Sunday, April 5, 2009

Cryolophosaurus in Japan



Cryolophosaurus is now on exhibit at the Fukui Paleontological Museum in Japan for a Gondwana dinosaur exhibit. This is only the fourth full cast of Cryo in the world (and the most up to date), with the others found at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL (the first mounted skeleton), War Memorial Museum in Auckland, New Zealand, and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. These cast are made by Research Casting International. The Australian Museum in Sydney also has a cast, but I am not sure if it is just a skull or the full body.

Last spring before I moved to Colorado I was employed at Augustana College (the best job I have ever had btw - great boss and good working environment, I really miss it) and worked on Cryo on a daily basis. We packed up all of the new elements that had been prepared since it was originally cast nearly 10 years ago and sent them to RCI so a new, more accurate postcranial skeleton could be made for the Japanese exhibit. I am happy to see this picture of it now on exhibit! I really like the way they have it mounted. It is nice to not see a lot of heavy armature under the skeleton. I thought I would pass the picture on since not many of us will have a chance to see the exhibit. But if anyone does make it over there, I would love to see your pictures!

You can read the official monograph on Cryolophosaurus for free here (PDF).


© ReBecca K. Hunt-Foster, Picture © Chisako Sakata - used with permission

4 comments:

traumador said...

Actually the War Memorial Museum in Auckland, New Zealand also has a Cryo mount as well.

It obviously isn't as nice or modern as this one, but you can check it out on my post about the Auckland Dino hall here

http://traumador.blogspot.com/2008/07/proper-fossil-hall-last-museum-part-4.html

ReBecca Hunt-Foster said...

Oops! I though NZ had one but could not find the listing. Thanks!

Mike Keesey said...

That is indeed a beautiful mount.

Unknown said...

The Orton Geological museum in Columbus, Ohio has a cast of the skull.