A team of paleontologists from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture along with the University of Washington (UW) found fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex, including a very complete skull. They estimate about 20 percent comes from the fossils of dinosaurs, including the spine, ribs, hips and lower jaw bones.
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| The partially excavated skull of a T. rex discovered by the Burke Museum and University of Washington paleontologists in Montana. The skull was preserved upside-down in the rock, and a black tooth from the T. rex's upper jaw can be seen protruding from the rock in the center of the photo. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dkX2t) |
The team led by the Curator of Burke Museum Vertebrate paleontology at the same time a UW biology professor, Gregory P. Wilson. The team discovered T. rex during an expedition to the Hell Creek Formation in northern Montana (one of the famous as the site of dinosaur fossils).
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| The excavation site in northern Montana where the Burke Museum and University of Washington paleontologists discovered a T. rex skull. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dkWrh) |
Initially, two volunteers from the museum, Jason Love and Luke Tufts found the fossilized bone fragments protruding on a rocky hill. Large bone size and structure of the honeycomb suspected belong to the carnivorous dinosaur fossil. After further digging, the team discovered the skull of T. rex along with the ribs, spine and jaw and pelvis.
T. rex is one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs ever roam the earth. It has an average length of 12 meters and height of 4.5 to 6 meters. T. rex was a fierce predator with a large serrated teeth and jaws. Fossil evidence shows that it even prey on other dinosaurs such as Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, until the prey bones shattered and came into the dirt in the fossils.
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| Paleontologists prepare to remove a Tyrannosaurus rex skull from a fossil dig site in northern Montana and transport it to the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1dkWTO) |
T. rex findings by a team of Burke/UW dubbed 'Tufts-Love Rex,' to honor two volunteers who found it. The fossil skull has a length of about 1.2 meters, and weighs about 1.1 tons wrapped with the protective plaster. Excavations on the ground revealed the right side of the skull from the base to the muzzle, including the teeth.
The Burke's paleontologists believe there is a possibility the other side of the skull was also found, but must carefully remove the rocks in the fossils area before they can determine completeness. "We think Tufts-Love Rex will become an iconic specimen for Burke Museum and the State of Washington, and he will be the object that is to be seen researchers dinosaurs as well," said Wilson.
The public can see the T. rex (which is still in plaster bandage) along with paleontology field tools, in the lobby of the Burke Museum on August 20 to October 2, 2016. After that, the The Burke's paleontologists team will begin preparing the fossils, namely by removing rocks around the bones, which may take a year or more. The plan, the museum will display the complete skull of T. rex in the Burke Museum in 2019. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY]
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