2013 | Everything Dinosaur Blog

8 07, 2013

Miocene Lizard Preserved in Amber

By Mike|2023-02-18T22:08:35+00:00July 8th, 2013|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|2 Comments

Scientists Examine New Species of Prehistoric Lizard

Being small has its advantages. For example, being able to survive a devastating global catastrophe such as an impact by an extraterrestrial object which hastened the demise of the Dinosauria. As a general rule, if a land-living organism was bigger than a Labrador sixty five million years ago, roughly the time of the disaster, then it would most likely not have survived. However, small, terrestrial creatures are rarely preserved in the fossil record.

Often their delicate skeletons are lost well before any fossilisation can take place, indeed, the carcase of any small animal is very likely to be scavenged, making a tasty mouthful for any passing predator. So it is very remarkable to read about the discovery of an entirely new species of lizard dating from the Miocene – a lizard fossil preserved in amber.

Lizard Specimen Preserved in Amber

Lizard specimen preserved in amber.

Miocene Lizard

Researchers studying amber (fossilised tree resin), in the state of Chiapas (Mexico), from a famous location, the Simojovel amber deposits, have uncovered the complete fossilised remains of a small lizard, preserved in an amber nodule. The little lizard has been assigned to the family Dactyloidae and the genus Anolis, a diverse genera that contains something like 400 extant species.

The lizard specimen measures approximately 4.5 centimetres by 1.3 centimetres and as this little creature was trapped by sticky tree resin the fossilised specimen is virtually complete. A spokesperson from the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Physics Institute, Francisco Riquelme stated that the discovery is particularly important as soft tissue and skin has been preserved. The lizard and a number of other significant amber fossils are on display at the Amber Museum in San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapas State).

Evolution of Anolis Lizards

Anolis lizards today can be found throughout the south-eastern United States and the Caribbean, most of these lizards are insectivores and the discovery of such a well-preserved specimen will help scientists to understand a little more about the diversity and evolution of this type of lizard.

Director of the nearby Chiapas Palaeontology Museum, Gerardo Carbot commented that the age of the strata from which the amber was excavated dates to around 23 million years ago. A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur suggested that the fossil might be from the Aquitanian faunal stage of the Miocene. Such discoveries are very important as they give palaeontologists an insight into the smaller creatures that inhabited this part of the world millions of years ago. Other organisms preserved in amber have included frogs, mites, spiders and insects as well as plant remains and pollen.

To read about the discovery of a one-hundred-million-year-old spider fossil preserved in amber: Spider Fossil Preserved in Amber.

Although the discovery of a lizard fossil such as this is extremely rare, the scientists are confident that other fossils in amber are likely to be found, perhaps feathers, lizard scales and other such debris from these Mexican deposits.

For dinosaur themed toys and prehistoric animal themed gifts: Everything Dinosaur.

7 07, 2013

The Unique Fossil Heritage of Iran

By Mike|2024-04-12T08:53:05+01:00July 7th, 2013|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Geology, Palaeontological articles|2 Comments

Local Farmer Finds Spectacular Ammonite Fossil

With team members at Everything Dinosaur making frequent visits to the “Jurassic Coast” of Dorset on various expeditions you would think that looking at ammonite fossils would become rather “run of the mill” for us, however, I don’t think that any of us will ever lose our fascination for these creatures. Even the smallest fossil find, perhaps a pyritised Promicroceras spp. from Charmouth, or an example of Arnioceras from further along the coast is greeted with excitement. There is a real buzz when you first see a fossil, that moment of realisation that you are the first person to see evidence of that living creature for some 180 million years or so.

The Joy of Fossil Hunting

A typical ammonite – but not all types of this cephalopod had coiled shells.

Each time we visit Lyme Regis, and get out onto the beaches to search for fossils we meet people who are first time visitors to the area. We are always happy to answer their questions and provide advice on where to look, we even give most of our fossil finds away, especially to the Mums and Dads so that their children can take something “special” away with them.

The Dorset Coast

To get the best out of a visit to the Lyme Regis and Charmouth areas, we recommend going on an organised fossil walk with one of the local experts and guides. The cliffs are particularly dangerous, and under the expert guidance and tutelage of a professional fossil collector visitors can be safe and they get the chance to learn about the geology and the fossils that can be found.

To read more about organised fossil walks at Lyme Regis: Lyme Regis Fossil Walks.

