October, 2015 | Everything Dinosaur Blog

23 10, 2015

New 2016 Prehistoric Animal Models from Safari Ltd

By Mike|2023-04-07T14:53:07+01:00October 23rd, 2015|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Educational Activities, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

New Prehistoric Animal Models (Safari Ltd) 2016

With the news that Safari Ltd had ended its twenty-eight year partnership with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which broke in the spring, model collectors and dinosaur fans alike have been eagerly awaiting developments. What prehistoric animal models would come out in 2016? Everything Dinosaur can now reveal that information, the wait is over and enthusiasts of all things Dinosauria et al are not going to be disappointed.

Here are the new prehistoric animals:

Plesiosuchus
Iguanodon
Masiakasaurus
Shunosaurus
Carcharodontosaurus
Plus re-issues of previous Safari Ltd models, the baby Woolly Mammoth, the Megatherium (giant ground sloth), Amebelodon and the glyptodont Doedicurus.

Everything Dinosaur intends to stock all these items, we will do all we can to keep our customers and fellow prehistoric animal fans informed about deliveries into our warehouse.

Wild Safari Prehistoric World

There are a total of five new replicas, this is the same total as last year, the 1:10 scale Carnegie Collectibles Velociraptor, plus four not to scale models under the Wild Safari brand that has now become the flagship brand for prehistoric animal replicas the Florida-based company makes.

Let’s take a look at the new models in turn, firstly the Plesiosuchus model (marine crocodile). This Late Jurassic carnivore was one of the super predators of the shallow seas that covered much of Europe. It is estimated to have been around seven metres in length, approximately the size of the largest Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) found today. Plesiosuchus means “near crocodile” and is pronounced Plee-see-oh-sook-us. It was a member of the Metriorhynchoidea (pronounced Met-ri-oh-rink-oi-deer [A super family of the Crocodylomorpha]). It is great to see a model of a metriorhynchid from Safari Ltd.

New for 2016 the Wild Safari Dinos Plesiosuchus

Available soon from Everything Dinosaur.

Available from Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd/Everything Dinosaur

The Plesiosuchus replica measures a fraction over seventeen centimetres and is around four and half centimetres tall (it’s the tail).

Now the Iguanodon model comes into focus. It is great to see another ornithopod in the Safari Ltd Prehistoric Life model collection.

New for 2016 the Wild Safari Dinos Iguanodon

Some very striking colours on this new replica.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd/Everything Dinosaur

Several Iguanodontid Models Made

Over the years, there have been a number of iguanodont models made, with the retirement of the Carnegie Collectibles Iguanodon replica, it is great to see this introduction. Iguanodon is brought bang up to date, the bipedal pose of the earlier model, launched in 2007 and effectively a re-paint of an even earlier Carnegie replica, has been replaced by a walking on all four limbs approach. The body proportions seem much more accurate and we love the thickened base of the tail.

These ornithopods were powerful animals and indeed the base of the tail and pelvis were very robust. The model has been given a striped colour scheme and we adore the flashes of purple, not a colour associated very often with dinosaur models. It is a nice touch. The model measures 18.5 cm by 7 cm.

New for 2016 – Shunosaurus

Available soon from Everything Dinosaur – Shunosaurus.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd/Everything Dinosaur

“Sauropod Crossed with a Llama”

The “sauropod crossed with a Llama”, as an Everything Dinosaur member of staff termed this replica when trying to decipher the double page advert that showed a glimpse of this figure, turns out to be a Shunosaurus. The colourful figure measures 16.5 cm in length and that detailed head stands around 7 cm high. One of the best known of all the Chinese Dinosauria, certainly the best known sauropod, thanks to the huge fossil assemblage excavated from the Dashanpu Quarry site (Sichuan Province). This looks like an excellent interpretation of the extensive fossil material. Well done Safari Ltd for bringing out such an interesting replica.

“Vicious Lizard” – Masiakasaurus

Available from Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd/Everything Dinosaur

Masiakasaurus

A new fact sheet will be required for the fourth new prehistoric animal figure we are featuring here – Masiakasaurus, (the name means vicious lizard). An agile theropod that lived on the island of Madagascar in the Late Cretaceous. The forward pointing teeth have been very well depicted in this new for 2016 replica. We suspect that this is the first dinosaur model made by Safari Ltd, whose scientific name was inspired by a band member of Dire Straits.

The formal, binomial name for this two metre long terror is Masiakasaurus knopfleri. It was the music of Dire Straits’s front man Mark Knopfler that inspired the field team behind this particular dinosaur fossil discovery.

To read about the discovery and naming of another theropod dinosaur from Madagascar: New Dinosaur Discovery from Madagascar.

The design team at Safari Ltd have taken into careful consideration details of this dinosaur’s known skeleton (about two-thirds of all the bones in the skeleton have been described to date). Note the position of the hands and digits, although an abelisaurid, Masiakasaurus had proportionately much longer front limbs than other members of this theropod dinosaur family.

An Attractively Painted Model

It is an attractively painted model, the stripes and green markings are a good choice, it is likely that this dinosaur, required camouflage to help it avoid being spotted by larger meat-eaters that shared its floodplain environment.

The new Safari Ltd Masiakasaurus is around 18.5 cm in length and stands an impressive 8.25 cm tall.

