Paleontologists in Colorado unveil new 3D model of skull of rare tyrannosaur

This week paleontologists at a Colorado dinosaur center unveiled a 3D model of the skull of a teratophoneus curriei. That’s a “rare new genus of tyrannosaur,” according to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park.

The RMDRC held an event on Wednesday where they showed off the skull to the public for the first time. The center gave the dinosaur the nickname Sir William — after Walter Stein, the person who made the discovery — and are also displaying a bone specimen of the dinosaur.

Sir William’s bones were discovered in June 2002 in a central Montana dig site in what’s called the Judith River Formation. The dinosaur is believed to have lived 77 million years ago.

Initially a piece of its jaw was found and ultimately 30% of the animal was found in rock. It had a defining characteristic, too.

“I’m not going to say why because I don’t know how it happened, but the hand of this dinosaur during life was forcibly removed from the rest of the animal,” said Anthony Maltese, RMDRC’s curator.

Bone studies by a group called Triebold Paleontology, which operates at the RMDRC, indicate Sir William was about 15 years old when it died.

The center is working to create a model of the rest of the animal’s skeleton soon. It will be about 30 feet long when it’s done.

“Maybe a touch more,” Maltese said. “It’s a big, long lanky animal.”

The Sir William skull is now on display at the center, which is located at 201 South Fairview Street in Woodland Park.