Mastodonsaur vertebra and skull piece

Here we offer you two fossils of the Triassic amphibian Mastodonsaurus gigantaeus. These are a vertebra and a 
skull fragment.

The pieces originate from the Lower Keuper strata (geologically: Lettenkeuper, Erfurt Formation) of 
Vellberg-Eschenau in Germany. These strata date back to the Ladinian stage (Middle Triassic), approximately 
240 million years ago.

Significant fossils of Mastodonsaurus: 
one of the largest amphibians in Earth's history, were discovered in Vellberg-Eschenau 
Lifespan: Mastodonsaurus lived approximately 240 million years ago during the Middle Triassic (Lettenkeuper).
Gigantism: It reached a length of up to 6 meters. Its flat, massive skull alone could grow up to 1.5 meters 
long.
Lifestyle: Mastodonsaurus was an aquatic apex predator that hunted in lakes and rivers. It seized its prey 
with fangs so large that they protruded through openings in its upper jaw.

Significance of the Vellberg-Eschenau site: The region around Vellberg is considered a globally important 
site for Triassic vertebrate fossils.
Marshland: The Hohenlohe region of today was then a vast marsh and river landscape. In the rock strata 
(bonebeds) of Vellberg, masses of bones from Mastodonsaurus and other reptiles, such as the crocodile 
ancestor Batrachotomyus, were discovered. 
Significant scientific investigations of the fossil finds in Vellberg-Eschenau continue to be carried out. 
The circumstances of the discoveries are unique due to the region's specific geology.

Scientific analysis: Currently, the focus is increasingly on isotope analyses of the teeth of Mastodonsaurus 
giganteus. Researchers are using this to investigate the seasonal migrations and ecological conditions in the 
Triassic lakes 240 million years ago.
Ontogeny studies: Vellberg-Eschenau is one of the few places worldwide where the entire development (ontogeny) 
of the Mastodonsaurus can be studied – from tiny larval stages with just a few centimeters to giants with 1.5 
meter long skulls.

Fossil collecting in Vellberg has been prohibited for many years. The site is strictly protected. However, 
scientific excavations still take place there today. 

The two fossils offered here come from the estate of a very elderly collector who discovered them back in 
the 1970s.

Both specimens are unbroken and show no manipulations. The vertebra measures approximately 
7.5 cm x 5.5 cm x 3 cm. The skull fragment measures approximately 9 cm x 6.5 cm x 2 cm.

Rarely offered!