History of Science & Technology, Including the World of Richard Feynman, and Natural History
History of Science & Technology, Including the World of Richard Feynman, and Natural History
Allosaurus Leg Bones Articulated
Late Jurassic Period (approx. 150 million years ago), Morrison Formation, Bone Cabin Quarry, Albany County, Wyoming
No reserve
Lot Closed
December 13, 07:38 PM GMT
Estimate
200,000 - 250,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Allosaurus Leg Bones Articulated
Allosaurus fragilis
Late Jurassic Period (approx. 150 million years ago)
Morrison Formation, Bone Cabin Quarry, Albany County, Wyoming
Articulated leg and foot measure 80 inches (203.2 cm) long, foot measures 15 x 19½ inches (38.1 x 49.5 cm). 88 inches (223.5 cm) tall with 20 x 24 inch (50.8 x 61 cm) base on custom display mount.
The complete, articulated left leg and foot bones from a single, adult individual. Only the small claw of the first digit and metatarsal 5 are cast reproductions, otherwise all the bones are actual fossil. This Allosaurus specimen is well-preserved, showing no distortion, and is in very good condition. The natural coloration of the fossilized bones is a deep black, with surface detail preserving the scars for muscle attachment. Accurately displayed on a custom stand.
This specimen has the distinction of originating from Bone Cabin Quarry, a classic Jurassic locality once excavated by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. This renowned site was discovered in 1897 and has produced many dinosaurs that are still on exhibit.
A COMPLETE AND WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF ARTICULATED LEG AND FOOT BONES FROM A SINGLE, ADULT ALLOSAURUS
Each Allosaurus foot had three weight-bearing clawed toes, all ideal for ripping through skin and muscle. These hind-limb adaptations suggest that Allosaurus may have also used its legs and feet to grasp and manipulate the bodies of prey items, whether dead or alive.
Stalking stegosaurs, ornithopods, and even small sauropods, the 30 foot (9 m) long Allosaurus used robust legs, strong arms, three manus claws, serrated teeth, and machete-like jaws to secure its spot atop the late Jurassic North American food chain. Scientific debate continues to rage with respect to the hunting strategies these carnivores employed — some paleontologists believe Allosaurus was an intelligent, social creature that hunted in packs, while others theorize a more solitary existence. Either way, without the use of powerful legs like the jet-black specimen offered here, the search for food would have proven impossible.