List of lost dinosaur specimens

This list of lost, damaged, or destroyed dinosaur specimens enumerates those fossil dinosaur specimens that have been discovered only to be lost or damaged after initial documentation. Some of these specimens which had gone missing were later recovered as well.

Uncollected specimens

Nickname Taxon Age Unit Country Notes ImagesNose Mountain theropod trackTyrannosauridaeMaastrichtianWapiti FormationCanadaSingle highly pathological tyrannosaur footprint that was buried under a landslide before it could be collected

Destroyed specimens Nickname Catalogue number Institution Taxon Age Unit Country Notes Images1912VIII61AegyptosaurusHoltz, Thomas R. Jr. (2008) Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages Supplementary InformationUpper CretaceousBahariya FormationEgyptDestroyed in Germany during World War II when the bombing of the museum it was held in took place.IPHG 1922 X 47, X 48BahariasaurusRauhut, (1995). "Zur systematischen Stellung der afrikanischen Theropoden Carcharodontosaurus Stromer 1931 und Bahariasaurus Stromer 1934." Berliner geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, E16 (Gundolf-Ernst-Festschrift): 357-375.Upper CretaceousBahariya FormationEgyptDestroyed in World War II IPHG 1922 X46TameryraptorUpper CretaceousEgyptDestroyed in World War II. Used by Ernst Stromer to erect Carcharodontosaurus for "Megalosaurus" saharicus.Stromer, 1931. Ergebnisse der Forschungsreisen Prof. E. Stromers in den Wüsten Ägyptens. II. Wirbeltier-Reste der Baharîjestufe (unterstes Cenoman). 10. Ein Skelett-Rest von Carcharodontosaurus nov. gen. Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Abteilung, Neue Folge. 9, 1-23 MNHN 2001–4ErectopusLower CretaceousFranceDestroyed in World War II KentrosaurusUpper JurassicTanzaniaMost specimens, although not all, were destroyed when the German museum that they were in was bombed in World War II.PodokesaurusLower JurassicUnited StatesThe original specimen was destroyed in a museum fire.PoekilopleuronMiddle JurassicFranceDestroyed in World War IIBSP 1912 VIII 19SpinosaurusLower and Upper CretaceousBahariya FormationEgyptDestroyed in Germany during World War II when the bombing of the museum it was held in took place. More material has been discovered since.

Lost specimens Nickname Catalogue number Institution Taxon Age Unit Country Notes ImagesSpecimen 9NoneCorythosaurusCanadaSpecimen 13NoneCorythosaurusCanadaCardiodon type specimenCardiodonMiddle JurassicForest Marble FormationUnited KingdomType specimen of Amphicoelias fragillimusAMNH 5777American Museum of Natural HistoryAmphicoelias fragillimusLate JurassicMorrison FormationUnited StatesNamed as the holotype of Amphicoelias fragillimus by Edward Drinker Cope and then subsequently lost. It is possible that Cope himself or someone else disposed of it, or that it crumbled because of inadequate preservation methods.Companion tracks of MGUH 27219N/AGeological Museum of CopenhagenThyreophoraRhaetianHoganas FormationSweden

Damaged specimens

Recovered specimens Nickname Catalogue number Institution Taxon Age Unit Country Notes ImagesHolotype of Aepisaurus elephantinusAepisaurusMiddle Cretaceous (Albian)Named as holotype of Aepisaurus elephantinus. Rediscovered in 2006Tortosa T, Buffetaut E. 2007. Rediscovery and redescription of the holotype of Aepysaurus elephantinus Gervais 1848–1852 (Dino-sauria-Sauropoda). In : J Le Loeuff, ed. 5th Meeting of the European Association of Vertebrate Palaeontologists, 12th European Workshop of Vertebrate Palaeontology, Carcassonne-Espéraza, May 15–19, 2007, Abstract volume, 64 (PDF) New historical data on the first dinosaurs found in France. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323538475_New_historical_data_on_the_first_dinosaurs_found_in_France [accessed Sep 03 2018].

Footnotes

References Carpenter, K. (2006). "Biggest of the big: a critical re-evaluation of the mega-sauropod Amphicoelias fragillimus." In Foster, J.R. and Lucas, S.G., eds., 2006, Paleontology and Geology of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 36: 131–138. Spalding, D. A., 2001, Bones of contention: Charles H. Sternberg's lost world: In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life, edited by Tanke, D. H., and Carpenter, K., Indiana University Press, pp. 481–503.