Sotheby's auctions Ceratosaurus skeleton: The only known juvenile specimen

Sotheby's will auction a young Ceratosaurus in July at its New York headquarters, the only known juvenile specimen of this carnivorous dinosaur species that inhabited the Earth approximately 154–149 million years ago .

According to the auction house, this skeleton, nearly two meters tall and three meters long, could fetch between four and six million dollars at auction.

This is a rare and exceptionally well-preserved specimen . Although there are four Ceratosaurus skeletons, it is the only "juvenile" one, belonging to an early life stage of this predator considered "one of the most fearsome in the world."

The statement says it is "one of the finest and most complete examples of its kind ever found," composed of 139 original fossil bone elements , including a "remarkably complete and fully articulated" skull.

Ceratosaurus was distinguished by "its unique and distinctive nasal horn, its elongated teeth, and a row of bony armor running along its back and tail." It was thus a swift and agile predator, yet robust and powerful, similar to its distant cousin, Tyrannosaurus rex, which it preceded by about 100 million years.

According to the statement, the fossil bones exhibit "exquisite mineralization, an intense blackish-gray color, and exceptional detail."

The Late Jurassic specimen was discovered in 1996 at the Bone Cabin Quarry in Wyoming, famous for its extensive expeditions and excavations. Previously, it was displayed unmounted at the Museum of Early Life in Utah . This is the first time it has been shown in this way, revealing its full scale and structure.

"This juvenile Ceratosaurus is a marvel of prehistoric preservation: an extraordinary specimen that combines scientific rarity with natural beauty," said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's Vice President of Science and Natural History.

The dinosaur will be part of Sotheby's Natural History auction, on sale July 16, but will be available to the public starting July 8.

This is the latest addition to a collection that began in 1997 with the auction of 'Sue the T. Rex' (now a centerpiece of Chicago's Field Museum) and most recently the historic 2024 sale of 'Apex,' which fetched a world record $45 million and is on loan to the Natural History Museum in New York City.