However, ammonite fossils are not restricted to the southern coast of England. These extinct relatives of squid, cuttlefish and octopi are distributed world wide in Mesozoic aged rocks. We were intrigued to read about the discovery of a large ammonite specimen by an Iranian farmer in the north-eastern province of North Khorassan. Early reports state that this fossil is approximately 70 million years old (Upper Cretaceous).

The province of North Khorassan in Iran borders Turkmenistan, although fossils from this area have been known about for centuries, some parts of this region remain relatively unexplored and there are many more thousands of fossils awaiting discovery.

Ammonite Fossil

The fossil shows the shell of the ammonite, these creatures are rarely found as fossils with their soft parts preserved. The animal lived in the outermost chamber of its shell. Ammonites were pelagic (living above the ocean floor) and like other cephalopods they were active swimmers (nektonic), propelling themselves along by squirting water out of a siphon. As the ammonite grew, it extended its coiled, tubular shell outwards, laying down new chamber walls behind it. These chambers contained a mixture of gas and water which the animal used to control its buoyancy. As ammonite fossils are abundant and widely distributed these fossils are used by geologists as zone fossils in the correlation of strata (bio-stratification).

A Model of an Ammonite Showing the Soft Tissues

A model showing an Ammonite.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur team members wrote an article a couple of years ago about the discovery of marine reptile fossils in Iran, much of the fossil material from this region could represent new species.

To read about the discovery of Plesiosaurus fossils in Iran: Plesiosaur Fossils from Iran.

Local farmer Morteza Hemmati, discovered the large ammonite fossil, an internal mould of the shell of the ten-tentacled creature whilst digging. The fossil which weighs around fifteen kilogrammes is very well preserved and it probably made its way up to the surface as a result of erosion. The fossil looks to be in excellent condition, and where there is one ammonite fossil there is a strong possibility of a lot more being found in the area.

Let’s hope that this specimen gets donated to a local museum or university so that it can be preserved and then studied. Perhaps, it may even be put on public display so that local people can learn more about the geology of their province.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of replica fossils including models of ammonites: Models of Ammonites and other Prehistoric Animals.

6 07, 2013

Loch Ness Monster Myth Solved – It was the Faults Fault

By Mike|2023-02-18T21:17:41+00:00July 6th, 2013|Animal News Stories, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Geology|2 Comments

Sightings of Loch Ness Monster Explained by Geological Fault

Italian geologist Luigi Piccardi claims that activity along a fault line that runs beneath the Scottish Highlands could be responsible for a spate of “Nessie” sightings in the 1930s the reignited the myth of there being a monster in Loch Ness. Loch Ness itself, was formed around twelve thousand years ago and its dark, cold, peaty waters are more than seven hundred feet deep in places.

Loch Ness Monster

The geologist has postulated that a fault line that runs for 62 miles beneath the Scottish Highlands could be responsible for sightings of “Nessie”. Loch Ness lies over the Great Glen Fault, a line of weakness in the strata that once marked the boundary between two continents back in the Devonian. Erosion during the Quaternary led to the formation of many deep basins which after the ice retreated at the end of the last Ice Age, left large bodies of water trapped in these basins, one such body of water became Loch Ness.

Occasional Tremors Mistaken for Monster

As a researcher at the CNR – the Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, based in Bologna, ( Italy), Luigi claims that although the fault is now very inactive, occasional tremors would cause surface distortions on the Loch and these could be mistaken for a monster.

The Great Glen Fault was relatively active in the 1920s and 1930s and this led to numerous reports of a strange beast lurking in the Loch’s deep waters. A number of photographs were taken, apparently showing a large animal with a serpentine head. The most famous of these, a picture known as the “surgeon’s photograph”, was allegedly taken by a London gynaecologist Dr Robert Kenneth Wilson. This photograph, showing an image of a head and a long, swan-like neck was taken in 1934. It caused a sensation when first published but over recent years the photograph has been discredited and many believe that it is a clever fake.

However, the geologist points out that as the Great Glen Fault was particularly active in the 1920s and 1930s the majority of reported sightings could be attributed to disturbances caused by Fault movements.

He stated:

“There are various effects on the surface of the water that can be related to the activity of the Fault. We know that this was a period [1920-1930] with increased activity of the Fault. In reality, people have seen the effects of the earthquakes on the water.”

“Nessie” as the monster is affectionately known, is thought by some people to be a plesiosaur, a type of marine reptile from the Mesozoic with a small head, long neck, large body and four flippers. The plesiosaurs are believed to have become extinct at the very end of the Cretaceous geological period around sixty-five million years ago.