New for 2016 – Carcharodontosaurus

Say hello to “shark-toothed lizard”.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd/Everything Dinosaur

Carcharodontosaurus

One of the largest theropods known, Carcharodontosaurus is a firm favourite amongst dinosaur fans and model collectors alike. It is great to see this interpretation by Safari Ltd. We had thought that the large, meat-eating dinosaur was going to be a megalosaur, we got wrong but we are delighted to see this North African monster join the Safari Ltd “Prehistoric Life” fold. At an impressive 22.75 cm long and standing 10.25 cm tall this is the biggest model dinosaur that Safari Ltd are bringing out next year.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s existing range of prehistoric animals from Safari Ltd: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Models.

Look out for announcements on Everything Dinosaur’s Facebook page, Twitter feed and on this blog site. More information including when they will be in stock will be posted up soon.

As seen in Prehistoric Times magazine, the Wild Safari Prehistoric World advert featuring some of the new prehistoric animal models.

Check out Everything Dinosaur’s Facebook page for pics of the prehistoric mammal models that are being re-introduced by Safari Ltd.

Find Everything Dinosaur on Facebook: Everything Dinosaur on Facebook.

23 10, 2015

Did Dinosaurs Sleep with One Eye Open?

By Mike|2023-04-07T14:49:32+01:00October 23rd, 2015|General Teaching, Key Stage 3/4|Comments Off on Did Dinosaurs Sleep with One Eye Open?

Did Dinosaurs Sleep with One Eye Open?

A new study into the sleeping patterns and behaviours of crocodiles suggests that these reptiles are able to sleep with one eye open. The ability to sleep in this way probably evolved to help the animal’s stay vigilant and alert to danger. This phenomenon is termed unihemispheric sleeping. Half the brain rests whilst the other half, connected to the open eye remains alert. Mammals such as dolphins can do this along with some birds and reptiles.

Did Dinosaurs Sleep with One Eye Open?

If crocodiles and some birds are capable of unihemispheric sleep, could the dinosaurs have slept in this manner? Birds and crocodiles are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, perhaps dinosaurs could sleep with one eye open?

Did Dinosaurs Sleep with One Eye Open?

A close-up view of the glossy eye of the Rebor hatching Baryonyx figure. Did dinosaurs sleep with one eye open?

Picture credit: Jurassic Collectibles

Studying Extant Reptiles

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (Germany) along with colleagues from La Trobe University (Australia) studied the sleep patterns and behaviours of Saltwater crocodiles. These reptiles tended to sleep with both eyes closed but when another crocodile was introduced into their tank or a person approached, they kept one eye focused on the intruder. Dinosaurs may have been vulnerable when they slept, as close relatives of the Dinosauria, demonstrate unihemispheric sleep, it is intriguing to consider whether dinosaurs slept with one eye open.

To view the large range of dinosaur themed toys and educational gifts available from Everything Dinosaur: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

Extension Ideas and Activities for Schools

Question. Why would some animals want to evolve the ability to keep alert whilst part of their body slept?

Answer. When animal’s sleep they are vulnerable to attack, staying vigilant in this way can help to keep the animal’s safe. In addition, some aquatic mammals are able to do this (dolphins etc.), they sleep with one eye open so that they can keep an eye on the rest of the pod. It stops them becoming detached from their social group.

Question. In what other ways could sleeping animals keep themselves safe?

Answer. They could hide, for example in burrows, they could climb trees to keep themselves safe (many birds roost in trees), they could live in a group such as a herd. Whilst some herd members slept others could keep watch.

Question, one aimed at more capable of learners tied in with KS3 studies. If unihemispheric sleep is found in some mammals, birds and reptiles all vertebrates that are not that closely related to each other how did this come about?

Convergent Evolution

Answer. This ability may have evolved in unrelated groups of animals independently, a case of convergent evolution, whereby similar characteristics evolve in unrelated animals as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or conditions. Alternatively, this ability could have evolved long ago, in the shared, common ancestor of modern birds, mammals and crocodiles.

Ask the pupils to think about other examples of convergent evolution, for example bird wings and those of bats – similar characteristics but ones that have evolved independently in unrelated animals.

Everything Dinosaur team members work hard helping customers with their questions and queries, to view our testimonials: Everything Dinosaur Testimonials.

22 10, 2015

Volunteers Needed to Explore the Triassic

By Mike|2023-04-07T14:42:32+01:00October 22nd, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Educational Activities, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page|0 Comments

Volunteers Needed to Explore the Triassic

Yesterday, may have been “Back to the Future Day”, but here at Everything Dinosaur the emphasis is very much on the past, approximately 220 million years in the past, the Norian faunal stage of the Triassic to be precise. We have been contacted by a student at Huddersfield University (England), who has asked for volunteers to help test a prehistoric virtual environment set at this pivotal time in vertebrate evolution.

Please Note – the request for volunteers has ended – no further volunteers required.

An Opportunity to Explore “Triassic World”

Which part of Pangea would you like to explore?

Which part of Pangaea would you like to explore?

Picture credit: Daniel Carter

Time Travellers Needed

Student, Daniel Carter has been building a computer simulation that enables players to explore a series of Triassic environments set during the Norian faunal stage of the first geological period of the Mesozoic. Daniel has already benefited from the advice of Everything Dinosaur’s experts as he seeks to perfect the various habitats and make the flora and fauna as accurate as possible. The objective of this educational game is for players to discover and learn about prehistoric animals and plants from this critical point in our planet’s history.

Players Can Explore a Variety of Triassic Ecosystems

The prehistoric environments are based on Late Triassic Lagerstätten.

