4.6" Edmontosaurus Fossil Humerus Bone Lance Creek FM Cretaceous Dinosaur WY COA

Location: Lance Creek Formation, Wyoming (Private Land Origin)  

Weight: 7.7 Ounces

Fossil Dimensions: 4.6 Inches Long, 2.6 Inches Wide, 1.3 Inches Thick

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The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Edmontosaurus (meaning "lizard from Edmonton") is a hadrosaurid dinosaur species from the Maastrichtian, the last stage of the Cretaceous period, dating from 71 to 65 million years ago. A fully grown adult could measure up to nine meters in length, with some of the larger species reaching thirteen meters. Its weight was around 3. 3.5 tonnes, making it one of the largest hadrosaurids.

Edmontosaurus utilized muscular, flexible cheeks to move food back and forth across its teeth, enabling it to process even the toughest plant material. Its mouth accommodated tightly packed "banks" of up to sixty rows of teeth, with new ones continuously replacing those lost, akin to the dental pattern observed in sharks. The upper jawbones exhibited outward flexing as the lower jaw rose, facilitating an effective grinding motion. Fossilized remains have revealed remnants of conifer needles, seeds, and twigs within the body cavity, indicating a herbivorous diet consisting primarily of browsing on trees.

The 1908 discovery in Wyoming was particularly notable because paleontologists actually found fossilized imprints of Edmontosaurus' skin. The rapid drying of the skin and the preservation of its shape in the mud must have left an impression. From these fossils, we know the skin was scaly and leathery, with thigh muscle situated just under the skin of the body. This would give the impression that the leg left the body at the knee, and the entire thigh was covered by skin. This feature also adds to its resemblance to a duck. Additionally, it had numerous tubercles (bumps) on its neck, back, and tail.

Edmontosaurus primarily moved on two legs but was also capable of walking quadrupedally. Its forelimbs, while shorter than the hind limbs, were sufficiently developed to support four-legged locomotion. The forefeet bore two hooved digits and weight-bearing pads resembling those found in Camarasaurus, while the hind feet featured two hooked toes. Robust musculature in the lower limbs is evident from bone structure, indicating strong support for both legs and feet. The downward curvature of the spine at the shoulders suggests a low grazing posture. Despite its sturdy limbs, Edmontosaurus was likely slow and defenseless, relying instead on acute vision, sharp hearing, and a keen sense of smell to detect predators well in advance.