The skeleton of a juvenile Allosaurus, known as Little Al, is expected to fetch up to PS500,000 (EUR707,000, $754,000) when it is auctioned later today during the 25th November Evolution Auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex, England. Summers Place Auctions says that the almost complete skeletal remains of this juvenile species is among the best ever found. The late Jurassic period saw Little Al live, approximately 155 millions years ago. Extremely rare are the remains of juvenile and small dinosaurs from larger species. Most of these dinosaurs died from the bite of prey, which is why they are so rare. After they had been eaten, not much was left. Little Al the Allosaurus’ almost complete skeleton. (summersplaceauctions.com) Allosaurus was an apex predator According to Summers Place Auctions, Allosaurus was a very large Therapod dinosaur which was right up there in the food chain along with Ceratosaurs and Torvosaurs. Experts think Allosaurus hunted on dry ground. Their prey included Sauropods or Stegasaurids. Ceratosaurs and Torvosaurs preferred to hunt in watery environments. An metre (39ft (full grown) Allosaurus can reach metres ft). Little Al’s skull retains an articulated skull and dagger-like teeth. Summers Place Auctions states on their website that “Apex predators can be very rare, and in such an environment it is difficult for any juvenile material to survive.” The pieces of Little Al’s skeleton were discovered by Raimund Albersdoerfer (a renowned German Palaeontologist) in Wyoming. The pieces were found scattered across a large area where Sauropod remains were also discovered. According to the auctioneers “Apex predators are relatively rare and in such a competitive environment the survival of any juvenile material is remarkable.” (Image: summersplaceauctions.com) Rupert van der Werff, director at Summers Place, commented: “The Allosaurus, together with the T-Rex, has become the quintessentially large, carnivorous dinosaur in western popular culture.” “Given the size of this Allosaurus it also adds the cute factor and may not just attract interest from museums but could also be the wow factor in a luxurious living room.” For this almost-complete juvenile Allosaurus skeleton, live bidding or telephone bidding ONLY are permitted, say the auctioneers, i.e. No online bids are accepted. Two teenage boys discovered the bones of Diplodocus longus, a long-necked Diplodocus. Two years ago, the auction house sold it to the natural History Museum of Denmark for PS400,000. Video – Evolution Auction 2015. Errol Fuller, a renowned natural history specialist and author gives an overview of the 25thNovember Evolution Auction at Summers Place Auctions.