The prehistoric environments are based on the Late Triassic.

Picture credit: Daniel Carter

Daniel has carefully constructed three environments, all based on famous Lagerstätten. If you have ever felt the urge to get up close to the fauna represented by the famous Ghost Ranch sediments of New Mexico, now’s your chance.

The focus is very much on education. When an explorer encounters a creature they can interact with it and discover more about it by accessing data files. So if you come across a Coelophysis you can learn all about this Late Triassic dinosaur. An inventory will be available to let players know what species they are looking for and gamers will be given clues which could lead to the location of the specific creatures. You might even get the chance to encounter an ancestor of modern mammals. Could you track them down?

Explorers Can Learn About the Animals and Plants They Encounter

Educational fact files are incorporated into the play.

Picture credit: Daniel Carter

Part of a Masters Degree Project

Daniel, the creator of this virtual Triassic world disclosed that his intention is to inform and help educate and he needs dinosaur and fossil enthusiasts to help him perfect his prehistoric project.

Daniel explained:

“The game will feature an encyclopaedia which will list all the plants and animals in the game with a brief description, as well as some extra entries. Each area will be fairly large in size and will include a number of different things for players to discover and explore.”

Fancy a Stroll Through a Triassic Forest?

Gamers will be able to explore a number of terrestrial environments.

Picture credit: Daniel Carter

How You Can Help

Daniel needs volunteers to test the game for bugs and glitches. He would welcome feedback and advice on the overall gaming experience. Can you suggest additional plants and animals that should be included?

To help, email Everything Dinosaur and we will pass this information on to Daniel: Contact Everything Dinosaur – put the words Triassic World at the front of your email.

In order to help Daniel, we have suggested that interested parties should get in touch with Daniel by the 12th November 2015 (that’s three weeks).

To see one of the early fly through videos, showcasing Daniel’s creative talent: Triassic Oasis Fly Through.

Meet the Inhabitants of Triassic World

Encounter giant amphibians in the Triassic landscape.

Picture credit: Daniel Carter

Please Note – the request for volunteers has ended – no further volunteers required.

An Unreal 4 Game Engine

The game has been created using the Unreal 4 game engine and Daniel would like to see his game used in schools and museums to help teach children about prehistoric life.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“The Norian Age represents a real melting pot of vertebrate evolution. The dinosaurs were diversifying and becoming more abundant but they shared the single landmass of Pangaea with a whole range of strange creatures. Pterosaurs chased insects in the air, crocodile-like Phytosaurs hunted in the rivers and giant amphibians, relics from the Palaeozoic, could still be found.” We congratulate Daniel for his hard work and we look forward to seeing the game once it has been completed.”

If you want to help build a Triassic exploration game, here’s that email again: Contact Everything Dinosaur don’t forget to put the words Triassic World at the front of your email.

Don’t forget the 12th November deadline.

Have fun exploring!

Please Note – the request for volunteers has ended – no further volunteers required.

Update

After a very successful testing programme, Daniel wrote to Everything Dinosaur saying:

“I would just like to say thanks for going out of your way to help me with my project. The blog post got my game quite a bit of attention, and the testers I had were very helpful. Thanks to this my game has changed for the better, working upon the feedback and suggestions provided by the testers.”

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

21 10, 2015

If Crocodiles and Some Birds Sleep with One Eye Open – Could Dinosaurs? A Great Question!

By Mike|2024-05-05T15:06:33+01:00October 21st, 2015|Animal News Stories, Main Page|0 Comments

Unihemispheric Sleep and the Dinosauria

A new study from scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (Seesiesen, Germany), and La Trobe University (Melbourne, Australia) suggests that juvenile Saltwater crocodiles might sleep with one eye open. This could be an indication of a phenomenon observed in aquatic mammals, some birds and reptiles, that of unihemispheric sleep. Unihemispheric sleep occurs when only half the brain slumbers whilst the other half remains alert.

Sleeping with One Eye Open

This ability may have evolved in unrelated groups of animals independently, a case of convergent evolution, whereby similar characteristics evolve in unrelated animals as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or conditions. Alternatively, this ability could have evolved long ago, in the shared, common ancestor of modern birds, mammals and crocodiles.

Crocodile (top) and Alligator (bottom). Do these reptiles sleep with one eye open?

Dinosaurs Sleeping

This newly published information, reported in the Journal of Experimental Biology, involved the study of the responses of young Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus). The team filmed the reptiles and recorded their reactions to certain potential threats, such as the presence of another crocodile or a human. It was noted that the crocodiles usually slept with both eyes closed.

However, in the early part of the day, it was observed that the crocodiles opened one eye briefly during periods of sleep. When isolated crocodiles had a second crocodile introduced into their tank, the crocodile kept their open eye on the intruder.

The researchers state that this is consistent with a “vigilance function” – staying aware of danger. When a person entered the crocodile’s enclosure, whilst the crocodiles appeared to slumber, they actually took a lot of notice, keeping their vigilant eye focused on the potential threat for several minutes at a time.

Unihemispheric Sleep

A number of vertebrates have this ability to keep one eye open and connected to the conscious half of the brain. The closed eye is connected to the other half of the brain that has shut down and is resting. This behaviour may have evolved to help animals avoid predators. In addition, aquatic mammals like dolphins keep one eye open when sleeping so that they can remain close to their pod. Perhaps young crocodiles keep one eye open when sleeping to help them stay aware of their siblings as well as looking out for danger.

