Thought to be the largest and one of the most complete Stegosaurus specimens ever uncovered, Apex is now on view in the American Museum of Natural History.
The 150-milion-year-old fossil, known as Apex, measures 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) tall and 27 feet (8.2 meters) long. It is mounted in a defensive pose, with its spiked tail raised in the air.
This extraordinary Stegosaurus specimen was discovered in 2022 in the famed Morrison Formation, just outside of Dinosaur, Colorado. It is extremely well-preserved, with more than 254 of approximately 320 bone elements. Missing pieces were filled in with 3D-printed and sculpted components.
Apex is on exhibit in a windowed alcove at the entrance to the Gilder Center, offering visitors the opportunity to move around the fossil to appreciate its scale from all angles.
Main Image: Alvaro Keding and Daniel Kim/© AMNH