The American Museum of Natural History has unveiled its latest addition – the nearly complete skeleton of Stegosaurus, one of the most iconic plant-eating dinosaurs. The 11-foot-tall and 20-foot-long fossil was discovered in Colorado and sold for a record $44.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction.
Stegosaurus, which lived around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period, is known for its distinctive plates on its back and spiky tail. According to curator Roger Benson, “It’s a herbivore that could look after itself” despite having spikes on its tail, which would have served as protection against meat-eating dinosaurs like Allosaurus.
The museum has welcomed the fossil loaned by the buyer, making it one of the leading natural history museums in the US. Benson notes that Stegosaurus is often among the top favorite dinosaurs, and the excitement around this particular specimen is understandable given its exceptional completeness and size.
Source: https://www.ksl.com/article/51205258/new-york-museum-unveils-apex–an-almost-complete-stegosaurus