6.9" Ankylosaur (Zuul) Vertebra with Stand - Judith River Formation

Ankylosaur (Zuul) Vertebra with Stand - Judith River Formation #148800

This is a rare, 6.9" tall, Ankylosaur caudal vertebra collected from the Judith River Formation of Montana this summer. There is only one species of Ankylosaur currently described from the formation, Zuul crurivastator. It's too big to have come from one of the Nodosaurs in the formation.

The vertebra displays some significant distortion due to geological processes and there is some weathering around the edges. Most of the restoration can be found as gap fill within small cracks.

It comes with the pictured custom metal display stand.

In 2014, the most complete ankylosaur to be found within the Judith River Formation was discovered accidentally when excavating a potential gorgosaurus. This ankylosaur (described as Zuul crurivastator) was found slightly disarticulated, but mummified and nearly complete. The preservation of this Ankylosaur included extremely rare soft tissue and in situ skin impressions. This discovery provided an excellent reference skeleton for other fragmentary ankylosaur specimens, as well as some insight into the epidermal anatomy of ankylosaurids.

Skull of Zuul crurivastator, collected in 2014 from the Judith River Formation of Montana

Ankylosaurs were herbivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous and evolved complete body armor covered in plates, scutes, and spikes. They wielded a massive tail club which could have been used to defensive purposes against predators such as Tyrannosaurs. Adult Ankylosaurs are believed to have reached up to 25 feet in length.

An artists depictions of Zuul crurivastator. By ABelov2014. Creative Commons License