A Typical Plesiosaur – Is this Nessie?

Nessie or the consequences of a geological fault?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

British Government Believed in Nessie

Recently released records indicate that the British Government believed in the existence of a monster in the Loch. Intriguingly, there are a number of large lakes in the Northern Hemisphere which are associated with monster legends. This phenomenon is not just linked to the Scottish Highlands but Ireland, Sweden, Norway, the United States and Canada all over their own “Lake Monsters”.

To view an article on the British Government’s views on “Nessie”: British Officials Believed in the Loch Ness Monster.

Sightings do still occur and this summer visitors to the Loch will be busy scanning the surface of the water to see if Nessie raises its head out of the depths. The last photograph, showing a brownish hump in the water, perhaps a monster or as many people have suggested an upturned rowing boat, was snapped in 2010. With the advent of cameras and film recorders in phones, photographs of suspected monsters are likely to increase once again, as tourists visiting various lakes in the northern hemisphere take snap-shots of the so called beasties.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“One could imagine a large vertebrate living in the vast, largely unexplored depths of the Pacific or Indian Oceans, but it is difficult to imagine a viable population of air breathing, marine reptiles remaining hidden in a body of water such as Loch Ness. It [Loch Ness] may hold as much water in it as all the freshwater lakes of England and Wales combined, but I really doubt the existence of any large creatures that could be called monsters lurking in Loch Ness.”

Do you believe in the Loch Ness Monster?

To view the range of plesiosaur models and replicas in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Prehistoric Animal Models including Sea Monsters.

5 07, 2013

Not your Average Game of Golf – Golfer Loses Two Fingers to a Crocodile (Important Advice for Golfers)

By Mike|2024-04-29T14:18:10+01:00July 5th, 2013|Animal News Stories|0 Comments

American Tourist Loses Fingers in Crocodile Attack

An American tourist playing a game of golf with some friends had his round abruptly curtailed when a crocodile bit off two of his fingers. The fifty-year-old golf enthusiast apparently pretended to feed the predator, perhaps showing off to his mates, however, the crocodile snapped and as a result the poor chap is going to have to re-model his golf swing.

Crocodile

The incident happened on a golf course in the Mexican resort of Cancun (Yucatan peninsula). Over the last few years, officials at the resort had become increasingly concerned about the large numbers of crocodiles that had been seen around areas frequented by tourists. Locals are aware of the potential dangers, avoiding crocodiles, but tourists, perhaps keen to get a photograph of these large carnivores may venture too close.

The Difference Between a Crocodile and an Alligator

Crocodile (top) and Alligator (bottom).

There have been a number of incidents reported, one of the most serious occurred when a homeless man was attacked by a crocodile (believed to be a Morelet’s crocodile) on the shores of Nichupte lagoon. The victim lost his right hand in the attack. Police spokespersons stated at the time that there were plenty of warning signs posted indicating the presence of these reptiles and they urged people to take great care and to avoid parts of the coast where the crocodile population density was highest.

In a Stable Condition

In a statement made by Civil Protection officer Felix Diaz Villalobos, it was revealed that the golfer was in a stable condition in hospital and medics had recovered one of the severed fingers in the hope of being able to reattach it.

The officer added, that the victim was attacked after he ignored signs warning about the presence of crocodiles.

He stated:

“These animals are generally very peaceful.”

There have been calls recently to re-instate hunting of Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletti), also known as the Mexican crocodile as populations have risen since a ban on hunting was imposed. The area of Cancun is also home to a significant number of American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus), a crocodile very much at home in salt water and an animal capable of growing to more than four metres in length.

These crocodiles can be found as far north as Florida, in Central America and as far south as Peru and Venezuela. They are distinguished from other large crocodile species by having a pronounced “V” shape to their snouts. The jaws are narrower than other large Crocodilians. However, those jaws are still very dangerous and although their diet consists largely of fish, these reptiles will attack and are man-eaters.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur said:

“It is important that people keep vigilant and take heed of any warning notices, even a relatively small crocodile is capable of inflicting serious injury.”

4 07, 2013

Young Palaeontologists Reconstruct a Beautiful Stegosaurus Skeleton

By Mike|2024-04-29T14:18:53+01:00July 4th, 2013|Educational Activities, Teaching|0 Comments

Children at West Walton Community Primary School Learn about Dinosaurs

Children in the reception class at West Walton Community Primary have been learning all about dinosaurs and fossils this term, under the enthusiastic tutelage of the teaching and support staff at the school.

