Opalised Dinosaur Vertebra (Photo 1)

Name: Opalised Dinosaur (Caudal?) Vertebra

Age: 110 million years old

Locality: Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia

Formation: Griman Creek Formation

Length: 16mm end to end

Notes: This is an opalised dinosaur vertebra from Australia. I originally bought it as an opalised 'reptile' vertebra but it's ID as being a dinosaur vertebra was confirmed by one of the leading experts on the opalised fossils of Lightning Ridge. It is likely a juvenile ornithopod or theropod vertebral centrum, missing the tall neural arch. It is semi-transparent when held up to a strong light and is an exceptionally rare specimen. So far it is the only vertebrate fossil in my opalised fossils collection but I hope I am able to acquire more soon. Specimens like this very rarely come up for sale as most of them end up in museum collections due to their rarity and scientific value.