|
ASSOCIATED ARTICULATED CERVICAL VERTEBRA SHOWN ABOVE. PHOTO BELOW SHOWS HIGH RELIEF OF ENTIRE JAW AS IT PROTRUDES OUT OF THE CONCRETION. THE BONE IS FULLY EXPOSED WITH THIS VIEW LOOKING AT THE POSTERIOR END OF THE MANDIBLE. IN AN EXTREMELY RARE OCCURRENCE, THE MANDIBLE IS COMPLETE AND IS STILL ARTICULATED TO THE SKULL!
EXPOSED NASAL CREST PORTION SHOWS EXTRAORDINARILY RARE MINERALIZED INTERNAL STRUCTURES
UPPER PHOTO SHOWS 100% AUTHENTIC EXTERIOR SURFACE DETAIL OF THE ANTERIOR END OF THE UPPER BONE CREST. NEXT TWO PHOTOS BELOW SHOW RARE DETAIL OF INTERNAL OPEN CELL STRUCTURAL DETAIL TO THE INNER ANATOMY OF THE BONE CREST. THIS DETAIL WAS EXPOSED WHEN THE CONCRETION WAS FIRST SPLIT AND HAS NOT BEEN FULLY EXPOSED DUE TO ITS FRAGILITY.
|
|
ULTRA RARE ONLY KNOWN SPECIMEN GIANT TAPEJARID PTEROSAUR SKULL WITH ASSOCIATED MANDIBLE AND VERTEBRA FROM UNDESCRIBED SPECIES Santana Formation - Ceara, Brazil LOWER CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 110 million years ago
Of all the richest
fossil-bearing deposits ever known, Brazil's Santana Formation is ranked
among the world's greatest. Santana fossils are known for not only
their extreme diversity but more importantly, for the nature of their
breath-taking preservation - considered by scientists to include the
finest examples of fossils in existence. The formation provides an
amazing window into the paleobiota of a prehistoric world from the Lower
Cretaceous, 110 million years ago. The Santana fossils of Brazil were
first recorded in the year 1828 by two natural historians, Dr. J. B. von
Spix and Dr. C. F. P. von Martius, commissioned by the king of Bavaria.
To this day, they are still being studied with many new discoveries
coming to light. Pterosaur remains from the Santana Formation are amongst the rarest of all fossils found there. The first Santana pterosaur fossils were only published as recently as 1971. Maisey writes about the pterosaur fossils from Santana, "With regard to the excellent quality of fossil preservation and to the increasing number of pterosaur fossils being collected, the Santana Formation of the Chapada do Araripe has become one of the most important pterosaur localities in the world." Later in the same chapter he writes, "It is worthwhile to point out that for the morphological study of pterosaurs, the sediments of the Santana Formation are surely one of the most important in the world because the preservation of the material is the best ever reported." The wealth of recent discoveries from this area has brought forth a host of new and very diverse pterosaur fauna. The scientific value of the Santana pterosaur fossils is immeasurable with extraordinary new discoveries coming to light at the present moment. Remains of many new species have and continue to be found in these deposits but these specimens are reserved for scientific study and export by an authorized institution only. No fossil have been allowed to be legally exported for the private market for several decades. The only hopes for a private collector to legally own any of the rare pterosaur remains from the Santana Formation is to acquire a specimen from an old private collection but these too, are extremely rare in numbers, rarer than recent finds. Mere words cannot fully emphasize the extreme rarity, priceless value and scientific importance of this specimen. The majority of pterodactyl remains from this formation are of the Anhanguerid family of pterosaurs. Recent discoveries have revealed a new second family of Tapejarid pterosaurs from this formation that include bizarre assemblage of pterosaurs of which this specimen likely belongs. These are characterized by an enormous crest, a very large nasopreorbital fenestra and the lack of teeth. In general, pterosaur fossilized bones are extremely rare. When alive, the bones were thin and partially filled with air making them extremely delicate by design. Because of this, very seldom do the bones survive as fossils. Isolated remains are found on rare occasion but associated and especially articulated discoveries such as this fossil, are an extreme scarcity and important scientifically. Finding a discovery such as this is a "once-in-several-lifetimes" chance! This is a COMPLETE skull with ultra rare anatomy intact AND a still articulated original mandible and cervical vertebra AS FOUND in its original limestone concretion. It is a NEW, NEVER BEFORE DISCOVERED OR PREVIOUSLY KNOWN type of LARGE Tapejarid pterosaur from the Santana Formation in Brazil. RARELY is an entire cranium found from a pterosaur but with an articulated lower jaw and cervical vertebra, this makes it ultra rare. In addition, this large and complete fossil skull belongs to a new species and you have the makings of a historically priceless scientific discovery in this specimen! Details of this specimen include very rare exposed internal anatomy preserved such as the internal structures of the large sagittal crests as seen in the above photos including the last several close-up shots. The concretion was prepared in our own lab facility and all work performed can be fully disclosed with confidence. There are a couple of repairs to the concretion and these cracks were stabilized and filled. ALL ANATOMY YOU SEE ON THIS SKULL IS ORIGINAL AND NO FABRICATION OR RESTORATION WAS CONDUCTED ON THIS SPECIMEN. The full outer surface shown in the premaxillary crest is so perfect that it looks artificial but it is 100% genuine and original as is the entire skull, maxilla and vertebra. More inner detail can be exposed and this specimen is an ideal candidate for acid-bath preparation but this level of preparation is best reserved for a scientific institution so that they can study all material exposed as it becomes revealed. Furthermore, such preparation makes for a much more fragile specimen and we opted to stop at this point to keep it in a condition that can be safely transported to its final destination. Never before and never again will you ever see such a finer and more rare pterosaur skull of such a new and exotic, unpublished large species as this. This is truly a specimen we are proud to have prepared and be able to present for public acquisition. No rarer of a large, complete pterodactyl skull can be