The budding young palaeontologists have been excavating dinosaur bones out in the school yard, creating pictures and writing stories about prehistoric animals, they even got the chance to produce some lovely artwork. Spotted in pride of place on one of the walls of the reception classroom was this beautifully constructed illustration of the skeleton of the dinosaur known as Stegosaurus. When asked, the children were eager to share their knowledge of dinosaurs, explaining that Stegosaurus was a plant-eater, with plates on his back, spikes on his tail and this dinosaur had a very small brain – no bigger than a walnut.

Stegosaurus Skeleton Artwork

The Stegosaurus Illustration in the Classroom

Young children study dinosaurs.

Picture credit: West Walton Community Primary School

Mrs Hughes, one of the reception class teachers explained that the children had been very keen to study dinosaurs this term and when it came to creating the class’s own Stegosaurus skeleton the children were determined to make it as accurate as they could. She told a team member at Everything Dinosaur who visited the school, that one little boy even measured the ribs in order to make sure they were the right size.

Stegosaurus Illustration

It is certainly a very commendable effort and Stegosaurus is one of the most iconic of all the members of the Dinosauria. As for the small brain size, the walnut metaphor seems to be universally accepted and team members at Everything Dinosaur have come across it on many occasions. It is true that when the brain to body size ratio for a large number of dinosaurs is considered, then in comparison with their huge bulk, a lot of dinosaurs do seem to have possessed very small brains indeed. Using a walnut to describe the brain size of a dinosaur, seems to date back more than one hundred years.

One of the earliest examples, of the “walnut phrase” being used comes from a illustrated book “Mighty Animals”, first published in 1912. The description was applied to the Late Jurassic dinosaur Diplodocus, not Stegosaurus.

There is a reference to the eminent American palaeontologist Edwin Colbert describing the Stegosaurus brain as “being not much bigger than a walnut” back in 1945 and within Everything Dinosaur’s extensive reference library, we have come across one description from shortly after the Second World War that describes the brain of Stegosaurus as being “only as big as a prune”.

A Scale Drawing of Stegosaurus

An illustration of Stegosaurus (S. stenops).

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Knowledge of Neuroanatomy

As our knowledge of neuroanatomy has developed so our interpretation of intelligence has changed. The crude measure of body size to brain size, does not necessarily give an indication of “intelligence”, as different behaviours in animals can be seen as a form of intelligence. For example, the brain of the grey squirrel is small, these little rodents that leap about in the trees at the back of Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse, still exhibit remarkable feats of memory far superior to our own when it comes to locating nuts that they have buried.

Another method of estimating relative intelligence is the Encephalisation Quotient (EQ). This analysis is based on the principle of comparing the brain volume of the animal being studied to the brain volume of a control animal with approximately the same body weight. Here too, the assumption is that animals with larger brains to body ratios are more intelligent than animals with smaller brains to body size ratios.

Cold-blooded bony fish such as the Pacific Salmon have a brain size just one tenth of that of a similar sized mammal, yet these fish are capable of navigating thousands of miles and making their way upstream, overcoming all sorts of obstacles and obstructions.

Although, the likes of Stegosaurus had very small brains, these animals were clearly well adapted to their environments and we as a species have much more to learn about when it comes to estimating relative intelligence and defining intelligent behaviours in the rest of the Animal Kingdom. After all, Homo sapiens has been around as a species for over two hundred thousand years, but the Stegosaurs as a group may have existed for more than thirty-five million years.

Stegosaurus – Well Adapted to its Environment

A remarkable dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Perhaps the budding palaeontologists inspired by the teaching staff at West Walton Community Primary will one day carry out some research the helps improve our understanding and interpretation of intelligent behaviours in the Kingdom Animalia.

To view models of stegosaurs and other other armoured dinosaurs take a look at the PNSO model collection: PNSO Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

3 07, 2013

New Cover Artwork for Prehistoric Times (Issue 106)

By Mike|2024-01-01T17:28:10+00:00July 3rd, 2013|Dinosaur Fans, Prehistoric Times|0 Comments

20th Anniversary of Prehistoric Times Magazine

Twenty years in geological time is merely the blink of an eye but today team members at Everything Dinosaur are looking forward to receiving the next edition of “Prehistoric Times”, the magazine for dinosaur model collectors and fans. The next issue will mark the 20th anniversary of this quarterly publication – my how time flies.

