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FINE GRADE RICARDOESTESIA "RAPTOR" TOOTH - Hell Creek Formation - Eastern Montana, U.S.A. LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 72 - 65 million years ago From the famous Hell Creek Formation out of Eastern Montana, U.S.A., this is an uncommonly large and PERFECT fossil tooth from a "raptor-like" dinosaur called Ricardoestesia. It is of an exceedingly rare quality, the absolute finest possible with needle-sharp tip and fine, intact enamel. Seldom seen for sale and never this quality! These teeth are found in microsites (as this one was) and are from a meat-eating small therapod dinosaur that little is known about. The images above show that this tooth is of a grade that is well beyond what is usually offered for public sale when you can even find them being offered! It possesses a sharp unbroken tip and enamel of light brown that retains an original high gloss and luster. There is no repair or restoration. Ricardoestesia (aka Richardoestesia) was named in the year 1990 in memorial of vertebrate paleontologist Richard Estes who passed away that same year. He was known for an important paper he wrote in 1964 on therapod dinosaur teeth. Very little is known about this predatory dinosaur because only its teeth have been discovered. It is estimated to have a long snout lined with these straight, narrow triangular teeth. The teeth feature very fine microscopic serrations but are otherwise smooth on their body. Because of this, it is theorized that Ricardoestesia was a fish-eater. Fossil teeth have been found in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Texas, and Wyoming The famous Hell Creek deposit in the Northwestern United States has been immortalized again and again on numerous TV documentaries as the "Valley of the T. rex". For its astonishing array of dangerous and large prehistoric predator fossils, no place has captured more attention or has been featured more in the news than Hell Creek! Fine grade fossils from this formation are amongst the most sought after specimens for collectors around the world. Most of the dinosaurs we grew up learning about as kids, come from Hell Creek.
Recent discoveries in China have shown feathered species existed. This has revolutionized paleontologists' view of what not only these creatures could have looked like when alive, but of possible plumage on other therapod dinosaurs. Dromaeosaurs share other characteristics with birds and theories now place these vicious predators as being the earliest ancestors of birds. Dromaeosaurs first evolved in the Early Cretaceous and survived right up to the end of the Late Cretaceous suggesting they were adaptable and capable hunters, surviving such a prolonged period yet, remaining virtually unchanged in overall design. INTACT AND PERFECT! - ONE OF TWO COMPLETE SPECIMENS COLLECTED THIS YEAR - UNCOMMON QUALITY! .4" long SOLD DT6-026 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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The
dromaeosaurs are popularly known (especially in the movie "Jurassic
Park") as "raptors", a group of fascinating extinct
creatures. Raptors ranged in size from the size of a small dog
on
up to 30 feet long! They are therapods that possessed specialized
features: a well-developed slashing talon on their second toe, a stiffened
tail, and large grasping hands.
The
"killing claw" of raptors was a terrifying and incredibly
efficient weapon. As they moved, it was held off the ground.
When the muscles of the toe were contracted, the claw swept down
quickly, providing for a powerful slash that may have been able to
disembowel prey swiftly. The stiffened tail would have been good
to stabilize the body while the grasping arms and jaws held onto the
prey for balance. Although there is no conclusive evidence for
this, it has been suggested that raptors could have performed leaps onto
large prey and used all four limbs to rip wounds in them. 
Raptors
were ferocious predators that some scientists believe hunted in packs
and attacked much larger dinosaurs by slashing their underbellies.
It is also believed that they were similar to lions in predatory
behavior, preferring ambushes and quick chases using their high
maneuverability along with strategic pack-hunting tactics. A human
could be torn to shreds by a pack of raptors in less than 30
seconds. 