Ardetosaurus: a new diplodocine sauropod from the Morrison Formation, Wyoming, USA

[ziggycardon]

Here is something I wanted to share here!

The team of the Oertijdmuseum in Boxtel has described a new Diplodocine sauropod from the Morrison formation.

The specimen originally called "Brösmeli" was excavated in 1993 in the Howe-Stephens Quarry by a team led by Hans-Jakob “Kirby” Siber.
It was sent to a german museum for preparation but it got damaged in a fire in the storage depot in 2003 and was then send back to the Sauriermuseum Aathal.

In 2018/2019 the specimen was bought by the Oertijdmuseum in Boxtel where is was prepared, mounted, studied and displayed in 2022. 
During prep it became clear that there were many differances to other Diplodocids and so student Tom van der Linden started research on the 60 % complete specimen.
It got named Ardetosaurus viator "travelling burning reptile" after the incredible journey it made after discovery.

https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2024/5327-new-diplodocine-sauropod

https://novataxa.blogspot.com/2024/10/ardetosaurus.html

The specimen, now named "Kirby", is on display in the Oertijdmuseum in Boxtel in the Netherlands

 

Here is a small documentary about the discovery and preparation of the specimen, it's in Dutch but I believe there are english subtitles available on Youtube.

 

 

Life reconstruction of Ardetosaurus viator MAB011899. Illustration by Ole Zant.

 

[jpc]

Thanks for posting this.  I like to consider the Oertijd bunch good friends in the paleo world.   I helped them in their Lance Formation discoveries and had a great visit with them this summer..  

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Yeah, the museum has really grown from its roots when I was still a kid with my initial interest in palaeontology, later archaeology, and now back to palaeontology. Should visit them again sometime, to be honest, though...!

[jpc]

... on my list for the next Europe trip.  

[Flx]

Another example of a dinosaur that would not be known to science without private fossil collectors.