We've been able to do a slight bit of preparation on a
Maiasaura that was collected by
TPI crews in 2004 from the upper Judith River Fm of Montana. Unfortunately no skin was discovered preserved in this jacket, however there were a few surprises.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS78x_uNFSkp_uG9N27z3z8My3YQ5ssIU3QR8y3EXBpr0iiFJx7kV8HIFzSe9ZpHq6JmI3xFf4CdLs1I5kTZ1XCNG5_vYVm-PT2N3zZpSoKMQvcliNdf0DIWF2jaMNySnd_GZh_H-t4A3g/s320/Gil+tail+004.JPG)
The anterior 6 vertebrae show pathological neural spines, perhaps an old bite wound that healed. The chevrons (Y-shaped bones under the tail) are tiny, much smaller than what would normally be expected on a
dukbill of this size.
This jacket contains 32 articulated caudal vertebrae in a string nearly 8 feet long. Strangely the chevrons are all nearly gone and the ossified ligaments normally found in
ornithischian dinosaurs are completely missing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTEYf0uLeYyPjJm0-hzjqM_X67uo10PVUnCFshNS7G8uQdIALY50uFhxQRa6elX51eIiSDWebthjRSE5o9rdwJoz2GQhptlga4bzQ6_um9Jth9H8KidfNzZtpf4-ndHXo5jIln8Jyyl_P/s320/Gil+tail+001.JPG)
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