Dueling Dinosaurs

Not to be confused with Fighting Dinosaurs.
Reconstruction at the specimens in their in situ poses at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The actual specimens had to be taken apart to be transported, and are thus no longer in the same pose as they were found.

The Dueling Dinosaurs or Montana Dueling Dinosaurs is a fossil specimen originating from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana. It consists of the fossilized skeletons of a tyrannosaur (generally considered a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex) and a Triceratops horridus entangled with one another and entombed in sandstone. This is identical to the Fighting Dinosaurs, an 80-million-year-old specimen found in 1971 Mongolia where a Velociraptor and Protoceratops were locked in battle and preserved.[1] The "dueling" inference comes from the numerous injuries sustained by both dinosaurs, including a tooth from the tyrannosaur embedded within the Triceratops, although it is not known whether they were actually buried fighting one another. Tyrannosaurus rex (Tyrant Lizard King) was a 40 ft. long carnivore weighing 10 tons and ruled the Cretaceous period with strong jaws and sharp teeth to tear up to 500 pounds of flesh and bone in a single bite. Triceratops (Three-Horned Face) was bigger than an elephant and was notified by a rounded skull with horns and a bony frill to intimidate and defend against predators.[2] Despite the scientific importance of the specimen, it remained obscure for decades due to a lengthy legal dispute over property rights to the specimen, which has since been resolved. The fossil is in the possession of and being studied by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, where it went on display in 2024.[3][4][5][6][7]

  1. ^ ""The Fighting Dinosaurs"". American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  2. ^ ""Profile: Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus"". North Dakota Studies. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  3. ^ "'Dueling Dinosaurs' fossil, hidden from science for 14 years, could finally reveal its secrets". Science. National Geographic. 2020-11-17. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  4. ^ "'Dueling dinosaurs' fossils show Triceratops, T. rex, may have died after a battle". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  5. ^ "North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to receive the "Dueling Dinosaurs"". Programs and Events Calendar. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  6. ^ Strickland, Ashley (17 November 2020). "'Dueling dinosaurs' fossils show Triceratops, T. rex, may have died after a battle". CNN. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  7. ^ Patrick, Jessica; Armstrong, Rick (2020-11-17). "NC Museum of Natural Sciences unveils world's first complete T. rex". WRAL News. Retrieved 2020-11-18.