Rare Nanotyrannus skeleton sells for USD 47.3m at New York auction

The specimen, named Jodi, is one of only three relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeletons known to science. Blowing well past an estimate of USD 6 to USD 9 million, the sale narrowly missed the auction record for a fossil, set in July with the sale of Gus an exceptional T. rex skeleton that went under the hammer for USD 50.1 million, as per CNN.

Standing 9.6 feet tall and measuring 19.6 feet long, Jodi is just over half the length of Gus. The scarcity of comparable specimens is likely to have contributed to the eye-watering sale price. However, the very existence of Nanotyrannus as a distinct species remains hotly debated among paleontologists. Only recently have researchers increasingly come to favor the view that Nanotyrannus was a separate species rather than a juvenile T. rex.

The specimen, according to Sothebys, is exceptionally preserved, made up of 191 bone elements, and includes a virtually complete skull.

The skeleton was discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson, who inspired its name, and excavated by Clayton Phipps, a commercial paleontologist nicknamed the Dinosaur Cowboy.

Like several other important fossils previously sold at auction, Jodi comes from Hell Creek Formation, a geological boneyard stretching across Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. One of the first skeletons of T. rex was found there in 1902, and the name T. rex was given to the species based on fossils unearthed in the area, according to CNN.

Based on the overall size and bone development, Jodi is an adult specimen, according to Sothebys. The missing bones have been replaced with custom 3D printed and sculpted elements, and the fossil was offered with full rights, meaning it doesnt contain any copyrighted elements from other dinosaurs. Its new owner whose identity is unknown can therefore create replicas of the skeleton and sell them to museums or collectors. (ANI)