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List of dinosaur specimens with preserved soft tissue

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There have been some discoveries of unusually well-preserved fossil dinosaur specimens which bear remnants of tissues and bodily structures. Organic tissue was previously thought to decay too quickly to enter the fossil record, unlike more mineralised bones and teeth, however, research now suggests the potential for the long-term preservation of original soft tissues over geological time,{{R|"schweitzer2011"}} leading to the formulation of various hypotheses regarding the underlying mechanisms involved.{{R|"anderson2023"}}

Ornithischians

=Basal ornithischians=

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

| INREC K3/109

| Institute of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Cryology

| Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus

| Bathonian

| Ukureyskaya Formation

| Russia

| A basal ornithischian that preserves protofeathers.

| 200px

=Hadrosaurs=

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

Dakota

| MRF-03

| Marmarth Research Foundation

| Edmontosaurus annectens

| Maastrichtian

| Hell Creek Formation

| United States

|On display at North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum

| File:Dakota skin impression.jpg

Trachodon mummy

| AMNH 5060

| American Museum of Natural History

| Edmontosaurus annectens

| Maastrichtian

| Lance Formation

| United States

|

| File:Edmontosaurusmummy.jpg

Big Paul

| LACM 17715

| Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

| Magnapaulia laticaudus

| Campanian

| El Gallo Formation

| Mexico

|

| [[File:Magnapaulia_skin_impression.jpeg|150px|Impression of Big Paul's skin,

Being Displayed at LACM]]

Impression of Big Paul's skin,

being displayed at LACM

| AMNH 5220, AMNH 5221,and AMNH 5271

| American Museum of Natural History

| Saurolophus osborni

| Maastrichtian

| Horseshoe Canyon Formation

| Canada

|

|

| Various

| Dinosaurium, among others

| Saurolophus angustirostris

| Maastrichtian

| Nemegt Formation

| Mongolia, and China

| Many specimens are known from the locale called the Dragon's Tomb, which often perseveres soft tissues. This makes it a target for fossil poachers

| File:Saurolophus_angustirostris_skin.JPG

Leonardo

|

| The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (on ten-year loan from Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station, 2013-2023)

| Brachylophosaurus canadensis

| Campanian

| Judith River Formation

| United States

| Well-preserved mummified specimen

|File:Leonardo mummified brachylophosaurus.jpg]]

=Ceratopsians=

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

| SMF R 4970

| Naturmuseum Senckenberg

| Psittacosaurus sp.

| Aptian

| Jehol Biota

| China

| This animal displays pigment preservation, bristles as well as a preserved Cloaca.

| File:Psittacosaurus_SMF_R_4970.jpg

|

|

|Triceratops{{Cite web|last=Witton|first=Mark|author-link=Mark P. Witton|date=2015-12-24|title=Mark Witton.com Blog: Dinosaur scales: some thoughts for artists|url=http://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2015/12/dinosaur-scales-some-thoughts-for.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618032909/http://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2015/12/dinosaur-scales-some-thoughts-for.html|archive-date=June 18, 2021|access-date=2021-06-25|website=Mark Witton.com Blog}}

|Maastrichtian

|

|

|

|

Lane

|Formerly BHI-6273

|Houston Museum of Natural ScienceLarson, P., Larson, M., Ott, C., & Bakker, R. (2007). Skinning a Triceratops. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 27(3), 104A.

|Triceratops horridus

|Maastrichtian

|Lance Formation

|United States

|Preserves extensive skin impressions, including large "nipple" scales on the sacrum and dorsum.

|thumb

=Thyreophorans=

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

Suncor Nodosaur

| TMP 2011.033. 0001{{cite web|title=Leonardo|url=https://greatplainsdinosaurs.org/leonardo/|access-date=28 May 2021|website=Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station}}

{{cite web|title=World's Most Complete Mummified Dinosaur Moves into The World's Largest Children's Museum {{!}} The Children's Museum of Indianapolis|url=https://www.childrensmuseum.org/World’s-Most-Complete-Mummified-Dinosaur|access-date=28 May 2021|website=www.childrensmuseum.org|publisher=Children's Museum of Indianapolis}}

{{cite web|last1=Benson|first1=Rod|title=Montana Earth Science Picture of the Week|url=http://formontana.net/malta.html|access-date=28 May 2021|website=formontana.net}}

{{cite web|title=Zuul, Destroyer of Shins|url=https://www.rom.on.ca/en/collections-research/research-community-projects/zuul|access-date=29 May 2021|website=Royal Ontario Museum|language=en}}

