Tinker Juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex Rib Pathology Replica

Price: $150.00

This museum-quality replica reproduces a remarkable pathological rib from "Tinker," one of the most complete juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex specimens ever discovered.

A bone pathology is an abnormality caused by injury or disease that alters the way a bone grows or heals. While common in living animals, such pathologies are exceptionally rare in the fossil record, making specimens like this especially significant to paleontologists.

The juvenile T. rex known as Tinker was discovered in 1998 in the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota. Named after its discoverer, the skeleton became the subject of a lengthy ownership dispute before eventually being prepared and mounted as a 7.5-meter (24.6-foot) display. Roughly 40% of the mounted skeleton consists of original fossil bone, representing an animal approximately 70% the size of a fully grown adult.

Tinker's teeth are nearly identical in shape to those of adult Tyrannosaurus rex, providing valuable information about the growth of the species. The specimen has also played a role in discussions surrounding the controversial genus Nanotyrannus.

One of Tinker's most fascinating features is a pair of broken ribs that healed during the animal's lifetime. The thickened, remodeled bone clearly records the dinosaur's recovery from a serious injury, offering a rare glimpse into the life history of an individual that survived significant trauma. These healed ribs provide direct evidence of the resilience of this young predator and continue to be studied as an example of dinosaur bone healing.

This full-size cast faithfully reproduces the distinctive pathological features of the original fossil, making it an excellent display piece for collectors, educators, museums, and anyone interested in dinosaur paleopathology.

Dimensions: Approximately 36 inches measured along the curve.