Lot 82
North America, late Cretaceous Period, ca. 68 to 66 million years ago. A fossilized vertebra from a triceratops (Triceratops horridus), one of the most famous dinosaurs. In total, each individual would have had ten neck vertebrae, twelve between the neck and pelvis, ten sacral vertebrae, and up to fifty tail vertebrae that would have held the tail stiffly up from the ground, perhaps acting as a counterbalance to the massively frilled and horned head of the animal. Triceratops had a heavy body, and required a sturdy set of vertebrae, especially those that were attached to the massive pelvis. Size: 9" W x 20.2" H (22.9 cm x 51.3 cm); 23.25" H (59.1 cm) on included custom stand.
In life, these animals grew to over twenty feet long and could weigh over 10,000 pounds. Their remains have been found throughout the Rocky Mountains from Alberta to Colorado. This specimen nicely shows the pleurocoel, hollow depressions on the lateral portions of vertebrae that decreased the weight of the bones in life without sacrificing strength. Paleontologists believe that they were filled with air sacs, and that, altogether in a full spinal column, may have reduced the weight of the animal by almost a ton!
Provenance: ex GeoDecor, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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#127477
- Condition: Loss to parts of the processes, as shown. Extensive surface wear commensurate with fossilization and extraction processes.
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