The Cover Artwork on “Prehistoric Times” (Summer 2013)

Marking the 20th anniversary of the magazine.

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times

“Prehistoric Times”

Mike Fredericks, the highly talented editor of “Prehistoric Times” and his contributors have compiled a super summer edition, jam-packed full of the latest news in the world of vertebrate palaeontology, new model releases, top interviews, product reviews and artwork. There is a special feature on Tyrannosaurus rex, the number one when it comes to Everything Dinosaur’s annual survey to find out which is the favourite prehistoric animal of all our readers, fans and customers.

To read more about “Prehistoric Times” magazine: Prehistoric Times Magazine.

The life of the great stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen is commemorated with a special tribute, Ray the amazingly gifted and talented creator of many of the monsters seen in such classic films as Clash of the Titans (1981), the Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), One Million Years B.C. (1966) and Jason and the Argonauts (1963) sadly passed away in May.

Team members, can’t wait for their next issue of Prehistoric Times to arrive.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.

2 07, 2013

The CollectA Deinotherium Model Reviewed

By Mike|2023-02-18T21:03:17+00:00July 2nd, 2013|Everything Dinosaur Products, Everything Dinosaur videos, Product Reviews|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur Reviews the CollectA Deinotherium 1:20 Scale Model

Below is a short review (4:30) of the new CollectA Deinotherium model by Everything Dinosaur. In this short video, we review the model and point out some of the fine details of this excellent replica.

CollectA Deinotherium

The CollectA Deinotherium Model is Reviewed

Video credit: Everything Dinosaur

This is a great model of a prehistoric elephant and a fine addition to the CollectA Deluxe range of scale prehistoric animal models.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a wide range of prehistoric animal figures including several models of prehistoric elephants and their close relatives.

To view the huge range of mammoths, sabre-toothed cats and other prehistoric mammal models and replicas in stock at Everything Dinosaur, visit the company’s “Prehistoric Mammals” section of their award-winning website: Models of Prehistoric Mammals.

1 07, 2013

Croatia Joins the EU (Important News)

By Mike|2024-04-29T14:23:51+01:00July 1st, 2013|Everything Dinosaur News and Updates|0 Comments

Croatia and its Importance to Palaeontology

Today, July 1st, marks the official entry of Croatia into the European Union. Croatia becomes the 28th country to join and from a geologist’s perspective this part of Europe that borders Hungary in the north east, Slovenia in the west, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south is important as a result of its deep caves and limestone formations. Part of the Eurasian plate, this landmass which also borders the Adriatic Sea is important to anthropalaeontologists as it is the site of a number of important Neanderthal fossil finds.

Palaeontology

Croatia is mentioned in four previous Everything Dinosaur blog articles, mostly for important discoveries that have added to our knowledge of the Neanderthals. For example, last month team members wrote an article about the first evidence of bone cancer being found in a rib bone from a Neanderthal. This fossilised bone was part of a number of fossils excavated from a cave location in Krapina.

To read more about this discovery: Neanderthal Rib Bone Shows Signs of Bone Cancer.

Neanderthal Fossils

The town of Krapina, in the north of Croatia is one of the most significant locations for Neanderthal fossils in the whole of Europe. In 1899, several hundred fossilised bones and artefacts were found on a hillside overlooking the town. Krapina even has its own museum dedicated to the Neanderthals. It showcases some of the rare fossils that have been discovered in the area, there is an exhibit featuring a mock up of a Neanderthal inhabited cave and the museum also houses a number of fossils of some of the animals these people used to hunt, including specimens of prehistoric rhinos.

A Model of a Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis)

Early resident of Croatia.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Fossil Evidence

The fossil evidence indicates that northern Croatia was home to a number of early human cultures as well as the Neanderthals, a world dominated by large prehistoric beasts such as Lions, Woolly Rhinos and Cave Bears. Everything Dinosaur has a number of customers in Croatia, changes have already been made on the company’s website to accommodate Croatia’s membership of the European Union. The country has made a significant contribution to the study of early humans and the museum in Krapina houses one of the best collections of Neanderthal fossils to be found in the whole of the European Union.

