Re: Exhibition: Reptiles from Russia and Asia in Braunschweig/Germany

[Martin Baeker <martin.baeker@tu-bs.de>]

Yes, I've already been there once (with my daughter, so not too much time 
to look at the details).
It is very nice indeed , although they pressed it into a lecture hall, so 
it is a bit crowded.

> The exhibition includes
> 
> - Two complete skeletons of Tyrannosaurus bataar
>   The type fossil of Saurolophus angustirostris
>   Original skeletons of Psittacosaurus und Protoceratops,
>   including a nest of eggs of Protoceratops
> 
> "Original skeletons of Psittacosaurus ..." seems
> to imply that the skeletons of Tyrannosaurus bataar
> and Saurolophus angustirostris are 100% casts.
Not being an expert, I cannot say for sure (especially because of having 
to explain everything to a 3-year old which was a bit frightened by the 
sharp teeth of the T bataar and worried it might wake up and eat the 
Saurolophus), but they did have the look of casts to my 
untrained eye.

Nevertheless, they were impressive (especially the Saurolophus, which is 
mounted in a rather upright position and thus looks *huge*.

> Not only reptiles but some fossils from the mammalian side
> - Inostranvecia
>   Estemmenosuchus
>   Biarmosuchus
These were especially nice to see.

> And some plates not only for ABSRDists
> - Sharovipteryx
>   Longisquama
Both were definitely casts - so I could see none of the 
impressions david p. claims to be there on the L. slate.

In addition, there was the skull of Tarchia, of a pachycephalosaur and 
some very early tetrapodes as well. 

Surely this is not something to be missed if you happen to be here in 
Braunschweig. (The catalogue, though, was a bit disappointing with only 
very few actual photographs, and rather small ones as well.)

> Last not least
> - A skull cast off Liopleurodon
If you visit, take note that this is not situated with the rest of the 
exhibition, but in the main museum building, together with a fossil of a 
sauropod unearthed in the vicinity of Braunschweig.

If you need more info, just contact me.

Cheers,

Martin.

                   Priv.-Doz. Dr. Martin BÃker
                   Institut fÃr Werkstoffe
                   Langer Kamp 8
                   38106 Braunschweig
                   Germany
                   Tel.: 00-49-531-391-3073                      
                   Fax   00-49-531-391-3058
                   e-mail <martin.baeker@tu-bs.de>