Commenting on the significance of their research, senior author of the academic paper, Dr John Lesku (La Trobe University), stated:

“They definitely monitored the human when they were in the room. But even after the human left the room, the animal still kept its open eye… directed towards the location where the human had been – suggesting that they were keeping an eye out for potential threats.”

Potential Implications for the Dinosauria

With the majority of dinosaurs being ground-dwelling, the implications of this study can be quite profound. If some birds and now crocodiles sleep with an eye open, then perhaps the dinosaurs did as well. Birds and crocodiles are the closest living relatives of the Dinosauria. Could this study provide an insight into the sleeping habits of dinosaurs? Resting on the ground, unable to climb a tree to roost or to hide in a burrow, a sleeping dinosaur may have been very vulnerable to attack.

Living in a social group such as a herd would have offered some protection, after all, some of the herd members could sleep whilst the remainder stayed vigilant but this new study does lead onto the intriguing question as to whether members of the Dinosauria were capable of unihemispheric sleep to.

Did Dinosaurs Sleep with One Eye Open?

Did dinosaurs sleep with one eye open?

The animals used in the study were less than half a metre in length and Everything Dinosaur is not aware of any research of this nature carried out on larger crocodiles, or indeed of any study undertaken to ascertain the sleeping habits of crocodilians in the wild. The researchers conclude that crocodiles may sleep with one eye open, but to confirm unihemispheric sleep they need to be able to monitor the brain activity in both brain hemispheres of a sleeping crocodile.

Attaching sensors to the skull of even a half-metre-long crocodile will present quite a challenge. In order to confirm the team’s ideas the researchers might have to risk losing a finger to these feisty carnivores.

For dinosaur models and figures: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Figures.

20 10, 2015

Speculating on the new for 2016 Safari Ltd Prehistoric Animals

By Mike|2023-04-07T14:10:23+01:00October 20th, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Thoughts and Comments on the New for 2016 Prehistoric Animals (Safari Ltd)

We had hoped that today we could provide our readers with comprehensive details regarding the new for 2016 Safari Ltd prehistoric animal models. In addition, we wanted to discuss the changes to the company’s prehistoric animal models, potential retirements, re-issues and so forth. However, we can’t and we at Everything Dinosaur do apologise for this, but we do understand the position of the manufacturer and we do respect their wishes.

New for 2016 Models

However, since we intended to write about Safari Ltd today, let’s not waste this opportunity. We can speculate on what we do know with regards to Safari Ltd’s plans. For example, in the fall/autumn edition of “Prehistoric Times” there is a double page, full colour spread advertisement which can provide dinosaur fans and model collectors alike with a wealth of information. We have reproduced the first half of the advert for you below.

Toys that Teach – the Safari Ltd Advert

As seen in Prehistoric Times magazine.

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times Magazine (issue 115)

What Does the Advertisement Show?

The format of the advertisement follows a very similar line to previous print adverts from Safari Ltd. A range of models, new and old are featured and we expect such images to be incorporated into other marketing communications media. From a model fan’s perspective it shows that Safari Ltd remain committed to producing replicas of sea creatures, extinct terrestrial animals and of course pterosaurs. Note the pair of Dimorphodons flying over the scene. These two pterosaurs are soaring over quite an eclectic group of models, that’s see if we can dissect this picture further.

Three types of replica can be seen:

New models (five new models can be seen)
Existing models (three models can be seen, we are only counting Dimorphodon and the ammonite once)
Models that have been retired (four models can be seen, all of them prehistoric mammals). With Carnegie Collectibles all retired, we can expect some re-issues next year – the welcome return of the Woolly Mammoth calf, Megatherium, another distant modern elephant relative, the “shovel tusked” Amebelodon and good old “pestle tail”, the wonderful Doedicurus replica.

Safari Ltd Prehistoric Animals

It Looks Very Much Like a Metriorhynchid (Marine Crocodile)

Truly adapted to a marine environment - Plesiosuchus or what?

Truly adapted to a marine environment – Plesiosuchus, Dakosaurus or what?

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times Magazine (issue 115)

Marine Reptiles but Not Mosasaurs

This looks like a new model for 2016. It’s a marine reptile but no mosasaur or pliosaur for that matter. From the limb proportions, the broad, powerful snout, that shark fin tail fluke and simply because Safari Ltd have not produced one before, we suspect that this is a representative of a metriorhynchid. The Metriorhynchidae are a group of marine crocodiles that flourished during the Late Jurassic and into the Early Cretaceous.

A number of genera have been described, they are not closely related to modern crocodiles, or indeed to dinosaurs for that matter, but they do seem to have had an almost global distribution. As an English company (Everything Dinosaur is based in the UK), it is great to see a picture like this. A lot of metriorhynchid fossil material has been excavated from Dorset for example, but what species is it? Hard to say, after all, there are a lot of species named, it could be Metriorhynchus, but the snout is not narrow enough. We think this is something like Dakosaurus or Plesiosuchus.

Could be “Vicious Lizard” – Masiakasaurus

New, green theropod.

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times Magazine (issue 115)

Theropod Dinosaurs

One of two theropod dinosaurs featured in the advert is a curious looking green, meat-eater. From those teeth and with those grasping claws this could not be anything else but a meat-eater, but which dinosaur could this possibly be? There are clues and if you know your Theropoda, especially the terrestrial fauna of Late Cretaceous Madagascar you can have a good guess. We think this is a replica of the bizarre Masiakasaurus, the first dinosaur model to be made by Safari Ltd which was named after a member of the rock band Dire Straits. The species name is M. knopfleri, honouring the front man of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler.

