Lot 860
Psittacosaurus Dinosaur Still In Matrix. Liaoning Province, China 127 million years ago was the Pompeii for dinosaurs. A massive volcanic eruption, many dozens of times more intense than the one that destroyed Pompeii, buried everything alive at the time in this northeastern province of China. Most dinosaurs are only known from a few bones to, at best, a partial skeleton.
This remarkable 22" long juvenile Psittacosaurus dinosaur is so well preserved because of its rapid burial; it is still in the same position it was in when the eruption occurred. The bone quality is an excellent light tan color, contrasted with the red limestone matrix. The 3½"x4" skull is partially cut out of the stone, making it easier to examine. The legs and feet are very large for its size; the leg is 12" long and the foot is 3½" long. One leg shows and the second leg is probably still buried under the body. One arm is complete and the second arm is missing its hand, which might still be buried under the matrix. Even the most delicate bones are preserved in this remarkable specimen, such as the neural spines and slmost all of the thin ribs. Only a couple of vertabrae at the very end of the tail are missing completely. All of the bone present is 100% real with no restoration.
Psittacosaurus is an important dinosaur, being the oldest Ceratopsian-horned dinosaur. Psittacosaurus (translates to "parrot-beaked dinosaur) did not have horns like its most famous relative, Triceratops. It is recognized as a Ceratopsian because it possesses Jugals (extension of the jaw bones), plus fenestrae (openings at the back of the skull) that became huge frills in Triceratops. Psittacosaurus had strange quill-like feathers on its tail and was bipedal, unlike all of the later horned dinosaurs. In recent news, a baby Psittacosaur was found in the stomach of a dog-sized cretaceious mammal. This was the very first evidence of a mammal eating a dinosaur.
With China stopping the exportation of all dinosaur fossils, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a museum-quality, near-complete juvenile dinosaur. Add $500 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $14,000 - 25,000.
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