3.3 cm light tooth from Zarafasaurus (plesiosaur)

3.3 cm light tooth from Zarafasaurus (plesiosaur)

The 3.3 cm tooth of Zarafasaurus oceanis has light brown enamel and a recognizable grain. The tooth has been minimally repaired, which is clearly visible in the pictures. Zarafasaurus oceanis is an extinct member of the Elasmosauridae family from the Upper Cretaceous period in Morocco. The genus got its name from “zarafa,” the Arabic word for giraffe, which refers to its very long neck, which made up more than half of its body length. The animal had an extremely short skull and four powerful, paddle-like fins, which it used to move elegantly through the sea in a manner similar to a turtle. The Zarafasaura reached a length of about 3 to 4 meters and lived during the Maastrichtian epoch.