Fossil Dinosaur Triceratops rare Eppocipital bone Hell Crk South Dakota COA 4305
A photo Certificate of Authenticity from us at Pioneer Fossils will accompany this specimen. Plus a free "floating" display stand.
Here is a superb rare genuine small Epoccipital bone section from a Triceratops, from the late Cretaceous, as late as 66 million years ago, the end of the Reign of Dinosaurs. It has been positively identified as a Triceratops, as it was part of a dinosaur that was identifiable, but too heavily eroded to recover much of the skeleton. The Epoccipitals (no relationship with the Occipital bones) were triangule-shaped bones that fused with the frill as the triceratops matured. They are the distinctive triangle bones that stick out all around the frill on some Triceratops. There is study going on as to whether these would get smaller as the animal aged, or disappear completely.
Photo 4 shows various Triceratops with some arrows pointing to some of the eppocipitals on a juvenile. It is small, and measures about. 1.6" by 1.25" and weighs 28 grams. It is from Hell Creek Formation near Sewell, South Dakota.
An excellent addition to a Triceratops collection. Triceratops is one of the most famous of all dinosaurs, with its huge head, tough bony frill, and three sharp horns in the front. The movie, Jurassic Park, features a sick Triceratops that Ellie cared for. The largest Triceratops grew to over 28 feet in length, and weighed up to 13 tons.
It was, however, a plant-eater, with a beaked jaw and hundreds of teeth (up to 800) packed closely together for chewing the plants. There are two different Triceratops: horridus and prorsus.The horridus are always found in ground below the prorsus, so they are older. The horridus have a smaller nose horn and larger beak than the prorsus. A very interesting and authentic large fossilized piece of a famous species of dinosaur. We are happy to enclose a COA (Certificate of Authenticity).
Some words of caution about COA's: Do not let them become a substitute for learning about the fossils. We have been working with fossils for many years, and we have seen hundreds of very nice-looking COA's, some that are wrong, mis-describing a specimen. Finally, a COA without a photo of the exact item described, tied to that COA, is worthless, as it can later be placed next to any other. We suggest that instead of relying on a COA, that people read and study the subject. We want to make sure you are fairly treated by us always. We cordially invite you to visit our store, and see items and fossils ranging from budget to world-class. You will receive the exact item described and photographed, unless clearly stated otherwise. In some cases, that is easy, in some cases not so much. If you take it out of the United States, you are on your own. You may see a sentence regarding? The most up-to-date on this subject. If it is important to you that you do, or do not.