The arrival of the Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis jawbone highlights the museum’s growing role in bringing world-class scientific and cultural exhibits to the region, giving students and visitors a chance to experience the awe of discovery without leaving their hometown. The piece was loaned from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science in Albuquerque, New Mexico, connecting the college and local community to a groundbreaking discovery made here in New Mexico. 

Originally discovered in the 1980s along the Elephant Butte Reservoir, the fossil includes a massive jawbone and razor-sharp teeth. Recent reexamination using modern scientific techniques revealed that the specimen represents a new, more primitive relative, or possible subspecies of Tyrannosaurus rex. Known as Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis, this discovery pushes back the evolutionary timeline for “tyrannosaur-type” predators in North America by approximately 7 million years before the emergence of T. rex itself.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for our community to experience a piece of New Mexico’s prehistoric past up close, “The Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis jawbone currently on display at our facility has significantly advanced the scientific understanding of the evolutionary history of the Tyrannosaurus species,” said Coordinator of Western Heritage Museum Collections, Paul Thornton.

The jawbone is now on public display at the Western Heritage Museum, offering visitors a glimpse into the dawn of one of Earth’s most historic predators. The museum also announced that more specimens are expected to arrive later this year, including a cast of Stan, the world-famous Tyrannosaurus rex fossil discovered in South Dakota. Stan is recognized as the fifth most complete T. rex skeleton ever found, and its addition will further enhance the museum’s growing natural history collection.

The unveiling of Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis also marks a transition in the museum’s exhibit lineup. The current Prometheus in the desert: The Manhattan Project and the Dawn of the Nuclear Age display will be taken down to make room for new features centered around these fossils.

The Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis jawbone is available for viewing during regular museum hours at The Western Heritage Museum. 

 

New Mexico Junior College (NMJC) is a leading educational institution committed to providing success through learning and high-quality education to its diverse student body. Founded in 1965, NMJC offers a wide range of academic programs, certifications, and services to empower students to achieve their educational and career goals.

Contact: Valerie Onsurez Gauna, Director of Engagement & Outreach, New Mexico Junior College, 575-492-2780, vgauna@nmjc.edu, or Emilee Jarrett, Media Production Coordinator, 575-492-2794, ejarrett@nmjc.edu