List of dinosaur specimens with documented taphonomic histories

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This list of dinosaur specimens with documented taphonomic histories enumerates those fossil dinosaur specimens that have been subjected to focused efforts aimed at reconstructing the events following the animal's death and the processes by which its remains were preserved in the fossil record.

Contents

Ankylosaurs

Ankylosaurids

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Ankylosauridae indet.Not givenMPC-D 100/1359 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Late Campanian Barun Goyot Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Individual preserved in a resting posture with both forelimbs and hindlimbs folded and tucked underneath the torso. Feeding traces of invertebrates are also preserved on some elements. [1]
Ankylosaurid MPC-D 100 1359 specimen.png

Nodosaurids

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Borealopelta markmitchelli Not givenTMP 2011.033.0001 Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology Albian McMurray Formation Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Individual preserving armor in life position, keratin sheaths, skin impressions, and stomach contents. The carcass was likely washed out to sea after death and buried in the seafloor. [2] [3]
Borealopelta Royal Tyrrell 1.jpg
Edmontonia rugosidens Not givenAMNH 5665 American Museum of Natural History Middle Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Exceptionally preserved articulated individual with skin impressions and armor in life position. The carcass was washed out to an aquatic setting, possibly a river channel, and buried. [4]
Edmontonia American Museum of Natural History.jpg

Ceratopsians

Psittacosaurids

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis Not givenWZSSM VF000011 Weihai Ziguang Shi Yan School Museum Lower Aptian Yixian Formation Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Association of a P. lujiatunensis and a Repenomamus robustus locked in combat that were buried alive. [5]
WZSSM VF000011 specimen (1).png
Psittacosaurus sp.Not givenDNHM D2156 Dalian Museum of Natural History Lower Aptian Yixian Formation Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Assemblage of 34 juveniles and one adult that were buried alive, possibly as a result of a collapsed burrow. [6]
Psittacosaurus nest.jpg
Psittacosaurus sp.Not givenIVPP V14341 Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology Lower Aptian Yixian Formation Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Assemblage of six juveniles that succumbed to a mudflow. [7] [8]
Psittacosaurus juveniles.jpg
Psittacosaurus sp.Not givenSMF R 4970 Senckenberg Museum Lower Aptian Yixian Formation Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Exceptionally preserved individual with numerous soft tissue impressions and color pattern. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] After death, its right arm was possibly scavenged by a Tianyulong . [15]
Psittacosaurus SMF R 4970.jpg

Protoceratopsids

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Bagaceratops indet.Not givenMPC-D 100/551B Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Crouched individual that was scavenged after death by invertebrates. [16] [17]
Bagaceratops specimen MPC-D 100 551B (cropped).png
Protoceratops andrewsi Fighting Dinosaurs MPC-D 100/512 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Preserves Protoceratops andrewsi locked in combat with a Velociraptor mongoliensis. [18]
Fightingdinosamnh2.jpg
Protoceratops andrewsi Fox site ProtoceratopsNot givenNot givenMiddle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Crouched individual that was extensively scavenged after death by invertebrates. [19]
Fox site Protoceratops (5).jpg
Protoceratops andrewsi Not givenMPC-D 100/526 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Group of four juveniles buried alive by a strong sand-bearing event. Scavenging traces are present among individuals. [20]
Protoceratops specimen block MPC-D 100 526.png
Protoceratops andrewsi Not givenMPC-D 100/534 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Two sub-adults buried alive by a strong sand-bearing event. Scavenging traces are present among individuals. [20]
Protoceratops specimen MPC-D 100 534.png
Protoceratops andrewsi Standing ProtoceratopsNot givenNot givenMiddle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia An individual preserved in an upright position, [21] possibly product of burrowing behavior. [22]
Standing Protoceratops - Tugrugeen Shireh, Gobi Desert 1971 2.jpg

Ornithopods

Hadrosaurs

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Brachylophosaurus canadensis LeonardoJRF 115H Judith River Foundation Middle Campanian Judith River Formation Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Exceptionally preserved individual that was rapidly covered with sediment after death. [23]
Leonardo mummified brachylophosaurus.jpg
Edmontosaurus annectens Trachodon mummy AMNH 5060 American Museum of Natural History Late Maastrichtian Lance Formation Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Well-preserved individual lying on its back with flexed limbs. After dehydration, the carcass likely was shortly buried by sediments transported by a river resulting in excellent preservation. [24] [25]
Edmontosaurus mummy.jpg
Edmontosaurus annectens Senckenberg mummy SMF R 4036 Senckenberg Museum Late Maastrichtian Lance Formation Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Individual preserved in a flexed posture. May have been quickly buried by sediments allowing exceptional preservation. [25] [26]
Edmontosaurus mummy 6756.jpg
Edmontosaurus sp. Dakota mummy NDGS 2000 North Dakota Geological Survey Late Maastrichtian Hell Creek Formation Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Individual preserved with extreme detail. The carcass was pierced by scavenging predators, allowing the release of gases, fluids, and microbes, allowing the dissecation and durability of soft tissues that persisted through weeks to months prior to burial and fossilization. [27]
Edmontosaurus NDGS 2000 preserved tissue (1).png
Hadrosauridae indet. Lizzie 2000 P-02 University of Alaska Museum Middle Turonian Matanuska Formation Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Partial remains of a juvenile. After death, the carcass was washed out to sea and sank to the seafloor where it got buried. [28]
Saurolophus angustirostris Not givenMPC-D 100/764 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Late Campanian Nemegt Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Block of partially articulated juveniles. After an unknown case of death, the individuals decomposed during a wet summer season when they got buried by sediments transported by a river channel. [29]
Saurolophus MPC-D 100 764 block.png

Theropods

Dromaeosaurs

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Velociraptor mongoliensis Fighting Dinosaurs MPC-D 100/25 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Preserves a Velociraptor mongoliensis locked in combat with a Protoceratops andrewsi . [18]
Fightingdinosamnh2.jpg

Oviraptorosaurs

TaxonNicknameCatalogue NumberInstitutionAgeUnitCountryDescription and Taphonomic HistoryImages
Citipati osmolskae Big AuntieMPC-D 100/1004 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Brooding individual preserved on top of a nest. [30]
Citipati IGM 100 1004.jpg
Citipati osmolskae Big MamaMPC-D 100/979 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Brooding individual preserved on top of a nest. [31]
Citipati IGM 100 979 (2).jpg
Khaan mckennai Romeo and Juliet (alternatively Sid and Nancy)MPC-D 100/1002 and 100/1127 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Two very complete individuals preserved in close association. The pair was likely interacting when they got buried by collapsed sand dunes. [32] [33]
Khaan.jpg
Nemegtomaia barsboldi Not givenMPC-D 107/15 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Late Campanian Barun Goyot Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Brooding individual preserved on top of a nest. [34]
Nemegtomaia nesting.png
Oksoko avarsan Not givenMPC-D 102/110 Mongolian Palaeontological Center Late Campanian Nemegt Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Assemblage of three individuals buried in life positions. [35]
Oksoko holotype block pre-preparation.jpg
Oviraptor philoceratops Not givenAMNH 6517 American Museum of Natural History Middle Campanian Djadokhta Formation Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Brooding individual preserved on top of a nest. [36] [37]
Oviraptor holotype.jpg
Tongtianlong limosus Not givenDYM-2013-8 Dongyang Museum Late Maastrichtian Nanxiong Formation Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Individual preserved with raised head and splayed arms, possibly died while trapped in mud. [38]
Tongtianlong-2.jpg

References

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