A Close up of the Head Reveals Tantalising Details

Tell tale teeth!

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times Magazine (issue 115)

Analysing the Advertisement

The advert shows large nostrils placed high up on the front of the snout, large eyes and a set of lower teeth far bigger than the upper teeth. Most importantly of all the teeth at the front project forwards, these are all distinguishing characteristics of Masiakasaurus, the name means “Vicious Lizard” and with teeth like that you can see why. We speculate that Safari Ltd will add Masiakasaurus to its prehistoric animal model range.

Herbivorous Dinosaurs to be Added to the Safari Ltd Range for 2016

Plant-eaters join the range.

Picture Credit: Prehistoric Times Magazine (issue 115)

Well, there are at least two plant-eating dinosaurs being added. The one in the foreground represents a member of the Iguanodontia, the front limb and digits are the give-away here. Which member though? The absence of a scale does not help here. It looks very typical of a modern interpretation of the very well known Iguanodon. Introducing an Iguanodon replica would make some sense, it would be a replacement for and an update of the 1:40 Carnegie Collectibles Iguanodon that was introduced eight years ago.

Iguanodon Model?

Iguanodon is certainly a popular dinosaur, but the Iguanodon family is big, this model could represent a number of genera, however, it looks too robust to be Hypselospinus or indeed a Mantellisaurus, but at the same time it does not quite have the look of a real bruiser such as Barilium (B. dawsoni). Could it be a Dollodon? Or moving out of the Wealden Clay and the Wessex Formation of southern England altogether, this green-eyed plant-eater could represent the immense Iguanacolossus which once roamed Utah. For us, our money is on an Iguanodon, (but we would not bet the farm on it).

Who’s That in the Background?

Just behind the iguanodontid stands a very peculiar looking dinosaur indeed. Most definitely a quadruped but with a row of raised scutes along the back and tail, but with no other signs of body armour, except for some oversized scales clearly visible on the shoulder, a box-like skull and a short, thick neck. A staff member described this critter as a “Llama crossed with a sauropod”, we can sort of see the resemblance. The proportion of the limbs suggests that this is no sauropodomorph, the lack of armour along the flank discounts a basal member of the Thyreophora.

Those strong looking limbs, with the rear legs larger than the front legs, that short, ever so short neck, we think that this is a model of a dicraeosaurid, a member of the diplodocid group of long-necked dinosaurs, that, for a start, seemed to be evolving shorter and shorter necks. From an evolutionary point of view going in the opposite direction to the brachiosaurids, diplodocids, camarasaurids and so on. Could this be the bizarre Brachytrachelopan (pronounced Brak-ee-trak-hel-oh-pan), from the Late Jurassic of Argentina? Brachytrachelopan (B. mesai) has the shortest neck of any known member of the Sauropoda.

Apex Predator

Last but not least, standing behind the re-issued Amebelodon is a very formidable looking meat-eating dinosaur. This is an apex predator, but which one? The forelimbs are obscured in the picture but the left arm suggests that it is too big to be a tyrannosaurid. There is a lack of cranial ornamentation, but the skull is deep and the dentary (lower jaw) robust. It is difficult to make out any substantial antorbital fenestra, so we move on from the likes of Tyrannotitan, but this could be a carcharodontosaurid.

Brutal Killer But Which One?

It’s a big theropod.

Picture credit: Prehistoric Times Magazine (issue 115)

Is it a Megalosaur?

Let’s go out on a limb, this could be a Megalosaur. Have Safari Ltd produced a replica of Torvosaurus? Or perhaps have they added a replica of the very first dinosaur described – Megalosaurus to their dinosaur model repertoire for 2016. It would be appropriate if they had, the first ever illustration of a dinosaur bone ever published in the occidental world took place in 1676, this bone was a partial femur from a Megalosaur. Could Safari Ltd have introduced a Megalosaurus to mark the 340th anniversary of this momentous event?

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of Safari Ltd prehistoric animal models: Safari Ltd. Prehistoric World Models.

When we have definitive information we will publish it. Rest assured, Everything Dinosaur will be stocking these models.

19 10, 2015

Life on Earth May Have Begun Earlier Than Previously Thought

By Mike|2023-04-07T14:04:20+01:00October 19th, 2015|Geology, Main Page|0 Comments

Study Finds Potential Evidence of Life 4.1 Billion Years Ago

Scientists from the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, (Los Angeles), in collaboration with colleagues from the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, also in California, have published research that suggests that life on Earth may have existed as far back as 4.1 billion years ago.

A remarkable claim considering that our planet is believed to be around 4.54 billion years old. This new research hints at life evolving some 300 million years earlier than previously thought, although the evidence of these claims is likely to be disputed.

New Paper Published

The study has just been published in the on line edition of the academic journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”. The team identified graphite (a form of carbon), trapped inside a single ancient zircon crystal in a stud of these ancient time capsules from the some of the oldest rocks known on Earth, strata found in Western Australia. The carbon form identified is one that is associated with the process of photosynthesis, therefore, this could be a by-product of a life process.

Co-author of the research, Professor Mark Harrison (University of California, Los Angeles) stated:

“Twenty years ago, this would have been heretical, finding evidence of life 3.8 billion years ago was shocking. Life on Earth may have started almost instantaneously, with the right ingredients life seems to form very quickly.”

