Re: Skull of Daspletosaurus torosus

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <th81@umail.umd.edu>]

At 01:49 PM 7/2/99 EDT, DinoGeorge wrote:
>In a message dated 7/2/99 7:01:21 AM EST, th81@umail.umd.edu writes:
>
><< Russell's 1970 paper on tyrannosaurs of western Canada (in which
> _Daspletosaurus_ was named) gives a lateral, ventral, and palatal view of
> the skull. >>
>
>Wonder how much of the figured skull is real.

Almost the complete _Daspletosaurus torosus_ skull was recovered, from one
side of the face or the other (or both).  Really good condition bones, too.

>I've heard that the 
>Albertosaurus skull figured in the article had the whole top restored in 
>plaster, but is figured as if it were complete (shudder).

Yeah, the "Albertosaurus" skull is HIGHLY restored (spent quite some time
with it while in Chicago once to double check).  A figure is forthcoming in
a paper in JVP (not by me) which shows how much is restored, and what is
real.  Note that the tooth series are almost all restored.

                        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Vertebrate Paleontologist
Deptartment of Geology                  Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland                  College Park Scholars
College Park, MD  20742       
Webpage: http://www.geol.umd.edu        Phone:301-405-4084
Email:tholtz@geol.umd.edu               Fax:  301-314-9661