A Review of Prehistoric Times (Summer 2018)

The latest issue of “Prehistoric Times”, the magazine for dinosaur fans and prehistoric model collectors has arrived at the Everything Dinosaur offices.  Issue 126 came with a little bit extra, one of the stamps on the carefully prepared envelope to ensure safe despatch from America and arrival in the UK, had a scratch and sniff element.  This edition of “Prehistoric Times” came with a hint of strawberries!

“Prehistoric Times” Magazine

Our thanks to the sender for highlighting this feature for us, we probably would have missed it.

On the subject of features, issue 126 is crammed full of top-class articles and features.  The front cover depicts a painting of a nothosaur by the influential Czech artist Zdeněk Burian.  John Lavas builds on his piece incorporated into issue 125 on Burian’s ichthyosaurs, writing about placodonts, nothosaurs and primitive turtles.

The Front Cover of Issue 126 Features a Nothosaur

Prehistoric Times magazine (summer 2018)
Prehistoric Times magazine (issue 126).  The front cover features a nothosaur.

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times (Summer 2018)

Wendiceratops, Cynognathus and Dunkleosteus

This issue covers not two but three prehistoric animals.  Phil Hore treats us to a run down on Wendiceratops, a centrosaurine named in 2015.  To read Everything Dinosaur’s article about the discovery of Wendiceratops: Wendiceratops pinhornensis from Southern Alberta, in addition Phil has penned a most informative article on Cynognathus, a bizarre Triassic critter that has been studied for more than 120 years, still there is lots more to learn about this therapsid.  Matt Bille describes that Devonian delight Dunkleosteus, so there are placodonts and placoderms in the summer 2018 edition.

Dunkleosteus terrelli – First King of the Ocean

The CollectA Dunkleosteus
The CollectA 1:20 scale Dunkleosteus replica which was introduced in 2018.  Dunkleosteus described by Matt Bille as the “first king of the ocean”.

The picture (above) highlights the CollectA 2018 Deluxe Dunkleosteus figure.

To view the CollectA range of prehistoric animal scale models and figures: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life Models.

Look out for some amazing reader’s artwork that accompanies these articles.  Special mentions to Meg Berstein, Kevin Hedgpeth and Jake Walsh (Wendiceratops), Jorge Blanco, Giovanni De Benedictis and John Sibbick for their contributions to the Cynognathus piece.  The editor of “Prehistoric Times” magazine gets so many pictures from readers that an entire page (page 7), of this issue is allocated to showcasing some of the work that has been submitted.

An Interview with Palaeontologist Dr Thomas Carr

Expert on the Tyrannosauroidea, vertebrate palaeontologist Dr Thomas Carr discusses T. rex and makes the case for a new species of Daspletosaurus, as well as explaining the trend for reduced arms in Late Cretaceous theropods in what is a most in-depth and interesting interview.  In Tracy Lee Ford’s excellent regular slot, Tyrannosaurus rex takes centre stage and the writer describes how to reconstruct the body of the most famous dinosaur of all from the tip of the snout down to the last caudal vertebra.

Dr Thomas Carr Discusses Daspletosaurus

Skull and jaws of D. horneri with line drawings.
Views of the skull and jaws of the holotype fossil material (D. horneri).

Picture credit: Scientific Reports

To read Everything Dinosaur’s article about a new species of Daspletosaurus being announced: New Species of Daspletosaurus – D. horneri.

Dino Gardens and Prehistoric Zoo

Editor Mike Fredericks discusses what’s new in the world of prehistoric animal and model collections as well as covering new book releases.  He has also found time in his very congested diary to write about the history of Ossineke’s Prehistoric Zoo, an early version of a dinosaur theme park that was the work of artist and dinosaur enthusiast Paul N. Domke.  The black and white photographs showing some of the models are exquisite, look carefully and you can read some of the original notes written on the photos.

Allen Debus writes about two influential dinosaur books, plus there is an update on new fossil discoveries, a step-by-step guide in Wendiceratops model building and a fascinating piece on the history of a single replica series written by Robert Telleria.

There is certainly a lot to commend this edition and Everything Dinosaur recommends that dinosaur fans and model collectors subscribe to this quarterly publication.

For further information about Prehistoric Times and to subscribe: Prehistoric Times Magazine.