Bucky (Tyrannosaurus rex)
| Bucky | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Size | 33 × 11 ft. (10.1 m × 3.4 m) |
| Discovered | Bucky Derflinger, 1998 |
| Present location | The Children's Museum of Indianapolis |
| Identification | 2001.90.1 (furcula) |
Bucky is a fossil of a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex located in the Dinosphere exhibit in The Children's Museum of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.[note 1] It is the first juvenile Tyrannosaurus ever placed on permanent exhibit in a museum and was the first to be identified with a furcula.[2]
Description
Bucky has a bird-like skeletal structure, as it is one of the only dinosaur fossils found with a furcula.[3] A furcula, or fused clavicles, is a boomerang shaped "wishbone" that would measure 29 centimeters wide and 14 centimeters high. Bucky's furcula is the first one found for the genus Tyrannosaurus.[4] The furcula is thought to be a link between dinosaurs and birds and is the center of debate surrounding the origin of birds. Bucky also has a nearly complete set of gastralia, or belly ribs, and an ulna, or lower arm bone. As of now, 101 bones, or about 34% of Bucky's skeleton, has been discovered and verified.[5] Bucky is the sixth most complete Tyrannosaurus rex out of more than forty that have been discovered.[2] Bucky's tail is the third most complete tail of any Tyrannosaurus rex known and has a nearly complete vertebral column to the end of the pelvis. Bucky's skull is a reconstruction which utilized modified casts of other Tyrannosaurus rex specimens.[6]
,_Kelsey_(Triceratops_fossil)_and_Stan_(T._rex_cast).jpg)
Display
Bucky is displayed in the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Found in Dinosphere, Bucky is displayed along with Stan, an adult Tyrannosaurus, in a hunting scene. Both dinosaurs are attacking Kelsey the Triceratops. Bucky attacks Kelsey from behind, while Stan acts as a diversion in front of the triceratops. The end of the fight is left ambiguous. Bucky is displayed with a full set of gastralia, which is unusual. But because Bucky was discovered with a full set, it is displayed along with it.[7]
Discovery
The dinosaur remains were found in 1998 in the Hell Creek Formation near the town of Faith, South Dakota. The skeleton, transported by water, ended up in a low shallow valley along with bones from an Edmontosaurus and Triceratops. It was discovered by rancher and cowboy Bucky Derflinger. The excavation site was 150 by 30 feet (45.7 m × 9.1 m), about 4,500 square feet (420 m2).[5] Bucky was well-preserved and easily prepared by the Black Hills Institute in South Dakota. Excavation and preparation of Bucky was relatively easy because the surrounding rock matrix was soft.[8]
Bucky Derflinger
Bucky Derflinger found Bucky's skeleton in 1998 when he was twenty years old. He was a rancher and a rodeo cowboy. While breaking in a young horse on his father's ranch, Derflinger discovered a pes phalange, or toe bone, from Bucky's skeleton. He has also discovered another Tyrannosaurus and a slew of remains of duck-billed dinosaurs on his father's land. Derflinger is the youngest person to discover a Tyrannosaurus. He has been collecting dinosaur fossils since he was nine years old.[9]
Notes
- ^ Some paleontologists suggest that female T.Rex were of the robust morphotype, which includes Bucky, but this method for distinguishing gender is not universally accepted.[1]
References
- ^ "Unearthing T.Rex". Black Hills Institute. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ a b Crosslin, Rick (2004). "Resource Materials: Bucky-Tyrannosaurus rex". Dinosphere: A 3-5 Unit of Study.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Origin of Birds". The Macro Library. University of California. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ Larson, Peter. The First Recognized Furcula For Tyrannosaurus Rex. Black Hills Institute of Geological Research.
- ^ a b Larson (2008). ""One Hundred Years of Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Skeletons"". Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Tyrant King: 43–44.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Tyrannosaurus rex Bucky Sub-adult Skeleton-Fossil Replica". Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
- ^ Crosslin, Rick (2004). "Tyrannosaurus rex Attack Scene-What will be the outcome?". Dinosphere: A 3-5 Unit of Study: 88.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Larson, Neal L. (2008). "One Hundred Years of Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Skeletons". Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Tyrant King: 43–44.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bucky's Discovery". The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Retrieved February 26, 2011.