Re: WWD Allosaurus--Comments from Wyoming

[Mickey Rowe <rowe@psych.ucsb.edu>]

Three more messages here from Brent Breithaupt (slightly edited by me
to interleave quotes and responses).  Brent, working under the
assumption that you're reading the list's comments via the archives
I've just set it up so that you can send mail to the list directly --
MPR

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Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 17:51:46 -0600
From: uwgeoms <uwgeoms@uwyo.edu>
Subject: WWD Allosaurus--Comments from Wyoming
To: dinosaur list <dinosaur@usc.edu>

Hi!
More from the Snowy Plains
Here are some comments on Bob's thoughts.
Cheers,
Brent Breithaupt
Director
University of Wyoming Geological Museum

Bob Simon wrote:

> 1. I believe it was stated Big Al was the most complete dinosaur (or
> most complete allosaurus) ever found.  [...]  A second Allosaurus
> specimen was excavated after Big Al in a nearby location by the same
> person who actually discovered Big Al: Kirby Siber. The second
> allosaurus was more complete and I believe larger.

1) The Discovery Channel narrator may have misspoken and said "most 
complete dinosaur," which is probably incorrect, but "Big Al" is 95% 
complete and most likely the most complete Allosaurus ever found. Also, 
unlike what you may have heard, it was only 25 feet long and is about the 
same size as the second specimen that Kirby Siber found nearby. 

>     2. They showed the Allosaurus skeleton and the pathologies
> etc. on the 'skeleton.'  It is a minor point, but I believe the
> original skeleton is in Montana while only a cast of Big Al is in
> Wyoming on display. There was no mention of the skeleton being only
> a cast of the original specimen.  Would have been interesting
> listening to the explanation as to why this famous Wyoming dinosaur
> is not in Wyoming.

2) Yes, the original skeleton is unmounted and in Montana. There are only 
two display mounts (both casts). The one at the University of Wyoming is 
a permanent mount, the other is a part of the "T. rex on Trial" Museum of 
the Rockies traveling display. The original "Big Al" material is in the 
collections in Bozeman, as the material was found on land administered by 
the BLM ,and thus, needed to go to recognized, public repository. This 
fossil could have come to the UW Geological Museum, but we did not have 
the resources to undertake a project of this extent. However, we worked 
in partnership with the MOR and the BLM to properly excavate, prepare, 
research, mold, cast, and display this dinosaur. In fact, there are many 
famous Wyoming dinosaurs that are not in Wyoming. More would be here if 
we had the resources to take care of them.  Fortunately, there are many 
colleagues of mine who are willing to undertake paleontological 
partnerships such as the "Big Al" project. 

>     3. I would have liked to see more actual paleontology and less
> computer graphics. It would have been nice to see actual excavation
> of Big Al instead of chalk patterns drawn on the dirt akin to a
> murder scene.

3) As for footage of an excavation, the BBC used the original BLM and K2 
News footage taken at the "Big Al" site in 1991, when we dug this 
dinosaur up. It appears in the BBC version of the science behind the 
"Ballad of Big Al."  There are a couple of quick shots of the original 
excavation used in the Discovery Channel's version.  As to Bob's last 
point, I suggest that you get a copy of the BBC's version of the "Science 
of Big Al."

For more information on this specimen and its discovery, please see 
the UW Geological Museum's website (http://www.uwyo.edu/GeoMuseum/).
Also, the Discovery Channel and BBC have excellent websites on this 
dinosaur and the programs they recently premiered.

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"Big Al" was not named because of its size, but rather the completeness 
of its skeleton and the important information that we have discovered 
from studying this unique specimen.

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"Big Al" may have been Big Alan or Big Allison. We don't know the gender.
The method of how to determine male and female dinosaurs is still 
debated, as is exemplified by "Sue" the T. rex.

Brent Breithaupt
Director
UW Geological Museum

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