Prehistoric Fossils at Slawson Hall

History comes to life at KU's Earth, Energy and Environment Center (EEEC) with the addition of two fossils hanging in the Slawson Hall’s atrium: A mosasaur chasing a sea turtle. 

Mosasaur chasing a sea turtle in the atrium of the Earth Energy and Environment Center

Mosasaur Donated By:

  • Made possible by a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Albert J. Robb III.

Sea Turtle Donated By:

  • Made possible by a gift from the Geology Associates.

About the Mosasaur and Sea Turtle

A view of the mosasaur from the first floor of Slawson Hall during a gathering in the atrium.

View the Fossil Display Process

KU’s new Earth, Energy and Environment Center (EEEC) is coming to life with the addition of two fossils hanging from Slawson Hall’s atrium: A mosasaur chasing a sea turtle.
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Mosasaur (Tylosaurus proriger)

Mosasaur fossil from the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation (~82 million years old), collected in Logan County, Kansas. Tylosaurus is the state fossil of Kansas. This specimen was discovered in 1911 by C.D. Bunker and his associates, and now resides at the KU Natural History Museum. It is 45 feet long and known as one of the largest complete mosasaur fossils in existence. Mosasaurs were the top predators of the Cretaceous seas of Kansas. They went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous along with the dinosaurs and many other organisms. They are most closely related to modern monitor lizards and snakes.
black and white image of a sea turtle fossil

Sea Turtle (Protostega sp)

Fossil sea turtle from the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation (~84 million years old), collected near Quinter, Kansas. Sea turtles were likely prey animals of Mosasaurs in the Cretaceous. This fossil specimen shows nearly 100 small indentations that have been interpreted as bite marks from a Mosasaur that was similar in size to Tylosaurus proriger. The bite marks show no evidence of healing, indicating that the Mosasaur attack was fatal.