Description:
Presented is a well preserved, large “Raptor”tooth.
It has beautiful color and presence. Note the serrations which would
have been used to slice flesh from bone.
Dromaeosauridae
is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were small to
medium-sized, feathered carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous
Period. In informal usage they are often called "raptors”
(after Velociraptor), a term popularized by the film Jurassic Park.
The distinctive dromaeosaurid body plan helped to rekindle theories
that dinosaurs may have been active, fast, and closely related to
birds. Like other theropods, dromaeosaurids were bipedal; that is,
they walked on their hind legs. They also had very
long tails.
Recently
the Fossil Mall associates purchased a large lot of dinosaur, reptile
and mammal material from our primary collector. He lives in Montana
and has over fifteen years of field collecting experience. Ten days
were spent in obtaining this lot. The fossils were discovered in
Cretaceous stream channel deposits. Some were surface collected
as float, many were partially eroded out of the low-lying surrounding
gullies and bad lands. The work of discovery continued upon his
return home. There the specimens had to be cleaned and identified,
a long and tedious process that lasted many days. Upon completion,
all the specimens were photographed, notated and submitted to us
at the Fossil Mall for consideration of purchase. Needless to say,
we bought the whole batch.
A word
regarding the legality of these fossils. Our provider only collects
on private ranch and farmlands of Montana and South Dakota. His
relationships with these landowners have been cultivated over many
years of door knocking and often difficult negotiations. Our collector,
in the beginning stage of a possible collecting arrangement, cannot
even contemplate a deal until he has walked the land holdings to
discover if there are ancient remains to be found.
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