Professor Mark Harrison (University of California, Los Angeles)

Professor Mark Harrison.

Picture credit: University of California, Los Angeles

Important Implications

One of the implications of this new study is that if life forms very quickly, then the possibility of it forming elsewhere in the universe, under the right conditions, is dramatically increased. Life in the universe could be abundant.

The scientists came to their conclusion after analysing more than 10,000 zircons – heavy, durable crystals, which had formed from molten rock in Western Australia (the Jack Hills area). An earlier study (2008), identified carbon captured in the zircon crystals as they formed. These were dated to around 3.8 billion years ago, at the time this was thought to be the earliest time that life could have begun on our planet.

Around 100 million years early, the inner solar system had been subjected an intense bombardment from asteroids and other space debris left over from the formation of the planets.

The Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB)

This is called the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB) and is believed to have lasted until around 3.9 billion years ago. It was this bombardment that created most of the craters on the moon. These craters are still visible today. This study suggests that life existed on our planet before these moon craters were formed.

Co-author of the research paper, Patrick Boehnke, a graduate student in the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences (University of California, Los Angeles) explained:

“If all life on Earth died during this bombardment, which some scientists have argued, then life must have restarted quickly.”

Looking for Evidence Preserved in Deep Time

The scientists, led by Elizabeth Bell, (postdoctoral student, at the University of California, Los Angeles), examined more than 10,000 zircons. Of the zircons included in this study, 656 were identified as containing dark specks preserved inside their structure. These minute particles were captured when the zircon was formed, trapping and recorded evidence of the extremely ancient Earth. Ramon spectroscopy was used to analyse the molecular and chemical structure of these dark specks, the team were looking for pure carbon, one of the building blocks of life.

One of the zircons contained two areas of graphite, a form of pure carbon. Graphite was found in two locations within the zircon crystal.

Dark Specks Inside A Zircon Crystal Identified as Carbon

The zircon is about the width of a human hair.

Picture credit: University of California, Los Angeles

Life on Earth

Stating that the team were confident that the carbon is evidence of biological activity and that the graphite formed due to biological activity, Professor Harrison said:

“There is no better case of a primary inclusion in a mineral ever documented and nobody has offered a plausible alternative explanation for graphite of non-biological origin into a zircon.”

According to the researchers, the graphite is actually older than the zircon containing it. The isotope ratio between the uranium and lead indicates that the zircon itself is 4.1 billion years old, but for the moment they do not know how much older the graphite might be.

Could Life in the Universe be Abundant?

The research suggests life in the universe could be abundant, Professor Harrison concluded. On our planet, the third rock from the sun, simple life appears to have formed quickly, but it likely took many millions of years for very simple life to evolve the ability to photosynthesise. Yet the carbon contained in the zircon has a very characteristic chemical signature. The specific ration of carbon 12 to carbon 13 isotopes is evidence of photosynthesis having taken place on the early Earth.

In July, Everything Dinosaur published an article about research that suggested the Earth’s magnetic field formed earlier than previously thought: Our Magnetic Shield is Older than Previously Thought.

In 2014, Everything Dinosaur reported on research that suggested that the Earth cooled more rapidly than earlier studies had suggested: The Earth Cooled Earlier Than Previously Thought.

18 10, 2015

New Schleich Dinosaurs for 2016 (part 2)

By Mike|2023-04-07T14:00:25+01:00October 18th, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page|0 Comments

New World of History and Schleich Retirements for 2016

The second of our articles on new prehistoric animal models from Schleich in 2016, focuses on the larger models made by the company, the range that has been termed “World of History”. We will also provide details of retirements from this range. Briefly, let’s deal with the changes to the “World of History” tagline. From our Schleich notes it seems that the umbrella brand of “World of History” is being dropped.

This tagline used to include prehistoric animal models as well as Schleich’s “World of Knights” range.

Changing Brand Identity

These two ranges are to be known as:

Dinosaurs*
Eldrador (the name of the legendary world of knights according to Schleich)

Dinosaurs*, otherwise termed Dinosaurier will become the umbrella brand for all prehistoric animal models made by Schleich, the larger models, the “small” model range introduced in 2015, the minis and the various play sets, puzzles and so forth. We accept that for model collectors and for dinosaur fans, the tagline “Dinosaurs” is going to be misleading.

Schleich will not be limiting themselves to the Dinosauria, they will be introducing a number of non-dinosaurs under this branding next year. We assume that these changes have been made to make it easier for non-specialist retailers, perhaps those retailers who just regard all prehistoric animals as “dinosaurs” and are happy to dedicate shelf space in their stores to a “dinosaur brand”.

Schleich Dinosaurs

The German manufacturer intends to add a number of new models to its range of larger model the first two, which should be available around late January 2016 or thereabouts are a Dilophosaurus and a Dimetrodon.

Schleich Dilophosaurus (articulated lower jaw and information booklet) – length 14 cm approximately, height of the model 10.75 cm approximately
Schleich Dimetrodon (articulated lower jaw and information booklet) – length a fraction under 15 cm and a height of 8.75 cm (measured from the top of the sail)

“The First Giants of the Dinosaur World”

Both models have articulated lower jaws and come with an information booklet.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

These models will be available to purchase individually. Everything Dinosaur team members have not had sight of the information booklet.

How Accurate are the Schleich Models?