Everything Dinosaur regularly sends parcels to Croatia and other European countries, to view the extensive range of dinosaur models and prehistoric animal toys available, including replicas of Neanderthals: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

30 06, 2013

Psittacosaurus Switched from Four Legs to Two as it Grew According to New Research

By Mike|2024-04-29T14:44:05+01:00June 30th, 2013|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

Scientists Explore how Psittacosaurus Changed as it Grew

A new study published in the scientific journal “Nature Communications” has shed light on how the dinosaur known as Psittacosaurus grew. It seems that when very young these animals adopted a quadrupedal stance and only as they matured did their back legs grow large enough for them to adopt a bipedal way of walking.

Psittacosaurus

The Psittacosaurus genus is perhaps the best represented genus of all the Dinosauria in the fossil record. Regarded as a transitional form between the ornithopods and the horned dinosaurs, this small type of dinosaur has more species attributed to the genus than any other dinosaur. Known from Cretaceous aged strata from China, Russia, Mongolia and Thailand this dinosaur can also lay claim to be the most extensively researched of all the dinosaurs. The great number of fossils, ranging from tiny, recently hatched individuals to mature adults some two metres long has provided palaeontologists with an extensive fossil resource to study.

An Illustration of a Mature Psittacosaurus (Human Figure for Scale)

Picture credit Everything Dinosaur

For models and replicas of Psittacosaurus (whilst stocks last) and other Early Cretaceous dinosaurs: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Figures.

The first remains of Psittacosaurus were found in 1922 by the American Museum of Natural History expedition to Outer Mongolia. This dinosaur was named and described by the famous American palaeontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn, who was also responsible for naming Tyrannosaurus rex. It was named after its square skull and distinctive large, beak that reminded scientists of a parrots beak. The name Psittacosaurus means “Parrot lizard”.

The Skull of a Species of Psittacosaurus (P. gobiensis) Compared to the Skull of an Extant Macaw

Picture credit: Mike Hettwer

Ontogenic studies (studies of how animals grew and changed as they matured), are extremely difficult. The paucity of the fossil record for each genus makes comparative studies extremely difficult. However, a team of scientists from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (IVPP – Beijing), Bristol University (England) and the University of Bonn (Germany), have used a combination of bio-mechanical studies and analysis of bone growth of Psittacosaurus fossils (histology) to determine that these herbivorous dinosaurs changed their walking postures as they grew and developed.

Dinosaurs Changed as they Grew

In essence, by studying the bones of Psittacosaurs that represented individuals at different ages the scientists were able to determine that these dinosaurs started out on all fours but as they got older they moved to a two-legged stance.

Great care was taken to produce cross-sections of fossilised bones, which when scanned using high power electron microscopes and CT equipment would provide information on how quickly the animals grew.

PhD student Qi Zhao (now on the staff of the IVPP), carried out a detailed and in depth study of how these dinosaurs grew, looking at the fossilised remains of babies, juveniles, immature individuals and fully grown adults. The student was given access to some extremely rare and delicate fossilised bones, including many that had come from remarkable excavations that indicate that these dinosaurs may have lived in burrows and young Psittacosaurs may have formed creches to protect themselves.

To read more about the discover of a dinosaur creche: Amazing Psittacosaurus fossil unearthed.

Commenting on his painstaking research work, the now qualified Dr Zhao stated:

“Some of the bones from baby Psittacosaurus were only a few millimetres across, so I had to handle them extremely carefully to be able to make useful bone sections. I also had to be sure to cause as little damage to these valuable specimens as possible.”

Special Permission from the IVPP

With special permission from the IVPP, the student sectioned two arm and two leg bones from sixteen individual dinosaurs, ranging in age from less than one year to ten years old, a fully grown adult animal. He did the intricate sectioning work in a special palaeo-histology laboratory in Bonn, Germany, with the assistance and support of Professor Martin Sander of Bonn University.

The youngest specimens, those representing individuals around twelve months in age had long arms and relatively short back legs. This suggest that these dinosaurs would have walked on all fours. Analysis of the bone sections indicated that the arm bones were growing at their fastest when these reptiles were between one and three years of age. From then on, the arm growth slowed and the hind legs showed a massive growth spurt, resulting in the hind limbs growing to nearly twice the length of the fore limbs. The hind legs took over the role of locomotion, the adults could have ambled about on all fours if they wanted to (facultative quadrupeds).

A Change in Locomotion as these Dinosaurs Matured

Picture credit: Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology

Professor Xing Xu of the Beijing Institute, one of Dr Zhao’s thesis supervisors, stated:

“This is a remarkable study, the first of its kind, it shows how much information is locked in the bones of dinosaurs. We are delighted the study worked so well, and see many ways to use these new methods to understand even more about the astonishing lives of the dinosaurs.”

