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Sale 43
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Lot 901
Important 135-140 Million Year Old Bird Fossil with Sclerotic Rings and Feathers. This small 5.5 inch long primitive bird, Liaoxiornis delicates was alive in the earliest cretaceous period 135-140 million years ago. The only older bird is Archaeopteryx from Germany at 150 million years old. This nearly complete bird from the Liaoning Province of Northeastern China is quite remarkable in its magnificent preservation. Birds have very delicate light weight bones that are only preserved under very special circumstances such as the rapid burial that occured over 135 million years ago when an enormous volcanic eruption quickly killed an buried in ash this small toothed bird. The preserved detail is truly amazing with small sharp little teeth, delicate rib bones, small hand and feet bones and claws, two sclerotic eye bones and even some features preserved as carbonized impressions around the body and particularly distinct tail features and feathers on one of the legs. The sclerotic rings are rarely preserved and very important in the link between birds and dinosaurs as some dinosaurs also possesed sclerotic rings around their eyes. Sclerotic rings are a ring of bony plates that surrond and protect the eye. This important bird fossil is nicely centerd on a 7 x 6 inch soft tuffaceous stone matrix which has been broken and glued back together as is usually the case as the matrix is very thin and delicate being compressed from volcanic ash. The bird skeleton is hardly effected by the breaks and is enclosed in a 12 x 8 inch riker moutn for display and protection. A much younger and less detailed 50 million year old Green River bird recently sold to a museum for $15,00.00.
Add $50.00 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $2,400 - 3,000.
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| Realized $2,300 |
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