Darren Naish Profile picture
Jun 18 6 tweets 3 min read
I've just been looking at Big Sara, the privately owned #Allosaurus skeleton (genuine fossil, not a cast) currently on show at Westquay Shopping Centre, #Southampton. What a spectacular specimen! Here are some thoughts... #dinosaurs #fossils
I've heard some concerns about the displaying of this genuine fossil in a food court. I have no idea how the specimen is faring in terms of pyrite decay and so on but...
... it's not in an environment that will contribute to decay. Indoor spaces like this are, in the UK, not humid, but cool and airy. Big Sara is in a big open space close to a giant window. Moving to anatomy...
Big Sara has REALLY interesting nasals, the most complex I've seen in an #Allosaurus. Check out the three hornlets near the nostril, and the cluster of hornlets over the antorbital fenestra. The lacrimal horns have serrated edges! ...
These features are all symmetrical, so appear anatomically valid. If visible in the live animal (and enlarged by keratin), they would result in very grandiose, spiky, interesting facial ornamentation - wow!
Finally: Big Sara is privately owned and the property of the Richmond Group. I don't know what this means for future study or eventual movement into the public trust.

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