Scolosaurus cutleri (NHMUK R5161) and Ankylosaur Pores and skin

The preserved stays of an ankylosaur represents some of the impressive dinosaur fossil specimens on show on the London Herbal Historical past Museum.  Even though huge, this glorious armoured dinosaur is incessantly lost sight of via guests.  Like most of the Museum’s shows it’s poorly lit.  That is Scolosaurus cutleri (NHMUK R5161) and it’s most definitely some of the superb ornithischian dinosaur fossils ever discovered.

The beautiful Scolosaurus cutleri specimen on show on the London Herbal Historical past Museum. The specimen (NHMUK R5161) found out in Alberta, Canada is without doubt one of the very best preserved ankylosaurid specimens recognized to science. Image credit score: The entirety Dinosaur.

Image credit score: The entirety Dinosaur

Scolosaurus cutleri (NHMUK R5161)

Scolosaurus (S. cutleri) was once named and described via Baron Franz Nopcsa in 1928. The impressive fossil subject matter on show on the Museum represents the holotype. The specimen is just about entire. Even though, the cranium, the top of the tail and limbs from the proper facet of the animal are lacking.  It was once excavated from a bedding aircraft related to the decrease parts of the Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada). The specimen was once found out via industrial fossil hunter William Edmund Cutler in 1914.  Sadly, all the way through the excavation paintings, an strive to take away subject matter from beneath the fossils resulted within the specimen collapsing on Cutler.  He suffered intensive accidents to his chest.

An in depth-up view of the preserved pores and skin affect related to the S. cutleri fossil specimen NHMUK R5161. This superb fossil is on show on the London Herbal Historical past Museum. Image credit score: The entirety Dinosaur.

Image credit score: The entirety Dinosaur

The Pores and skin of an Ankylosaurid

NHMUK R5161 is on show within the public galleries. An in depth quantity of the integument is preserved as pores and skin impressions. The image (above) presentations the osteoderms preserved at the again of the animal. Ribs will also be noticed on the most sensible of the {photograph}. Osteoderms don’t seem to be hooked up to bone. They shape within the epidermis and in consequence, maximum osteoderms are discovered as remoted items of the skeleton. This Scolosaurus cutleri specimen presentations them in lifestyles place.

Categorized as a member of the subfamily Ankylosaurini, it was once associated with different North American ankylosaurids comparable to Ankylosaurus magniventris and Euoplocephalus tutus. Phylogenetic research puts Scolosaurus because the sister taxon to Ziapelta (Ziapelta sanjuanensis) from New Mexico.

To learn an previous The entirety Dinosaur article in regards to the discovery of Ziapelta: New Armoured Dinosaur from New Mexico.

A spokesperson from The entirety Dinosaur showed that the Scolosaurus cutleri (NHMUK R5161) have been the muse in the back of the dermal armour configuration on a large number of armoured dinosaur fashions.

“Sede” the Ankylosaurus (PNSO).  The dermal armour in this dinosaur fashion was once almost definitely impressed via the Scolosaurus cutleri holotype subject matter.

The image (above) presentations the PNSO Ankylosaurus dinosaur fashion.  The dermal armour in this determine has almost definitely been impressed via the Scolosaurus holotype subject matter.

To view the variety of PNSO prehistoric animal figures to be had from The entirety Dinosaur: PNSO Prehistoric Animal Fashions.

Remembering William Edmund Cutler

The spokesperson added:

“Once we consult with the Museum, we all the time like to mention hi to the Scolosaurus specimen.  This can be a impressive fossil.  We spare a couple of moments to believe how unhealthy fossil gathering will also be.  That is one dinosaur that proved to have the ability to nonetheless critically injuring an individual some seventy-four million years after the ankylosaurid died.  If it weren’t for the efforts of many industrial fossil hunters lately, different superb dinosaur specimens could be misplaced to science.”

Talk over with the award-winning The entirety Dinosaur web site: Dinosaur Toys and Prehistoric Animal Fashions.