DALLAS — Multiple bidders pursued a skull from one of the most legendary prehistoric carnivores until it sold at $52,500 (above its high estimate) to claim top-lot honors in Heritage Auctions’ Nature & Science Auction December 15. The Dire Wolf, also called “the fearsome dog,” is referred to by some as a canine version of the Saber-Tooth Cat. Similar in size to the largest modern gray wolves, and likely a pack hunter consistent with its “hypercarnivorous” lifestyle, it disappeared at the end of the Ice Age, like most of the giant mammals of the Pleistocene. This stunning creature will resonate with some because it is represented by the dogs on HBO’s Game of Thrones. Obvious in this skull is the set of massive, powerful jaws that are believed to have not only torn flesh from prey, but also crush bones through sheer power in order to extract nutrients from the bone marrow. Bigger than most known Canis dirus skulls (it measures 11 1/3 inches long), this one is not from the West Coast tar pits that produce so many, but instead from near the Nodaway River in Iowa. The skull includes a maxilla and mandible, which were fully reconstructed, but the major part of the skull includes about 90 percent of the original bone material. For further information, www.ha.com or 877-437-4824.