33a. A Second Look at the First T. rex, 1906

Photo

In 1906, Osborn wrote a second article on Tyrannosaurus rex, to accompany the announcement of the previous year. He did so because bones of a second specimen had been discovered at Hell Creek in the summer of 1905.  That specimen had originally been identified as a separate genus, Dynamosaurus.  Osborn now admitted that was an error, for the second specimen was generically identical to Tyrannosaurus.  The additional bones made possible a more accurate restoration, which was provided by L. M. Sterling under Osborn’s direction.  The most striking disocovery depicted in the restoration is a complete set of belly ribs.

Sterling’s restoration, at 1/40 scale, is quite a bit larger than Matthew’s restoration of 1905.

Source

Osborn, Henry Fairfield. "Tyrannosaurus, upper Cretaceous carnivorous dinosaur (second communication)," in: Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, vol. 22 (1906), pp. 281-296.  This work is part of our History of Science Collection, but it was NOT included in the original exhibition.


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