16" Hadrosaur (Edmontosaurus) Vertebra With Metal Stand - Montana

This is a proximal caudal vertebra of a hadrosaur (Edmontosaurus annectens) from the Hell Creek Formation of Dawson County, Montana. It is in excellent condition, complete with both transverse processes, a spinous process, a beautifully preserved centrum, and both prezygapophyses and postzygapophyses. Most of the cortical bone has weathered away, exposing the bone cell canals within. The preservation of the processes are amazing, considering these features are often lost over the years due to their fragile nature.

The entire vertebra measures 16 x 9.3" (2.7" thick centrum) and is accompanied by the pictured custom metal display stand.

Each process required crack repair and some minor gap fill restoration to piece back together. The transverse processes have restoration at their proximal ends where the bone crumbled away. There are crack repairs throughout the spinous process, however there is very little gap fill restoration. The pedicles around the neural canal are in phenomenal condition, requiring only a few repaired cracks and miner gap fill. Aside from a repaired crack along the dorsal side, and repaired cracks at the proximal ends of the transverse processes, the centrum is beautifully intact.

Hadrosaurs are frequently referred to as duck-billed dinosaurs and are members of the Ornithischian family Hadrosauridae. They were fairly common herbivores that roamed Asia, Europe, and North America during the Upper Cretaceous Period. Many species of Hadrosaurs had distinctive crests on their heads, some of which had air-filled chambers that may have produced a distinct sound. These crests may have been used for both audio and visual display purposes.

Because of its age and sedimentary composition, the Hell Creek Formation has become one of the most paleontologically studied areas in the world. 158 genera of animals and 64 genera of plants are known from the formation and new discoveries are made frequently. In addition to Tyrannosaurs, Ceratopsids, and Hadrosaurs, the formation has yielded remains of amphibians, reptiles, lizards, snakes and turtles, fish and sharks, avian and non-avian dinosaurs, and mammals. The Hell Creek Formation gives the most complete understanding of the environment just before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Edmontosaurus annectens
LOCATION
Dawson County, Montana
FORMATION
Hell Creek Formation
SIZE
16 x 9.3", 14.9" tall on stand
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#211073
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