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SUPERB VELOCIRAPTORINE LARGE DROMAEOSAUR TOOTH AND CAUDAL VERTEBRA FROM HELL CREEK, UNITED STATES Hell Creek Formation - South Dakota, U.S.A. LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 70 - 65 million years ago This is a SUPREME QUALITY genuine fossil caudal vertebra and tooth that would have come from a LARGE VELOCIRAPTORINE dromaeosaur dinosaur from the famous Hell Creek deposits in the United States. The tooth and vertebra are intact and in excellent preservation. The tooth shows a bump on the enamel near the tip which is a slight form of pathological deformation. It is not broken or a result of repair. The vertebra is missing its dorsal spines but it is without any repair and shows excellent detail and mineralization with a multi-colored surface from partial exposure before we collected it several years ago. The tooth has slight feeding wear on the tip and very crisp intact serrations. Very rare do we collect large dromaeosaur remains from Hell Creek so this is a great opportunity to acquire a nice fossil set from this Velociraptor-like dromaeosaur. Both specimens have NO REPAIR AND NO RESTORATION. 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.
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. 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. EXCELLENT SET OF TWO PRIMARY FOSSILS OF A LARGE VELOCIRAPTORINE DROMAEOSAUR DINOSAUR FROM HELL CREEK Vertebra is 1.15" long and tooth is .65" long on the leading edge SOLD DB6-006 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. 