We cannot comment as to the accuracy or otherwise of the information that these tag booklets that accompany the models will contain. However, in Schleich literature we have seen these two models listed under the promotional strapline “The first giants of the dinosaur world!” Model collectors and dinosaur fans will no doubt be aware that Dimetrodon was extinct long before the first dinosaurs and that this reptile was a pelycosaur. In addition, many enthusiasts might query the reasoning behind Dilophosaurus being regarded as one of the first giants of the dinosaur world.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s existing range of the larger Schleich models: Schleich Dinosaurs.

January’s Larger Models will be Marketed As

Marketed under the strapline “First giants”.

Picture credit: Schleich Everything Dinosaur

We are aware that Schleich have plans to launch other models, for example, a picture of a Dunkleosteus (placoderm) have been widely circulated. This model is not likely to be launched until after June 2016. There are other models that have been proposed and have been planned but at this stage information remains embargoed.

Schleich “World of History” Retirements

As new models come in, so older models are retired. Although the information below has yet to be officially confirmed and we at Everything Dinosaur are unaware of any formal announcements from Schleich, the following models are not included in the January to June Schleich catalogue. In the past, when items have been omitted from brochures, it has proved to be a portent for the retirement of that model.

Going, Going Gone – Schleich Retirements 2016

Potential retirements for 2016.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Stegosaurus in the picture above will still be available as part of a box set entitled: “At home with the herbivores”.

To read the first part of Everything Dinosaur’s “New Schleich Dinosaurs” article: New Schleich Dinosaurs for 2016 (Part 1).

Everything Dinosaur stocks an enormous range of dinosaur and prehistoric animal models including Schleich dinosaurs and figures. To view the models section of our website: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

17 10, 2015

New Schleich Dinosaurs for 2016 (Part 1)

By Mike|2023-04-07T13:20:06+01:00October 17th, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

A Definitive Guide to Schleich Dinosaurs for 2016 (Part 1)

At this time of year we receive lots of emails, phone calls and other forms of correspondence from dinosaur model collectors who are eager to find out what Schleich will be introducing into their “Dinosaurier” ranges in 2016. Here is a guide to what the Germany-based manufacturer have planned for the first part of 2016, we have tried to make it as unambiguous as possible, a definitive guide. However, before we jump in, just a couple of points to make. Firstly, some of Schleich plans for new model introductions next year are still embargoed, as much as we would like to, we can’t talk about them. We respect the position of manufacturers and we understand their position.

New Prehistoric Animal Models

Schleich intend to roll out further models over the course of the next twelve months. Secondly, in this article we will be putting forward our views, this is not an official Schleich press release, we will try our very best to report matters accurately, however, please forgive us if we get the odd thing wrong. After all, plans do change and not everything for 2016 has been finalised by Schleich yet. This is about as definitive as we can get, for the moment anyway.

Trends

Many collectors and dinosaur model fans will know that Schleich have over the last few years moved into the concept of providing complementary play worlds and accessories. Fans of the Schleich brand can expect this trend to continue with the likes of the “Dinosaur Set with Cave” being prominent. At Everything Dinosaur we expect this trend for play worlds to continue and we predict that modular items will be added to the range. These modular items will allow play sets to be extended with new areas of landscape and features.
Ten years ago, virtually every model that Schleich sold in its main ranges was available as a single piece. Models could be purchased individually. That is no longer the case as the company introduces more play sets and boxed groups of replicas across its major product lines. This in part reflects increased investment by Schleich in point of sale and point of purchase.
Expect more colour variants within ranges and re-paints. This is a cost effective method for manufacturers to increase their product offerings.

Schleich Mini Dinosaurs

For the moment we will focus on the Schleich Mini Dinosaurs range, more posts will follow detailing other additions to the Schleich range for 2016, we will also announce some retirements. Let’s look at the “Minis”.

Some of the New Schleich Mini “Dinosaurs” for 2016

Four of the new Mini Dinosaurs for 2016.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

Schleich Dinosaurs

Introduced in 2015, the current Schleich Mini Dinosaurs range consists of eight figures, this will expand to sixteen next year with the introduction around late January of a Kentrosaurus, Suchomimus, a new blue coloured variant on the Triceratops and a reddish coloured variant on the Velociraptor figure. The picture above shows the new Triceratops and Velociraptor colour variants plus the Suchomimus and the Kentrosaurus figures.

In addition, there will be a new colour variant of the mini Spinosaurus, a new Quetzalcoatlus variant and two new models, a mosasaur and an ichthyosaur (described by Schleich as Ichthyosauria in their catalogue notes). How these figures are to be sold has yet to be finalised, but all of the new figures will be available as part of a set of four mini dinosaur jigsaw puzzles (24 pieces in each jigsaw).

To see Everything Dinosaur’s range of Schleich Mini Dinosaurs: Schleich Dinosaurs.

New for 2016 Schleich “Lava Field” Mini Dinosaurs Jigsaw Puzzle

T. rex, Triceratops, Ankylosaurus and Spinosaurus figures included.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

New for 2016 Schleich “Discovery” Mini Dinosaurs Jigsaw Puzzle

Green Velociraptor, Torosaurus, Stegosaurus and Quetzalcoatlus are included.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

New for 2016 Schleich “Waterhole” Mini Dinosaurs Jigsaw Puzzle

New figures in this set, a Quetzalcoatlus colour variant, a green Spinosaurus and an ichthyosaur plus a mosasaur.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

New for 2016 Schleich “Marshland” Mini Dinosaurs Puzzle

New figures in this set – Suchomimus, Kentrosaurus, red variant Velociraptor and the blue Triceratops figure.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

All four twenty-four piece jigsaw sets should be available around late January from Everything Dinosaur, possibly a little sooner. Everything Dinosaur can exclusively reveal that these four sets actually fit together to make a large play area measuring 36 cm x 50 cm.

