| Last
Spring Steve Brusatte visited the new mount of Paul Sereno's Suchomimus in the Chicago Children's Museum. Here Steve recalls his visions
of seeing one
of the 20th century's most amazing dinosaurs.
In 1997 fossil hunter David Varrichio was quietly
walking across the Nigerian desert. As part of Chicago paleontologist Paul
Sereno's dinosaur hunting team Varrichio was walking in hopes of
discovering dinosaur fossils that may, he hoped, give insights into the
paleoenvironment of ancient Africa. What he found next was beyond
insightful-it was amazing!
While on his walk over the sandy desert dunes Varrichio happened to
gaze down and lay his eyes upon a large dinosaurian thumb claw. The
amazing size and shape of the claw led Varrichio to call over Sereno and
the rest of the team. Quickly they began to dig and after a few days of
excavating the team had located an entire skeleton of an odd looking
carnivorous dinosaur.
Unlike the popular carnivorous T. rex this dinosaur had a long,
crocodile like skull with a chin guard called a rosetta, which held the
creature's end teeth in place. This creature had a two foot tall sail on
its back. Not only that, but it had powerful grasping limbs with fearsome
thumb claws. This creature was unlike any ever seen before, although
similar to the fish eating Baryonyx discovered in England nearly two
decades before. Because of Baryonyx's skull shape and powerful limbs
English paleontologists reasoned it was a fish eater. Sereno came to the
same conclusion with his dinosaur.
In November of 1998
Sereno, Varrichio, and his team named the amazing
creature Suchomimus in a highly popular paper appearing in the journal
Science. The following day Suchomimus made the frontpage of the Chicago
Tribune, was the subject of a major science story in the San Francisco
Chronicle, and was highlighted in an Associated Press article appearing in
thousands of newspapers countrywide. Although Sereno was noted for the
discovery of two of the oldest dinosaurs, Eoraptor and Herrerasaurus, and
a carnivore that may have been bigger than T. rex, Carchardontosaurus,
Suchomimus was proving to be his most popular, and perhaps successful,
discovery.
Because of its fish eating ability University of Maryland
paleontologist Thomas Holtz reasoned that Suchomimus may hold the key into
understanding dinosaur diversity. In a modern ecosystem, he says, there is
usually one dominant predator. There are lions on the African plains,
wolves in the American north, and cougars in may mountain systems. But, in
prehistoric Africa, as many as three or four large predators, including
one massive crocodile, shared Suchomimus' ecosystem. As Holtz wrote in a
Science commentary appearing next to Sereno's description paper, Suchomimus' ability to exploit the fish eating niche may have led to a
more diverse ecosystem, one that was able to hold 3-4 large predators.
Just days after the initial description of Suchomimus Paul Sereno
appeared on nearly every Chicago public television station, showing off
casts of the bones to adoring dinosaur fans. But, his point was not to
show, but to announce that he was going to display Suchomimus at the
Chicago Children's Museum. Instead of displaying the creature in a world
renowned natural history museum, such as the American Museum in New York,
or the close Field Museum in Chicago, Sereno chose to display the ever
scientifically important creature in the Children's Museum. "I want
to introduce dinosaurs to the children," he told the news anchors.
So, just weeks after his find was introduced, Suchomimus was mounted in
the Chicago Children's Museum.
This August Steve Brusatte of Dino Land had a chance to visit this
museum, which is located in the Chicago tourist district of Navy Pier,
right along the shores of Lake Michigan. When walking into Navy Pier the
Children's Museum is almost immediately to your left, sharing an entrance
with the ever popular McDonalds. You enter the museum through its gift
shop, and pay when you reach the second story. From the second story you
pass a large pirate ship like climbing device for children, and head up
another flight of stairs. When you reach the top of these stairs a small
sign says "Special Exhibit ->" You then follow the sign and
walk to the right, until you notice a large sign that says "Amoco
Presents Dinosaur Discovery!" Almost immediately you see the massive
mounted Suchomimus skeleton in all of its glory.
Approaching the skeleton you notice several signs explaining what many
of the most noticeable body parts were used for. One sign explained the
function of Varrichio's claw, and included two claw casts that the
children can reach out and touch. Approaching the skull you see a sign
explaining the fish eating ability of Suchomimus. Behind the creature is a
large model of two skulls-those of T. rex and Suchomimus. The display
compares the shape and function of the two very distinct skulls. Behind
the skulls is Michael Skrepnick's wonderful Suchomimus mural, measuring
about 20 by 10 feet. It is a perfect place to pose for a picture.
Walking to the right of the skeleton and the mural you notice a
beautiful Suchomimus model. Looking closer you read that it was sculpted
by the famed sculptor Stephen Czerkas. Continuing to the right of this
statue are three large displays-and hordes of kids! One display lets kids
reconstruct the limb of Suchomimus by using about 10 different bone
fragments. Another lets them reconstruct a Suchomimus claw using Crayola
model putty. Another lets them draw Suchomimus. Immediately left of these
exhibits is a small room, gloomy at first look, but amazing when you walk
in. Along the back wall is a large pit, about 35 by 10 feet, filled with
tire shreads, where you can actually "dig" out a model of Suchomimus. The dinosaur was placed in the pit in the exact position in
which it was found and covered with the tires. Now, it is arguably the
most popular spot in the museum.
Along another wall of the room is a television, constantly running,
which explains just how Suchomimus was excavated. Along the other wall is
a large jeep, one similar to the one Sereno used, which is loaded with
mock expedition supplies. Near it is a mock tent, like the one Sereno and
crew used on the expedition.
The Suchomimus exhibit is probably the most popular attraction in the
entire Navy Pier. And, rightfully so. I only hope that the children
visiting it realize just how important the fossil is to science. I hope
they see beyond its captivating looks and realize what it took to bring it
there.
If you think Suchomimus is the last big dinosaur to hit the Chicago
scene, you are wrong. Sereno is currently working on two giant sauropods
and hopes to unveil them by the millennium. So, it looks like there are
more dinosaurs in the future of the Children's Museum. |
