled the seas with their sleek bodies and powerful fins, leaving behind a legacy of awe-inspiring fossils. One such fossil is that of Asteroceras, an ammonite from this bygone era. Its intricate spiral shell tells tales of a world we can only imagine. On land, towering giants like Diplodocus grazed upon lush vegetation while fearsome predators like Spinosaurus prowled nearby. Through captivating artwork, we catch a glimpse into their majestic existence. But it wasn't just these remarkable creatures that defined the Mesozoic period; it was also marked by significant geological events. Continental drift reshaped our planet around 100 million years ago, altering landscapes and creating new habitats for life to thrive. This phenomenon allowed species like Ichthyosaurus acutirostris to adapt and evolve in different regions across the globe. In addition to marine reptiles and dinosaurs, birds began taking flight during this time as well. Archaeopteryx emerged as one of nature's early experiments with flight – a mesmerizing blend of avian features fused with reptilian characteristics. And let us not forget about Pterodactyls soaring through prehistoric skies with their impressive wingspans. The Kelloways Stone serves as another testament to this extraordinary epoch – a treasure trove containing countless remnants from this distant past preserved within its layers. It holds secrets waiting to be discovered by intrepid paleontologists who seek answers about our planet's ancient inhabitants. As we delve into the wonders times, we are reminded that our world has undergone incredible transformations throughout history – both on land and beneath vast oceans - leaving behind imprints of extraordinary life forms that continue to captivate our imaginations.