Victoria will soon lay claim to the world’s most complete and finely preserved Triceratops fossil.
Museums Victoria on Wednesday confirmed it has acquired an 87 per cent-complete fossil of a Triceratops horridus dinosaur, dated as 67-million-years-old.
The fossil, set to relocate from Canada to Melbourne Museum from 2021, includes skin impressions, tendons, a spine and a 261-kilogram skull.
Museums Victoria confirmed it has acquired an 87 per cent-complete fossil of a Triceratops horridus dinosaur, dated as 67-million-years-old. (pictured: skeleton being excavated at the field site in Montana, USA)
Dr Erich Fitzgerald (pictured) is seen counting the pieces of the frill of the Triceratops
‘This is among the most globally-significant dinosaur discoveries ever made,’ said Museums Victoria chief Lynley Crosswell.
‘We know our Triceratops will delight and amaze audiences and inspire us to consider the remarkable wonder and fragility of life on Earth.’
Museums Victoria senior curator of palaeontology Dr Erich Fitzgerald said it was one of the most informative dinosaur fossils ever found.
‘This is the Rosetta Stone for understanding Triceratops,’ Dr Fitzgerald said.
‘Despite its popularity, there are still many unanswered questions about the anatomy and palaeobiology of Triceratops.
‘This fossil comprises hundreds of bones including a complete skull and the entire vertebral column which will help us unlock mysteries about how this species lived 67 million years ago.’
Discovered on a private property in the United States in 2014, the Triceratops specimen is larger than a full-grown African elephant, weighing in at more than 1000kg.
It is nearly seven metres long and more than two metres tall, with a 148cm wide frill and boasting three horns.
A team of experts from Museums Victoria earlier this year travelled to Canada, where extensive preparation is underway to excavate the Triceratops from the rock it is encased in and transport it to Melbourne.
The fossils will relocate from Canada to Victoria in 2021 and will include skin impressions, tendons, a spine and a 261-kilogram skull (Pictured: Dr Erich Fitzgerald looking at the lower jaw of the Triceratops)