Lot 4033* - A211 Out of This World - mardi, 03. décembre 2024, 17h00
ELASMOSAURUS SKULL
Elasmosaurus sp.
Turonian, 90 million years
North Africa
45.5 × 15 × 17 cm (measurements not including stand)
Turonian, 90 million years
North Africa
45.5 × 15 × 17 cm (measurements not including stand)
Elasmosaurus is a genus of plesiosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous, about 80.5 million years ago. Measuring around 10 metres in length, Elasmosaurus had a streamlined body with paddle-like limbs, a short tail, a small head, and an extremely long neck. The neck alone was around 7 metres long.
Along with its relative Albertonectes, it was one of the longest-necked animals to have ever lived, with the second largest number of neck vertebrae known: 72 to be exact. The skull is slender and triangular, with large, fang-like teeth at the front and smaller teeth towards the back. Although very few skulls of this marine reptile have been found, enough partial and fragmentary skulls have been discovered to give a quite complete idea of the appearance of this elegant sea monster. Due to its distinct appearance, it has also been nicknamed ‘Loch Ness Monster’.
The first specimen was discovered in 1867 near Fort Wallace, Kansas (USA), and was sent to the American palaeontologist Edward Drinker Cope, who named it E. platyurus in 1868. The generic name means ‘thin-plate reptile’, and the specific name means ‘flat-tailed’. Cope originally reconstructed the skeleton of Elasmosaurus with the skull at the end of the tail, an error which was made light of by the palaeontologist Othniel Charles Marsh and became part of their infamous ‘Bone Wars’ rivalry, which would go down in palaeontological history.
The Elasmosaurus skull presented here is in fantastic condition, with almost all of its teeth intact. During its fossilizing process, the skull was dented slightly inwards on one side. A conscious decision was made to leave the skull in its original state. No restorations were made in order to preserve the fossil as authentically as possible. It is mounted on a custom-made steel stand.
Along with its relative Albertonectes, it was one of the longest-necked animals to have ever lived, with the second largest number of neck vertebrae known: 72 to be exact. The skull is slender and triangular, with large, fang-like teeth at the front and smaller teeth towards the back. Although very few skulls of this marine reptile have been found, enough partial and fragmentary skulls have been discovered to give a quite complete idea of the appearance of this elegant sea monster. Due to its distinct appearance, it has also been nicknamed ‘Loch Ness Monster’.
The first specimen was discovered in 1867 near Fort Wallace, Kansas (USA), and was sent to the American palaeontologist Edward Drinker Cope, who named it E. platyurus in 1868. The generic name means ‘thin-plate reptile’, and the specific name means ‘flat-tailed’. Cope originally reconstructed the skeleton of Elasmosaurus with the skull at the end of the tail, an error which was made light of by the palaeontologist Othniel Charles Marsh and became part of their infamous ‘Bone Wars’ rivalry, which would go down in palaeontological history.
The Elasmosaurus skull presented here is in fantastic condition, with almost all of its teeth intact. During its fossilizing process, the skull was dented slightly inwards on one side. A conscious decision was made to leave the skull in its original state. No restorations were made in order to preserve the fossil as authentically as possible. It is mounted on a custom-made steel stand.
CHF 18 000 / 25 000 | (€ 18 560 / 25 770)
Vendu pour CHF 22 500 (frais inclus)