Lethal Sauronitholestes Dinosaur Tooth from Hell Creek

Sauronitholestes was a member of quite an interesting family that includes the so-called raptors, the informal name for Velociraptors. See the background information below. This tooth is attached to some of the matrix from the discovery site. Personally, I find teeth tooth locked in some badlands marly matrix provides for a more interesting fossil presentation.

The distinctive dromaeosaurid bauplan helped to rekindle theories that dinosaurs may have been active, fast, and closely related to birds. Subsequent research supports a consensus that at least some, and in all likelihood all dromaeosaurids, were covered in feathers, including large vaned wing and tail feathers. Like other theropods, dromaeosaurids were obligately bipedal; i.e., they exclusively walked on their hind legs. Although other theropods walked with three toes contacting the ground, fossilized tracks show that dromaeosaurids ostensibly held their second toe off the ground in a hyperextended position, with only the third and fourth toes bearing the animal’s weight. Dromaeosaurid fossils have been found in Argentina, Canada, Europe, North America, North Africa, Japan, China, Mongolia, Madagascar, and Antarctica.

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 S. 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.