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One Of A Kind Dinosaur Skull From The Sheen Collection
For the discriminating collector who thought he had it all...We are proud to present this rare dinosaur skull from the genus of sea reptiles called Mosasaurs. Based upon our research with several paleontology curators at various museums across the country we believe this to be a reconstructed composite of several specimens. Some of the bones used to create this ferocious looking beast were from a Tylosaurus. Special attention was paid to the characteristics of the quadrate, the joint between the pre-frontal and post-orbital frontal bones over the eye, the location of the nasal opening (located above the suture between the premaxilla and maxilla of the upper jaw), and the location of the parietal foramen on the top of the skull. These are key characteristics in determining species in Tylosaurus. Tylosaurus lived about 78-88 million years ago, which was during the late part of the Cretaceous period. Tylosauruses were huge; they grew up to 15 m. (about 51 feet) long. The head was sometimes as long as 6 feet. These giant sea reptiles were among the largest of the Mosasaurs. Tylosaurus was a fearsome predator. It preyed on fish (including sharks), squids, turtles, and other Mosasaurs. Tylosaurus had powerful jaws that were filled with cone-shaped teeth. There were some smaller teeth in the roof of the mouth. Those teeth were used for swallowing prey whole. The jaws of Tylosaurus were loosely hinged, which also made it easier to swallow prey whole. Tylosaurus had a streamlined body with paddles that were strengthened by long finger-bones. It vigorously moved its tail from side to side in order to swim. It is also possible the jaws may be from a Platecarpus. Platecarpus planifrons was a medium-sized mosasaur that lived approximately 80-90 million years ago during the late Cretaceous Period. Platecarpus had pterygoid teeth. Once a Platecarpus captured its prey in its mouth the additional set of teeth located in the upper palate helped ensure it stayed there. Platecarpus planifrons features a small number of large teeth for its skull. The skull is 19” long and 12” high. There are 6 vertebrae attached to a metal frame to give the skull support. The vertebrae are a total of 16” in length. The teeth, which measure up to 1” in length, are in tremendous condition. The skull is a composite of plaster and what we believe are actual fossilized bones. Lastly, this piece was in the entrance hallway of the actor Charlie Sheen since the 1980s.
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1935 Havana Cuban Stars Negro League Unused Ticket
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