Quick Facts

Dolichorhynchops bonneri
Pronounced (DOLLY-CO-RING-COPS BON-NE-EYE)


 

Nickname: "KUVP 40001 and KUVP 40002"
Discovery South Dakota/Wyoming border
Diet: Meat Eater (Carnivore)
Period: Late Cretaceous
Age: 78 million years
Formation: Pierre Shale
Length: 15 ft
Location of Original Specimen: KU Natural History Museum, Lawrence, KS

These Dolichorhynchops specimens were discovered in 1976, and were later partially prepared and described as a new species. The skeleton was later fully prepared in the labs of The University of Kansas, and at the RMDRC in a 3 year collaborative effort. The body is from KUVP 40002, which was used because it lacked the large blobs of concretion that KUVP 40001 had. KUVP 40001 had a complete flattened skull, which was restored for the mount you see at the RMDRC.

Pictures

Dolly was encased in selenite crystals, making it difficult to tell what the bones looked like before preperation.


A close-up of the selenite (gypsum) crystals encasing the bones. This is the same chunk as above.


The end of the same block of bones before careful preparation.

The blob of crystals reveals the ends of three dorsal ribs in the block.


The dorsal and cervical section of vertebrae after preparation. The bones are all reasonably intact, although flattened.


Dolly on display in Ft. Peck, MT. She is shown swimming with Sophie, our 41 foot long Tylosaurus from Texas.

Field Notes

Even though it took nearly 30 years from the initial excavation to get where we are now, the wait was worth it. These two examples of the short-necked plesiosaur Dolichorhynchops are some of the largest of their kind ever discovered.

Lab Notes

Preparation is complete. The selenite was difficult to remove, but the bones cleaned up beautifully with air abrasion and lots of sodium bicarbonate. Work on a scientific paper is underway on the finished elements in order to greatly expand the knowledge base of these uncommon marine reptiles.