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Rare Dinosaur Skull


rfossils

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This is a cast of a Pachycephalosaur dinosaur called a Dracorax hogwartia (Upper Cretaceous, Hell Creek Formation, Montana). I found the original skull. I have pics of the most of the original material. One partial upper skull and my skull are the only known specimens of this dinosaur. The incisors are serrated on the skull I found and raises the question of whether Dracorax were herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Bob Bakker did the original description.

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1149/picturesj.jpg

Below are pictures of original portions of the skull.

Pic of incisor (you can see the small serrations):

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/396/copyofoctpics010.jpg

Pic of premaxillary:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/832/copyofoctpics008.jpg

Pic of portion of left/right top of skull (between eyesockets and nares):

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6396/copyofoctpics006.jpg

Pic of "horn" at back of skull:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6263/octpics013.jpg

Edited by rfossils

Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein

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Welcome to the forum. I saw your Phyllacanthus pic on Lance's forum. Thought your avatar looked familiar. I saw a replica of the skull at the HGMS show. Very cool to see pics of the original.

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Welcome to the Forum, and congratulations on your fantastic find!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Now I'm heart broken.. :(

Tried pull up your pics and got a "503-no server" message.

At least the casting looks good. I can see the confusion though, the teeth look predator but why all the armor?

Be true to the reality you create.

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Welcome from Galveston Island.

I am getting the 503 message also

Galveston Island 32 miles long 2 miles wide 134 bars 23 liquor stores any questions?

Evolution is Chimp Change.

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain!

"I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen." Ernest Hemingway

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I was able to view your first skull pic, absolutely awesome! :wub::wub::wub: Welcome to the forum from right next door to where you found that beauty, Alberta, Canada! :)

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Wow--that is the discovery of a lifetime. Congratulations!! But I don't get the comment about it being an omnivore,carnivore or omnivore--isn't that all there is? Was Bakker saying this guy ate everything, in which case that would make him an omnivore, right? I feel like I'm missing something. Those teeth look carnivore to me.

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...The incisors are serrated on the skull I found and raises the question of whether Dracorax were herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores...

How about piscivorous? the individual tooth morphology has similarities to croc, gator, even mosasaur. They'd also work on small terrestrial critters ("one-gulp snacks"). In any case, it's not well equipped to be a vegetarian...

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Guest Smilodon

This is a cast of a Pachycephalosaur dinosaur called a Dracorax hogwartia (Upper Cretaceous, Hell Creek Formation, Montana). I found the original skull. I have pics of the most of the original material. One partial upper skull and my skull are the only known specimens of this dinosaur. The incisors are serrated on the skull I found and raises the question of whether Dracorax were herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Bob Bakker did the original description.

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1149/picturesj.jpg

Below are pictures of original portions of the skull.

Pic of incisor (you can see the small serrations):

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/396/copyofoctpics010.jpg

Pic of premaxillary:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/832/copyofoctpics008.jpg

Pic of portion of left/right top of skull (between eyesockets and nares):

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6396/copyofoctpics006.jpg

Pic of "horn" at back of skull:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6263/octpics013.jpg

Scott?

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Nice find. sharp teeth don't always make a predator. Other pachycephalosaurs, and many ornithischian dinosaurs have sharp and sometimes caniniform teeth.

I should note that a few folks have raised some pretty good points, including one of the co-describers (Robert Sullivan), that "Dracorex" very likely represents a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus, and that Stygimoloch is a "subadult" Pachycephalosaurus. Other marginocephalians (i.e. ceratopsids) completely reshape their face during ontogeny.

Bobby

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