Natural History - Sahara Desert Stony Iron Meteorite

A Diplomystus sp. fossil fish on a rectangular matrix. 439 grams, 20.7 cm



From Wyoming (Green River Formation), USA. From an old Bristol, UK, collection.

Seasonally some 58 million years ago, in the Green River region of Wyoming, torrential rains fell in the mountains. They flowed down the mountain sides, forming wide shallow lakes in the valley below. During the dry season, these lakes would dry up due to evaporation (as happens in certain parts of Africa today). Millions of fish died in this short period of time. This climatic cycle happened over a 20-thousand-year period. Layer upon layer of mud entombed all these fish. At a much later date, volcanic activity uplifted this area to expose the fossils.

Comprising three sandstone matrices with Mosasaur Prognathodon sp. teeth and bone fragments, including fossil fish and other remains. 419 grams total, 64-92 mm



From the phosphate mine region, Khouribga, Morocco, North Africa. Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.

Mosasaurs (from the Greek for 'lizard') were aquatic dinosaurs which probably gave birth to live young. The Mosasaur is an extinct, large dinosaur-like marine reptile with a snake-like body, long snout and paddle-like limbs. Found worldwide, they competed with other well-known sea predators of the Late Cretaceous, such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs, for food, existing primarily on a diet of ammonoids, cuttlefish and fish.

Comprising a number of polished Orthoceras sp. specimens on a freestanding matrix. 3.66 kg, 37.5 cm



From the Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Acquired 1950s-1960s. From an old Bristol, UK, palaeontological collection.