Early discoveries Specimens of Tyrannosaurus

1 discoveries

1.1 manospondylus: amnh 3982
1.2 holotype: cm 9380
1.3 amnh 5027
1.4 famous mount

early discoveries

type specimen of dynamosaurus imperiosus

the holotype of tyrannosaurus rex, partial skull , skeleton called amnh 973 (amnh stands american museum of natural history), discovered in u.s. state of montana in 1902 , excavated on next 3 years. specimen (amnh 5866), found in wyoming in 1900, described in same paper under name dynamosaurus imperiosus. @ time of initial description , naming, these specimens had not been prepared , type specimen of t. rex had not been recovered. in 1906, after further preparation , examination, henry fairfield osborn recognized both skeletons belonging same species. because name tyrannosaurus rex had appeared 1 page earlier dynamosaurus in osborn s 1905 work, considered older name , has been used since. had not been page order, dynamosaurus have become official name.

manospondylus: amnh 3982

illustration of type specimen (amnh 3982) of manospondylus gigas

the first named fossil specimen can attributed tyrannosaurus rex consists of 2 partial vertebrae (one of has been lost) found edward drinker cope in 1892. cope believed belonged agathaumid (ceratopsid) dinosaur, , named them manospondylus gigas, meaning giant porous vertebra in reference numerous openings blood vessels found in bone. m. gigas remains later identified of theropod rather ceratopsid, , h.f. osborn recognized similarity between m. gigas , tyrannosaurus rex 1917. however, due fragmentary nature of manospondylus vertebrae, osborn did not synonymize 2 genera.

holotype: cm 9380

reconstructed mount of cm 9380

cm 9380 type specimen used describe tyrannosaurus rex. fragments of (then) amnh 973 first found in 1902 barnum brown, assistant curator of american museum of natural history , famous paleontologist in own right. forwarded news of osborn; 3 years before found rest of it. has been reconstructed in recent years, measured estimated 11.9 meters in length , estimated weight of 7.4–14.6 metric tonnes, 9.1 metric tonnes being average estimate in study, although earlier studies have suggested lower weight figures. in 1905 when type described osborn, previous knowledge of dinosaur predators @ time based on jurassic carnosaurs, short fore-arms of tyrannosaurus treated extreme caution, suspicion bones of smaller theropod had become jumbled remains of bigger fossil. following 1941 entry of united states world war ii, holotype sold carnegie museum of natural history in pittsburgh protection against possible bombing raids. specimen, labeled cm 9380, still mounted in pittsburgh, @ first tail acting tripod in old fashioned kangaroo pose. has since received modernization of posture , can found balancing tail outstretched.

amnh 5027

cast of tyrannosaurus specimen amnh 5027 mounted in active pose robert t. bakker @ denver museum of nature , science



tyrannosaurus specimen amnh 5027 @ american museum of natural history.

amnh 5027 discovered , excavated in 1908 barnum brown in montana, , described osborn in 1912 , 1916. @ time of discovery, complete cervical (neck vertebrae) series tyrannosaurus not known, specimen brought short, stocky tyrannosaur neck light. compared later specimens (bmnh r7994 , fmnh pr2081, instance) cervical series of amnh 5027 more gracile, later discoveries distinction between tyrannosaurid necks , necks of carnosaurs became more obvious. specimen provided first complete skull of tyrannosaurus rex. in total, brown found 5 partial tyrannosaurus skeletons.

famous mount

osborn planned mount similarly-sized amnh 5027 , amnh 973 in dynamic poses. designed e.s. christman, scene depict rearing tyrannosaurus (amnh 5027) snapping @ cowering 1 (amnh 973), fought on remains of hadrosaur, described @ time trachodon:

scale model of never-completed tyrannosaurus rex exhibit planned american museum of natural history h.f. osborn; amnh 973 cowering individual, , amnh 5027 other individual.

morning along shore of cretaceous lake 4 [we know sixty five] million years ago. herbivorous dinosaur trachodon venturing water breakfast of succulent vegetation has been caught , partly devoured giant flesh eating tyrannosaurus. monster crouches on carcass, busy dismembering it, tyrannosaurus attracted scene. approaching, rises full height grapple more fortunate hunter , dispute prey. crouching figure reluctantly stops eating , accepts challenge, partly rising spring on adversary. psychological moment of tense inertia before combat chosen best show positions of limbs , bodies, picture incident in life history of these giant reptiles.

however, technical difficulties prevented mount being executed. 1 obvious problem cretaceous dinosaur hall small accommodate dramatic display, , amnh 5027 mounted central attraction of hall. fore-arms of tyrannosaurus not documented , hands unknown, sake of display, forearms of amnh 5027 given 3 fingers, based on forelimbs of allosaurus (the more allosaur-like arms replaced several years later when better fossils of tyrannosaurid arms found).

the mount retained rearing pose similar initial proposal. 1980s accepted such pose have been anatomically impossible in life, , skeleton re-mounted in more accurate, horizontal pose during renovation of museum s dinosaur halls in 1990s. mount can still seen on display on fourth floor of american museum.

after war, holotype of dynamosaurus imperiosus , second specimen (amnh 5881) sold , reside in collections of natural history museum, london (formerly british museum of natural history), known bmnh r7994 , bmnh r7995, respectively. american museum of natural history features amnh 5027 in famed hall of saurischian dinosaurs day.