had! Perhaps, the best emphasis of just how rare and magnificent this specimen is would be best reserved for an outside paleontologist who specializes in such material. Consult with any such expert for a valid, third-party opinion on the rarity of the opportunity this specimen poses. We have observed several heavily reconstructed and faked Chinese pterosaur fossils on the market in the recent years but NEVER a specimen like this, from Brazil's Santana Formation, until now. Furthermore, this is a completely natural scientific grade specimen that truthfully, deserves further scientific study and museum display. Certainly, owning and exhibiting such an important fossil is befitting for the most prestigious national museum collections. In his publication, AMNH curator Maisey classifies pterosaur fossils from the Santana Formation not as RARE but as EXOTIC to place emphasis on their extreme scarcity. We are very fortunate and pleased to make such an important pterosaur specimen of the highest preservation and completeness available to the private market sector. This fossil would make for a perfect candidate for purchase and subsequent museum donation. The new owner of this specimen would likely be able to get this specimen scientifically published and named after themselves based on the probability that this is a new, never-before published species. SPECIAL NOTE:
In John Maisey's book
titled "Santana Fossils", he cites the prevalence of fake, composite and
enhanced fossils from this formation that are on the market. The
local artisans at the sites produce a wide variety of artificially
created fossils - some horribly obvious yet some, extremely convincing
out of carefully matched composite pieces. These composite
examples are very convincing because they are made up of all real pieces
but not necessarily of the same species! Often, missing parts are
carved or sculpted from a mixture of plaster, rock dust and epoxy and
then painted to disguise the work. A number of these handcrafted
"fossils" have in the past, and continue to, make it into the mainstream
fossil market. Describing a variety of techniques and types of
fakes, Maisey even shows photographs of some fakes for reference to
illustrate the breadth, creativity and skill of some of these workers.
He also addresses the prevalence of fake insect and other rare fossils
within the text. With all Brazilian fossils,
collectors should approach prospective purchases with caution for not
only the legality of the specimen but also, for accurate disclosure by a
qualified and experienced preparator of any artificial enhancement to
the specimen.
PALEO DIRECT guarantees every Santana Formation specimen we offer to be
AUTHENTIC and "as described" with a written unlimited lifetime guarantee
/ certificate of its authenticity and data sheet.
At least 60 genera of pterosaurs have been found with sizes ranging from a sparrow to monsters with wingspans in excess of 40 feet! The wings were thin membranes of skin, similar to the wings of bats, and extended along the sides of the body. They were attached to the extraordinarily long fourth finger of each arm. The bones were hollow and had openings at each end. Unlike typical reptiles, pterosaurs had a breastbone that was developed for the attachment of flight muscles and a brain that was more developed than comparable dinosaurs of similar sizes. There is no fossil evidence of feathers. Most researchers now believe that pterosaurs were adapted for active flight, not just gliding as was earlier believed.
100% ORIGINAL / AUTHENTIC AS FOUND - DETAIL, PRESERVATION AND COMPLETENESS THAT EXCEEDS ANY SPECIMEN EVER KNOWN HIGHLY PROBABLE HOLOTYPE SPECIMEN OF UNKNOWN, UNDESCRIBED SPECIES OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PTEROSAUR FOSSIL DEPOSITS COLLECTING AND EXPORT FROM BRAZIL HAS BEEN CLOSED AND BANNED FOR OVER A HALF A CENTURY - OLD COLLECTION SPECIMEN PROBABLY THE FINEST AND MOST UNIQUE LARGE PTEROSAUR SKULL EVER FOUND COMPLETE WITH LOWER JAW AND VERTEBRA THE PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR THE ULTIMATE INVESTMENT COLLECTION OR MUSEUM DONATION AND SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHING!!! 25" x 13" overall with concretion, skull with mandible is 25" x 11" overall SERIOUS OFFERS CONSIDERED PTBR-002 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
|
SPECIAL NOTE:
On March 31, 2008, a malicious and false propagandist article was written about this specimen's legality by this journalist, CLAUDIO ANGELO, which was published with prime coverage in the Brazilian national newspaper, Folha de S.Paulo. Angelo, posing as a prospective buyer of the specimen, made contact with our firm in only a few brief emails, solely asking about the legality of the specimen's export from Brazil. This, despite the description text below which fully explained the legal export and acquisition of this specimen by us. He calls this cursory interaction and effort "research". With total disregard to fact, Claudio Angelo then wrote his article explaining that this specimen was illegally removed from Brazil. Against the fundamental principles of journalism, Claudio Angelo prefers to report his OPINIONS rather than FACTS. His passion to stop the illegal fossil export in Brazil wrongly focused on this specimen as an example of his crusade. With absolutely not a single piece of supporting evidence to back his claim, Angelo insisted that this pterosaur skull specimen was illegally removed from Brazil. In the most unprofessional demonstration of his trade, Angelo put his emotions and feelings ahead of his fiduciary responsibility to his people to report FACTS, rather than his personal views. His work is a shameful example of both, the dangers of false journalism, and a politically-biased media that likely goes well beyond Angelos' meager achievements. |
|
|
The
Pterosaur was a flying reptile (commonly referred to as Pterodactyl
"wing finger") of the order Pterosauria. They existed from
the late Triassic to the Cretaceous Periods (228 - 65 million years ago)
with the earlier Triassic species having long, fully toothed jaws and long
tails. The later forms had a stump for a tail, no teeth and a jaw
more like a beak than the elongated jaw of the earlier species. 
