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DINOSAUR DUBREUILLOSAURUS VALESDUNENSIS
See original version (French)
203
-
DINOSAUR DUBREUILLOSAURUS VALESDUNENSIS
See original version (French)
Estimate €250,000 - €350,000
Voluntary lot
Description
DINOSAUR DUBREUILLOSAURUS VALESDUNENSIS
The only specimen of its species currently known
Carnivorous dinosaur
Approximately 167 million years ago (Middle Jurassic — Bathonian)
Classification: Theropod — Megalosauridae family
Terrestrial habitat: Europe
Juvenile specimen, under 10 years old, with an estimated length of around 5 metres (9–10 metres for an adult).
Part of its skeleton displayed flat in a glass case: 62 bones
Including the skull (70 per cent complete), cervical, dorsal, sacral and caudal vertebrae, jaw, teeth, femur, ribs, chevrons, scapula, coracoid, tibia, clavicle, fifth metatarsal…
Also included is a cast of the skull: height: 26 cm, length: 48 cm. Mounted on a plinth.
Also included are a multitude of bones and fragments displayed separately in a second small glass-fronted case.
Dimensions of the glass-fronted cases:
2.16 m x 1.26 m, height: 45 cm.
1.30 m x 90 cm, height: 25 cm.
Place of discovery: Conteville, Val-ès-Dunes – Calvados
Provenance: French private collection
IMPORTANT: FOR REMOVAL FROM THE NATIONAL CUSTOMS TERRITORY OR EXPORT OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION
The Dubreuillosaurus Valesdunensis is a cultural object
- For the removal of a cultural object from the national customs territory
The purchaser must apply to the Ministry of Culture for an export certificate.
- For the removal of a cultural object from the European customs territory
The purchaser must apply to the Ministry of Culture for an export licence.
Prior to purchase, any purchaser wishing to export the specimen outside France or outside Europe must check with the Ministry of Culture that it will authorise the specimen’s export.
MILLON shall not be held liable and shall not issue any refund should the French administrative authorities refuse to authorise the export of the specimen. Any delays or refusal of export shall not justify the cancellation of the sale, a delay in payment, or the termination of the contract.
IMPORTANT: EXPORT OUTSIDE FRANCE OR OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION
Dubreuillosaurus valesdunensis is a cultural object.
- For the removal of a cultural object from the French national customs territory
The purchaser must apply to the French Ministry of Culture for an export certificate.
- For the removal of a cultural object from the European customs territory
The purchaser must apply to the French Ministry of Culture for an export licence.
Before purchasing, any buyer wishing to export the specimen outside France or Europe must check with the French Ministry of Culture that the export of the specimen will be authorised.
MILLON accepts no liability and will not issue a refund should the French administrative authorities refuse to grant the export licence. Any delay or refusal by the authorities to issue an export licence does not constitute grounds for cancelling the sale.
AN EXCEPTIONAL FOSSIL
The Dubreuillosaurus Valesdunensis is one of the most significant palaeontological discoveries made in France over the last thirty years. It is the only specimen of its species currently known and constitutes the holotype.
Discovered in 1994 at Conteville, in Calvados, this theropod — a bipedal carnivorous dinosaur belonging to the same major group as Allosaurus or Tyrannosaurus rex — lived around 167 million years ago. At that time, the site corresponded to a shallow coastal environment, bordering a warm sea and close to the landmasses of the Armorican Massif, with vegetation interpreted as being similar to mangroves. Although a terrestrial animal, this dinosaur was preserved in marine sediments or in environments connected to the sea, such as lagoons, estuaries or bays.
In 2002, scientific research initially led Ronan Allain to describe a new species under the name Poekilopleuron valesdunensis. In 2005, following a study of the postcranial skeleton, he transferred this species to a new genus, Dubreuillosaurus, created in honour of its discoverer, André Dubreuil (1941–2024).
Today, this fossil, whose provenance is thoroughly documented, is set to write a new chapter in its history.
The specimen on display is the only one known to date; it is a holotype, the sole reference used to officially describe the species.
Its provenance is unbroken and fully documented from its discovery right through to its display in the museum.
The specimen of Dubreuillosaurus valesdunensis is both a spectacular fossil and a subject of study that has profoundly enriched our understanding of European carnivorous dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic.
A DISCOVERY BORN OF CHANCE
The story begins in late summer 1994, towards the end of September.
In Conteville, in Calvados, André Dubreuil – a member of the Villers-sur-Mer Palaeontological Association and mayor of Conteville – was carrying out work on a plot of land he owned. A keen geologist, he noticed several fossilised specimens outcropping in the Pierre de Caen limestone and immediately recognised shapes resembling teeth or fangs. He then sought the advice of specialists.
On 16 November 1994, Professor Michel Rioult, a palaeontologist at the University of Caen, examined these specimens and confirmed that they were the teeth of a carnivorous theropod. A claw was discovered later, during the first excavation campaign. Philippe Taquet of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris did not become involved until 1998, nearly four years after the discovery.
Several excavation campaigns were organised. Over the years, several thousand fragments were extracted, catalogued and then transferred to the National Museum of Natural History.
Ten years of research culminated in a major discovery
The study of the fossil began in the laboratories of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.
Each bone was exposed, stabilised, restored and then compared with the large carnivorous dinosaurs known in Europe.
As the research progressed, one thing became clear: the bones from Conteville did not correspond to any species described up to that point.
The skull, limbs and several anatomical features displayed a combination that was entirely unprecedented amongst European megalosaurids.
The conclusion was extraordinary.
The research was carried out in two stages. In 2002, Ronan Allain described the bones as a new species, which he initially assigned to the genus Poekilopleuron: Poekilopleuron valesdunensis. A study of the postcranial skeleton subsequently led to a reconsideration of this classification, as the recently discovered carnivorous dinosaur from Normandy is not related to the English megalosaur Poekilopleuron.
In 2005, Ronan Allain transferred the species to a new genus, Dubreuillosaurus, created in honour of its discoverer, André Dubreuil. The specific epithet ‘valesdunensis’ refers to Val-ès-Dunes, a historic region and battlefield near Conteville.
On 10 August 1047, William of Normandy – the future William the Conqueror – won a decisive battle there with the support of King Henry I, nearly twenty years before the conquest of England.
The specimen offered for sale is the holotype of Dubreuillosaurus valesdunensis. In palaeontology, this status means that it is the single specimen on which the scientific definition of the species is based and against which future discoveries can be compared.
Thanks to its excellent state of preservation, particularly that of its skull (70 per cent complete) and a multitude of bones, it has provided a better understanding of the evolution of large European carnivorous dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic and remains a benchmark in international scientific literature.
A REMARKABLE PROVENANCE
The value of a fossil does not rest solely on its rarity.
Its provenance, scientific history and traceability are now essential criteria.
The Dubreuillosaurus has a fully documented history: its discovery was precisely located in 1994, followed by scientific excavation campaigns, study at the National Museum of Natural History, scientific publications, and finally its display at the Paléospace in Villers-sur-Mer.
This historical continuity is a particularly sought-after asset in the market for collectable fossils.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
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