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10.7" Fossil Triceratops Skull Section with Occipital Condyle - Montana
This is a 10.7" wide posterior skull section of Triceratops horridus, collected from the Hell Creek Formation in Dawson County, Montana. The notable bony landmarks present include the occipital condyle, the basioccipital, and the canals that would have house cranial nerves. The occipital condyle would have articulated with the first cervical vertebra, acting as a ball joint for its giant skull.
It is accompanied by a display stand to assist with presentation.
There is some gap fill restoration along the inferior side at the base of the occipital condyle. Gap fill restoration and crack repair can be found around the periphery of the specimen in spots where the bone underwent some fragmentation.
It is accompanied by a display stand to assist with presentation.
There is some gap fill restoration along the inferior side at the base of the occipital condyle. Gap fill restoration and crack repair can be found around the periphery of the specimen in spots where the bone underwent some fragmentation.
About Triceratops
Triceratops was one of the most iconic North American dinosaurs, living during the Late Cretaceous around 68–66 million years ago. With its enormous frilled skull and three horns, it was an impressive sight and may have used its headgear for display as much as for defense against predators like Tyrannosaurus rex. Adults could grow up to 9 meters (29.5 feet) long, stand about 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall, and weigh as much as 26,000 pounds. Its sturdy build and powerful horns made it a formidable herbivore capable of standing its ground against large predators.
Triceratops had highly specialized teeth arranged in groups called dental batteries, with dozens of tooth columns lining each side of its jaws. Each column contained several stacked teeth that were constantly replaced, giving it hundreds of teeth over its lifetime. This unique system allowed Triceratops to efficiently chew tough, fibrous plants such as ferns, cycads, and palms. Triceratops was designated as the state fossil of South Dakota in 1988.
Triceratops was one of the most iconic North American dinosaurs, living during the Late Cretaceous around 68–66 million years ago. With its enormous frilled skull and three horns, it was an impressive sight and may have used its headgear for display as much as for defense against predators like Tyrannosaurus rex. Adults could grow up to 9 meters (29.5 feet) long, stand about 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall, and weigh as much as 26,000 pounds. Its sturdy build and powerful horns made it a formidable herbivore capable of standing its ground against large predators.
Triceratops had highly specialized teeth arranged in groups called dental batteries, with dozens of tooth columns lining each side of its jaws. Each column contained several stacked teeth that were constantly replaced, giving it hundreds of teeth over its lifetime. This unique system allowed Triceratops to efficiently chew tough, fibrous plants such as ferns, cycads, and palms. Triceratops was designated as the state fossil of South Dakota in 1988.
The Hell Creek Formation
Renowned for both its age and rich sedimentary layers, the Hell Creek Formation is one of the most intensively studied fossil-bearing regions on Earth. To date, scientists have documented 158 genera of animals and 64 genera of plants from its rocks, with new finds emerging regularly. Beyond iconic dinosaurs such as tyrannosaurs, ceratopsians, and hadrosaurs, the formation has produced an extraordinary array of life, including amphibians, reptiles, lizards, snakes, turtles, fish, sharks, birds, and early mammals. Together, these fossils provide the most complete picture of the ecosystems that thrived just before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.
Renowned for both its age and rich sedimentary layers, the Hell Creek Formation is one of the most intensively studied fossil-bearing regions on Earth. To date, scientists have documented 158 genera of animals and 64 genera of plants from its rocks, with new finds emerging regularly. Beyond iconic dinosaurs such as tyrannosaurs, ceratopsians, and hadrosaurs, the formation has produced an extraordinary array of life, including amphibians, reptiles, lizards, snakes, turtles, fish, sharks, birds, and early mammals. Together, these fossils provide the most complete picture of the ecosystems that thrived just before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.
$1,495
SPECIES
Triceratops horridus
LOCATION
Dawson County, Montana
FORMATION
Hell Creek Formation
SIZE
10.7 x 8.6"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#352275
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