This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/may/11/dinosaur-skeleton-therapod-auction-paris
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Rare dinosaur skeleton for sale – along with the right to name species | Rare dinosaur skeleton for sale – along with the right to name species |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Anyone with a spare million euros or two will have the opportunity to not only own a unique species of dinosaur skeleton next month, but to name it. | Anyone with a spare million euros or two will have the opportunity to not only own a unique species of dinosaur skeleton next month, but to name it. |
| Scientists say the skeleton of the species of theropod – or three-toed dinosaur – dates from the late Jurassic period about 155m years ago, give or take a million or so years. | |
| It will go on sale at an auction to be held inside the Eiffel Tower in Paris and is expected to fetch more than €1.2m (£1.1m). Some proceeds from the sale will go to charities for endangered animals, including Sea Shepherd and Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre in South Africa. | It will go on sale at an auction to be held inside the Eiffel Tower in Paris and is expected to fetch more than €1.2m (£1.1m). Some proceeds from the sale will go to charities for endangered animals, including Sea Shepherd and Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre in South Africa. |
| The skeleton of the unknown predator, which is about 8.7 metres long and 2.6 metres high, and is 70% complete, was discovered in Wyoming by its current owners, an unnamed group of British palaeontologists, about five years ago. | The skeleton of the unknown predator, which is about 8.7 metres long and 2.6 metres high, and is 70% complete, was discovered in Wyoming by its current owners, an unnamed group of British palaeontologists, about five years ago. |
| Scientists at first thought it was an allosaurus, but when the carnivore’s remains were more closely examined in 2016, specialists noticed it had major anatomic differences, including more teeth and different bones. | Scientists at first thought it was an allosaurus, but when the carnivore’s remains were more closely examined in 2016, specialists noticed it had major anatomic differences, including more teeth and different bones. |
| Dinosaur expert Prof Eric Mickeler, who is overseeing the sale for auctioneers Aguttes, said the skeleton was the highlight of his 20-year career. | Dinosaur expert Prof Eric Mickeler, who is overseeing the sale for auctioneers Aguttes, said the skeleton was the highlight of his 20-year career. |
| “It’s not every day you come across a new species of carnivore and a skeleton that is so complete – in fact it’s very rare,” Mickeler told the Guardian. “This is the first time in almost 20 years I’ve seen anything like this. It’s fantastic, with an extraordinary skull, lots of teeth and the claws.” | “It’s not every day you come across a new species of carnivore and a skeleton that is so complete – in fact it’s very rare,” Mickeler told the Guardian. “This is the first time in almost 20 years I’ve seen anything like this. It’s fantastic, with an extraordinary skull, lots of teeth and the claws.” |
| He added: “The rule for all scientific discoveries that are confirmed to be new, the person who owns it can give it its scientific name. It can be the name of a company or a person. ” | |
| “The palaeontologists who were on the digging site really thought it was an allosaurus. The extraordinary thing was that in the process of getting it out [of the ground] the scientists noticed there were lots of characteristics, like the teeth and skull for example, that didn’t correspond with a classic allosaurus. So we can therefore confirm that this is totally new.” | “The palaeontologists who were on the digging site really thought it was an allosaurus. The extraordinary thing was that in the process of getting it out [of the ground] the scientists noticed there were lots of characteristics, like the teeth and skull for example, that didn’t correspond with a classic allosaurus. So we can therefore confirm that this is totally new.” |
| Allosaurus derives from the Greek words allos meaning strange or other, and sauros meaning lizard. The dinosaur was similar to the tyrannosaurus rex. | Allosaurus derives from the Greek words allos meaning strange or other, and sauros meaning lizard. The dinosaur was similar to the tyrannosaurus rex. |
| Mickeler said such discoveries were extremely rare. “This isn’t something you just stumble across: you have to go looking and digging for it.” | Mickeler said such discoveries were extremely rare. “This isn’t something you just stumble across: you have to go looking and digging for it.” |
| The dinosaur skeleton is mounted on a stainless steel structure allowing for the skull to remain, rather than be replaced with a lighter resin replica as most museum displays. This structure also allows individual bones to be removed for scientific study. | The dinosaur skeleton is mounted on a stainless steel structure allowing for the skull to remain, rather than be replaced with a lighter resin replica as most museum displays. This structure also allows individual bones to be removed for scientific study. |
| Mickeler said he hoped the skeleton’s new owner would put it on public display. | Mickeler said he hoped the skeleton’s new owner would put it on public display. |
| “Dinosaur skeletons used to be bought by museums or collectors but recently there’s interest from a whole range of people. Thankfully in all the sales I have handled there’s never been one where the skeleton has ended up in a private place. Buyers like to share their pleasure, and there’s the size to consider,” he said. | “Dinosaur skeletons used to be bought by museums or collectors but recently there’s interest from a whole range of people. Thankfully in all the sales I have handled there’s never been one where the skeleton has ended up in a private place. Buyers like to share their pleasure, and there’s the size to consider,” he said. |
| In recent sales, dinosaur bones have gone for more than £1m. The skeleton, which is on display in the southern French city of Lyon, will be transported and reassembled in the Gustave Eiffel salon on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower next month and be sold in a single-lot auction on 4 June after a two-day exhibition. | In recent sales, dinosaur bones have gone for more than £1m. The skeleton, which is on display in the southern French city of Lyon, will be transported and reassembled in the Gustave Eiffel salon on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower next month and be sold in a single-lot auction on 4 June after a two-day exhibition. |
| This article was amended on 12 May 2018. The original version incorrectly spelled theropod as “therapod”. This has been corrected. An inaccurate quotation about the naming of new dinosaur species was also removed. | |
| Dinosaurs | Dinosaurs |
| France | France |
| Europe | Europe |
| Zoology | Zoology |
| Palaeontology | Palaeontology |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |