List of dinosaur specimens with preserved soft tissue
There have been some discoveries of unusually well-preserved fossil dinosaur specimens which bear remnants of tissues and bodily structures. Such tissue usually decays too quickly to enter the fossil record, unlike more durable bones and teeth.
Ornithischians
Basal Ornithischians
Nickname | Catalogue Number(s) | Institution(s) | Taxon | Age | Unit | Country(s) | Notes | Images |
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A basal Ornithischian that preserves protofeathers. |
Hadrosaurs
Nickname | Catalogue Number(s) | Institution(s) | Taxon | Age | Unit | Country(s) | Notes | Images |
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Ceratopsians
Nickname | Catalogue Number(s) | Institution(s) | Taxon | Age | Unit | Country(s) | Notes | Images |
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This animal displays pigment preservation, bristles as well as a preserved Cloaca. |
Thyreophorans
Nickname | Catalogue Number(s) | Institution(s) | Taxon | Age | Unit | Country(s) | Notes | Images |
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Suncor Nodosaur |
This animal displays pigment preservation, as well as keratinous sheaths and stomach contents. |
Theropods
Maniraptoriformes
Nickname | Catalogue Number(s) | Institution(s) | Taxon | Age | Unit | Country(s) | Notes | Images |
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Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Liaoning Paleontological Museum, and the Beijing Museum of Natural History |
Many specimens of Anchiornis have been found, but a majority have not been described |
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It is a small Enantiornithine bird, it preserves pigment |
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The small bird possess pigments that might indicate black and iridescent colors. |
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A Fossil Penguin, pigments are preserved on this specimen. |
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British Museum, the Maxburg Museum, among others |
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Natural History Museum, Berlin and the Wyoming Dinosaur Center |
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It is a small Enantiornithine bird, it preserves a pygostyle and body feathers. |
Compsognathidae
Nickname | Catalogue Number(s) | Institution(s) | Taxon | Age | Unit | Country(s) | Notes | Images |
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GMV 2123 and it's counter slab, NIGP 127587, and D 2141 |
Geologic Museum of China, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and the Dalian Natural History Museum |
Three Specimens of Sinosauropteryx have been discovered to date, coloration is know from this dinosaur. |
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Preserves extensive protofeathers on the body and tail |
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The specimen is controversial in it legality, and it possesses feather “spikes” on its shoulders |