4.8" Fossil Ankylosaurid Dinosaur Scute - Montana

This is an ankylosaurid scute (armor plate) that was collected from the Hell Creek Formation on a private lease in Dawson County, Montana. It measures 4.8" long and sits nicely on the accompanied metal display stand.

There is crack repair and gap fill restoration across the superior surface of the scute.

An artists reconstruction of an Ankylosaur.  Image Public Domain by Mariana Ruiz
An artists reconstruction of an Ankylosaur. Image Public Domain by Mariana Ruiz


Ankylosaurs were herbivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous (65-68 million years ago). As the evolution of Ankylosaurus progressed, they developed bony armor that covered their bodies in the form of plates, scutes and spikes, with some even developing armor on their eyelids. While their armor and bone-shattering tail club are thought to have been used for defensive purposes against predators such as Tyrannosaurus, it's possible that some of the armor on their head may have been used for display. Adult Ankylosaurs are believed to have reached up to 25 feet in length and weigh 3.3 tons!

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.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Indeterminate Ankylosaurid
LOCATION
Dawson County, Montana
FORMATION
Hell Creek Formation
SIZE
4.8 x 2.2 x 1.5"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#244655
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.