Professor Mike Benton of the University of Bristol, whom team members at Everything Dinosaur have met on several occasions, and Dr Zhao’s other PhD supervisor, added:

“These kinds of studies can also throw light on the evolution of a dinosaur like Psittacosaurus. Having four-legged babies and juveniles suggests that at some time in their ancestry, both juveniles and adults were also four-legged, and Psittacosaurus and dinosaurs in general became secondarily bipedal.”

Asking Intriguing Questions

This study does ask a number of intriguing questions. Psittacosaurus is regarded as a basal member of the Marginocephalia, a group of ornithischian dinosaurs that would give rise to the pachycephalosaurs and the ceratopsians. Many of the early horned dinosaurs (dinosaurs that were ancestral to giants such as Styracosaurus and Triceratops), were lithe, agile, bipedal dinosaurs, animals like Archaeoceratops and Liaoceratops.

It was only as larger genera evolved that these animals became quadrupeds. If Psittacosaurus evolved from a type of ornithopod then it is worth noting that ornithopods such as iguanodonts suggest that these animals as youngsters were bipedal, as they matured, they adopted a four-footed stance, the opposite of what is being seen with the psittacosaur fossil material.

The exact taxonomic relationship between Early Cretaceous ornithischian dinosaurs remains unclear, perhaps fossil material ascribed to the Barremian faunal stage of the Early Cretaceous and believed to represent a new genus of iguanodontid with some advanced skull characteristics could provide further clues.

29 06, 2013

Ocker Hill Junior School Pupils Study Rare Dinosaurs for Special Science Week

By Mike|2024-04-29T14:26:08+01:00June 29th, 2013|Educational Activities, Press Releases, Teaching|0 Comments

Journey into the Jurassic for Junior School Pupils

Pupils at Ocker Hill Junior School are getting into all things prehistoric as they embark on a week-long science themed teaching topic with a focus on the dinosaurs. Based at Tipton, (West Midlands), just a geologist’s stones’ throw from the Wrens Nest Nature Reserve, the UK’s very first national nature reserve for geology, the staff at the school have been working on all sorts of clever and creative activities to help bring the past to life.

Dinosaurs for Science Week

Looking at different types of dinosaurs and classifying them led to the development of a series of Venn diagrams as pupils under the tutelage of their teachers and support staff explored how best to present data relating to the Dinosauria. Getting school children to understand the concept of deep time can be a little tricky, but teacher Mr Wilde, armed with some stakes and a hammer set out to provide a scale model of the various geological periods using the school grounds.

Each stake representing a period in geological time was carefully marked and hammered into place to give the budding young palaeontologists an idea of how old the Earth is believed to be. This is an excellent idea, a very practical demonstration of geological time, one that will help the children to grasp what different types of creatures lived and when.

Everything Dinosaur Team Members Visit School

Team members at Everything Dinosaur were invited in to kick start the week by holding a series of workshops with pupils in years three to six. The chance to explain what fossils can tell scientists and to explain a little about the science of palaeontology. Sarah Southall, one of the year three teachers was surprised to learn that there is a dinosaur named “Sarahsaurus, whilst Mrs Brookes (year 5 teacher) and some of her charges discovered just how big or (how small), the arms of Tyrannosaurus rex actually were.

Mr Goodwin (year six), had been helping his class to learn more about marine reptiles. Under the expert guidance of school artist Darrell Wakelam the pupils had created a wonderful reconstruction of the fossilised skeleton of an Ichthyosaurus.

Bringing the Past to Life

Year six pupils constructed their own Ichthyosaurus fossilised skeleton

Picture credit: Ocker Hill Junior School

Coprolite on Show

Everything Dinosaur had some coprolite (fossilised poo) from the body cavity of an ichthyosaur skeleton team members had been working on, the children were delighted when Mr Goodwin got to handle the 180 million year old fossil poo and to demonstrate what the creature had been eating by being able to point out the fish scales still preserved within the specimen.

It is certainly going to be an exciting week for the students. The enthusiastic teaching team have lots and lots of dinosaur themed maths, science and art activities planned all helping to enthuse and motivate the next generation of scientists.

To view the range of sea monster models including ichthyosaurs available from Everything Dinosaur: Models of Sea Monsters and Other Prehistoric Animals.