Description

Species: Barasaurus besairiei and horsetail
Age: Lower Triassic
Locality: Madagascar

Measurements: 27 cm (!) from head’s tip to tail’s tip.
The tail measures c. 12 cm if outstretched.
32.8 x 12 cm concretion.
Weight: 1898 g

Madagascar is famous for its large reptiles of the genus Claudiosaurus. Most of these are however restored. We present a wonderful Barasaurus besairiei, a somewhat smaller species that is rarely found complete. The specimen is natural, mostly complete, quite large for the species, shows superb preservation, great anatomical detail with the bones still in connection and outstanding phalanxes. Specimens with the head preserved are rare. This one is very attractive with the head, teeth, tail, two complete legs and two partial ones, and gastroliths preserved. A partial horsetail is also preserved.

The fossil and the matrix have not been restored or even glued, which is very unusual for this locality. For high-end collections.