Scientists cry foul as fossils of dueling dinosaurs head to multimillion-dollar auction
One of the most exciting
dinosaur discoveries in recent years may not make it to a museum. The
find of two dinosaur fossils "locked in mortal combat" will instead hit
the auction block in New York, and the set is expected to bring in a $7
to $9 million haul — which would make it one of the most expensive
dinosaur fossils ever.
Dubbed the "Montana Dueling Dinosaurs," the fossils were found in 2006 by commercial prospectors on private land. According to The New York Times,
dinosaur fossils discovered on private property in the US belong to the
landowner and aren't controlled as they are in many other countries.
That's disappointing many scientists who hope to get their hands on the
find, which is notable not only because it appears that the two
dinosaurs were attacking each other when they died, but also because the
fossils may reveal two new kinds of dinosaur.
"This lines their pockets but hurts science."
According to a report from the
Black Hills Institute's Peter Larson, who was involved with the find,
the two dinosaurs are a Nanotyrannus lancensis — which looks like a
small Tyrannosaurus rex — and a Triceratops-like Chasmosaurine
ceratopsian. The first fossil may help clear up a controversy over
whether the Nanotyrannus lancensis was a separate genus or merely a
juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, as the skeleton is complete and it's only
the third specimen found to-date. Larson's analysis suggests that the
fossil demonstrates that the dinosaur was not merely a small T. rex. The
herbivore Ceratopsian found at the site is also the most complete
skeleton available and it may also be part of a new genus and species.
The fossils have been so well preserved over the millions of years,
according to Larson's report, that skin fragments — and possibly
proteins — remain intact.
Larson's analysis of the find
also suggests that the two dinosaurs may have killed each other in
battle and died together. Two Nanotyrannus teeth were found in the body
of the Ceratopsian at the site, suggesting it may have attacked the
herbivore. It appears that the herbivore may have retaliated and kicked
in the Nanotyrannus' chest and broken its skull, possibly revealing new
details in dinosaur behavior.
Final, conclusive analysis
could remain elusive if the fossils never make it to a museum, however.
"This lines their pockets but hurts science," Dinosaur Discovery Museum
senior scientific adviser Thomas Carr told The New York Times,
when speaking about the sellers. The paper reports that the sellers did
offer the fossils to The Smithsonian for roughly $15 million, and both
the American Museum of Natural History and the Field Museum of Chicago
received offers, all of which were rejected. The Museum of Natural
History's paleontology division chairman explained to The New York Times
that it typically only displays fossils it finds on its own, though he
admitted that "It is the kind of thing that makes curators like myself
salivate."
It's still possible that a
museum could buy the fossils, or a philanthropist could donate them to
such an institution. A private buyer could also give scientists access
to the fossils before putting them on display. Unfortunately, the fate
of the fossils will all come down to the auction.
A website set up for the "Montana Dueling Dinosaurs" features many pictures of the discovery site and the fossils. Image above depicts a 3D model of the find.
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