{{cite web|last1=Tarlach|first1=Gemma|title=Meet Zuul crurivastator: I Ain't 'Fraid Of No Ankylosaur|url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/meet-zuul-crurivastator-i-aint-fraid-of-no-ankylosaur|access-date=29 May 2021|website=Discover Magazine|language=en}}

{{cite journal|last1=Arbour|first1=Victoria M.|last2=Evans|first2=David C.|title=A new ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA, based on an exceptional skeleton with soft tissue preservation|journal=Royal Society Open Science|year=2017|volume=4|issue=5|publisher=Royal Society Publishing|pages=161086|doi=10.1098/rsos.161086|pmid=28573004|pmc=5451805|bibcode=2017RSOS....461086A }}

{{cite web|last1=Greshko|first1=Michael|date=2018-12-17|title=New species of incredible 'living tank' dinosaur unveiled|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/incredible-new-species-dinosaur-unveiled-zuul-ghostbusters-ankylosaur-paleontology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301043029/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/incredible-new-species-dinosaur-unveiled-zuul-ghostbusters-ankylosaur-paleontology|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 1, 2021|access-date=29 May 2021|website=National Geographic|language=en}}

| Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology

| Borealopelta markmitchelli

| Albian

| Clearwater Formation

| Canada

| This animal displays pigment preservation, as well as keratinous sheaths and stomach contents.

| File:Nodosaur.jpg

Zuul (originally Sherman)

|

| Royal Ontario Museum

| Zuul crurivastator

| Campanian

| Judith River Formation

| United States

|

|

Saurischians

=Maniraptoriformes=

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

| IVPP V14378, LPM – B00 169, and BMNHC PH828

| Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Liaoning Paleontological Museum, and the Beijing Museum of Natural History

| Anchiornis huxleyi

| Oxfordian

| Tiaojishan Formation

| China

| Many specimens of Anchiornis have been found, but a majority have not been described

| File:Anchiornis-Beijing_Museum_of_Natural_History.jpg

| IVPP 21711

| Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology

| Cruralispennia multidonta

| Hauterivian

| Huajiying Formation

| China

| It is a small Enantiornithine bird, it preserves pigment

| File:Ncomms14141-f1.jpg

| PMoL-B00175

| Paleontological Museum of Liaoning

| Caihong juji

| Oxfordian

| Yanliao Biota

| China

| The small bird possess pigments that might indicate black and iridescent colors.

| File:Caihong_skeleton.jpg

| MUSM 1444

|

| Inkayacu paracasensis

| Divisaderan-Tinguirirican

| Otuma Formation

| Peru

|A Fossil Penguin; pigments are preserved on this specimen.

|

| see Specimens of Archaeopteryx

| British Museum, the Maxburg Museum, among others

| Archaeopteryx lithographica

| Tithonian

| Solnhofen Limestone

| Germany

|

| File:Archaeopteryx_lithographica,_replica_of_London_specimen,_Staatliches_Museum_für_Naturkunde_Karlsruhe,_Germany_-_20100925.jpg

| see Specimens of Archaeopteryx

| Natural History Museum, Berlin and the Wyoming Dinosaur Center

| Archaeopteryx siemensii

| Tithonian

| Solnhofen Limestone

| Germany

|

|

File:Berlin_Archaeopteryx.jpg

|UFrJ-Dg 031

| Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

| Cratoavis cearensis

| Aptian

| Crato Formation

| Brazil

| It is a small Enantiornithine bird, it preserves a pygostyle and body feathers.

|

| FMHH PA 778

| Field Museum of Natural History

| Nahmavis grandei

| Eocene

| Green River Formation

| United States

| This bird comes from the Eocene Lagerstätte of the Green River in Wyoming.

| File:Fossil_bird_Field_Museum.jpg

| CAGS-IG-04-0801

| Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences

| Jinfengopteryx elegans

| Aptian

| Huajiying Formation

| China

| A Troodontid Dinosaur with extensive feather preservation.

| File:Jinfengopteryx_elegans_2.JPG

| IVPP V24194

| Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology

| Jinguofortis perplexus

| Barremian

| Dabeigou Formation

| China

| A Pygostylian Bird with feather preservation.

|

File:Type_specimen_of_Jinguofortis_perplexu.jpg

| GMV-2129

| Geological Museum of China

| Changchengornis hengdaoziensis

| Barremian-Aptian

| Yixian Formation

| China

| A Confuciusornithidae Bird with feather preservation.

| File:Changchengornis-Geological_Museum_of_China.jpg

=Compsognathidae=

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

| GMV 2123 and its counter slab, NIGP 127587, and D 2141

| Geologic Museum of China, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and the Dalian Natural History Museum

| Sinosauropteryx prima

| Aptian

| Yixian Formation

| China

| Three Specimens of Sinosauropteryx have been discovered to date, coloration is known from this dinosaur.

| File:Sinosauropteryxfossil.jpg

| JMP-V-05-8-01 and CAGS-IG-T1

|

| Sinocalliopteryx gigas

| Aptian

| Yixian Formation

| China

| Preserves extensive protofeathers on the body and tail

| File:Holotype_of_Sinocalliopteryx_gigas.png

| SMNK PAL 29241

| Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe

| Ubirajara jubatus

| Aptian

| Crato Formation

| Brazil

| The specimen is controversial in it legality, and it possesses feather “spikes” on its shoulders

|

= Tyrannosauroidea =

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

|ZCDM V5000,{{cite journal|last1=Xu|first1=X.|last2=Wang|first2=K.|last3=Zhang|first3=K.|last4=Ma|first4=Q.|last5=Xing|first5=L.|last6=Sullivan|first6=C.|last7=Hu|first7=D.|last8=Cheng|first8=S.|last9=Wang|first9=S.|display-authors=etal|year=2012|title=A gigantic feathered dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China|url=http://www.xinglida.net/pdf/Xu_et_al_2012_Yutyrannus.pdf|url-status=dead|journal=Nature|volume=484|issue=7392|pages=92–95|doi=10.1038/nature10906|pmid=22481363|bibcode=2012Natur.484...92X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417134949/http://www.xinglida.net/pdf/Xu_et_al_2012_Yutyrannus.pdf|archive-date=17 April 2012|s2cid=29689629}}

|Zhucheng Dinosaur Museum and Erlianhaote Dinosaur Museum

| Yutyrannus huali

|Early Cretcaeous (Aptian; 120 mya)

|Yixian Formation

| China

| Feathered

|

Bloody Mary

|

|North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

|Tyrannosaurus rex

|Maastrichtian

|Hell Creek Formation

|

|

|

Wyrex

|

|Houston Museum of Natural Science

|Tyrannosaurus rex

|Maastrichtian

|Hell Creek Formation

|USA

|Fragment of skin on tail

|

= Abelisaurs =

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Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

| MACN-CH 894{{cite journal|last1=Cerroni|first1=M. A.|last2=Canale|first2=J. I.|last3=Novas|first3=F. E.|date=2020|title=The skull of Carnotaurus sastrei Bonaparte 1985 revisited: insights from craniofacial bones, palate and lower jaw|journal=Historical Biology|volume=33|issue=10|pages=2444–2485|doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1802445|s2cid=225374445}}{{cite journal|last1=Hendrickx|first1=Christophe|last2=Bell|first2=Phil R.|date=August 2021|title=The scaly skin of the abelisaurid Carnotaurus sastrei (Theropoda: Ceratosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia|journal=Cretaceous Research|volume=128|pages=104994|doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104994|bibcode=2021CrRes.12804994H }}

|Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales

| Carnotaurus sastrei

| Cretaceous

| La Colonia Formation

|Argentina

|Skin impressions

|

Sauropodomorphs

class="wikitable sortable" align="center" width="100%"
Nickname

! Catalogue Number(s)

! Institution(s)

! Taxon

! Age

! Unit

! Country(s)

! Notes

! Images

none

| MDS-2019-028{{cite journal|vauthors=Gallagher T, Poole J, Schein JP|year=2021|title=Evidence of integumentary scale diversity in the Late Jurassic sauropod Diplodocus sp. from the Mother's Day Quarry, Montana|journal=PeerJ|volume=9|pages=e11202|doi=10.7717/peerj.11202|pmid=33986987|pmc=8098675 |doi-access=free}}

|

| Diplodocus

| Jurassic

| Morrison Formation

|Montana, United States

|

|

???

|???

|Royal Ontario Museum

|

|Jurassic

|Morrison Formation

|

|

|thumb

See also

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite journal |last1=Anderson |first1=L.A. |title=A chemical framework for the preservation of fossil vertebrate cells and soft tissues |journal=Earth-Science Reviews |date=2023 |volume=240 |page=104367 |doi=10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104367|bibcode=2023ESRv..24004367A |s2cid=257326012 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825223000569 |access-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719063851/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825223000569?via%3Dihub |archive-date=19 July 2023|doi-access=free }}

{{cite journal |last1=Schweitzer |first1=M.H. |title=Soft Tissue Preservation in Terrestrial Mesozoic Vertebrates |journal=Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences |year=2011 |volume=39 |pages=187–216 |doi=10.1146/annurev-earth-040610-133502|bibcode=2011AREPS..39..187S |url=https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-earth-040610-133502 |access-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719071803/https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-earth-040610-133502 |archive-date=19 July 2023}}

}}

Preserved soft tissue

preserved soft tissue