The Four Jigsaws Have Been Designed to Fit Together as One Large Play Puzzle

The four individual puzzles join together to make one large 96 piece jigsaw.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

Plans Still to be Finalised

As we mentioned earlier, how these items are to be sold has yet to be finalised. There are two areas that have yet to be worked out as we, at Everything Dinosaur currently understand. Firstly, any plans to sell all four puzzles together with the sixteen models have not been made clear. In addition, there are plans to sell a counter top display consisting of a total of 32 figures (4 x 8 models) in the counter display. Which models these will be remains open, but initial plans for the assorted counter top display include:

2015 T. rex
2015 Spinosaurus
2015 Stegosaurus
2015 Green Velociraptor

These were the top selling models of 2015 from the Mini Dinosaurs range. These models are likely to be joined by:

2016 Kentrosaurus
2016 Suchomimus
2016 Blue Triceratops variant
2016 Red Velociraptor variant

Four Models Supplied with Each Puzzle

There will be four models of each of these in the 32 piece counter display. The other four new models, the Quetzalcoatlus variant, the mosasaur, the ichthyosaur and the colour variant green Spinosaurus may only be available via the “Waterhole” jigsaw puzzle set.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a wide range of marine reptile models including mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs: Sea Monsters and Marine Reptiles.

In other articles we will provide more information about Schleich’s prehistoric animal plans for the first part of 2016, we will also cover the retirements.

16 10, 2015

Would a Dinosaur Make a Good Pet?

By Mike|2023-04-07T12:35:23+01:00October 16th, 2015|Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Would a Dinosaur Make a Good Pet?

Oakdene Primary School Year 2 Discuss Dinosaurs as Pets

Would a dinosaur make a good pet? That was the question addressed this half-term by Year 2 pupils at Oakdene Primary School (Rainhill). Teacher, Miss Barlow, had prepared an enriching and challenging scheme of work for the children and with the aid of Mrs Cross (Learning Assistant) and Miss Waine (Learning Support Assistant), the budding young palaeontologists had been discovering what resources animals need in order to survive as well as developing an understanding of simple food chains. Lots of non-fiction writing exercises had been incorporated into the lesson plans, and the children had been busy writing statements about dinosaurs, facts about these prehistoric animals that they had found out through their own independent research.

Everything Dinosaur School Visit

Lots of Facts About Dinosaurs on Display

Work to “bee” proud of. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Oakdene Primary School/Everything Dinosaur

Would a Dinosaur Make a Good Pet?

Would a dinosaur make a good pet? This was the “challenge question” set for the class. One of the aims of this term is to help the Year 2 children gain more confidence with reading. Various stories and non-fiction books had been read by the children as they explored whether or not a dinosaur would be a good pet.

A dinosaur workshop delivered by one of the fossil experts at Everything Dinosaur certainly helped, as the children learned that although the likes of Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops were most certainly a bad idea when it came to pet selection, some types of dinosaur, especially the small, feathery, fast-running ones that were a little smarter might actually make quite a good pet. We discussed what it would be like to have a pet Velociraptor visit the school. Could you train a Velociraptor to catch a ball?

Learning About Dinosaurs

Shoe Box Dinosaur Worlds – Linked to Habitats

A dinosaur shoebox world created by a pupil. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Oakdene Primary School/Everything Dinosaur

Year Two Pupils Learning About Dinosaurs

The Year 2 pupils were challenged to create a suitable habitat for a dinosaur, using shoe boxes and other small containers the children created mini dinosaur worlds. Water, plants to eat, other dinosaurs to hunt and places to hide were all included. Clearly the children had thought carefully about the resources an animal needs to survive.

After a morning of dinosaur themed activities we left the children with a couple of extension activities, one of which involved measuring just how big Ankylosaurus and T. rex actually were using toilet rolls instead of rulers. This exercise will help encourage the children to work in small groups and to develop their problem solving skills. We also gave the class one of our “pinkie palaeontologist challenges”, could they design their very own dinosaur?

New Fossil Discoveries

With a new dinosaur being named and described every two to three weeks or so, there are certainly a lot of different types of dinosaur now known to inspire them.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

The dinosaur footprint exercise and the subsequent extension activity should help the children gain more confidence in using numbers. One of the key teaching aims this term is to help the children explore numbers further, building on the Year 1 curriculum but this time placing a greater emphasis on the value of numbers. Comparing hands to the feet of dinosaurs and using measuring cubes to work out the difference is a useful activity and should provide plenty of opportunity for the children to gain more confidence when using simple arithmetic.

To see the range of dinosaur toys and games available from Everything Dinosaur: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

16 10, 2015

Las Hoyas Provides Scientists with a “Furry Friend”

By Mike|2023-04-07T12:19:41+01:00October 16th, 2015|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Cute Ancient Mammal Lived in Tough Cretaceous Times

A superbly preserved fossil of an early type of mammal found in sediments that date from 125 million years ago (Early Cretaceous), demonstrates that mammals had effectively evolved the same type of fur seen in extant mammals today. Many of these mammals may have been very small. Their fur provided them with a defence against attack from dinosaurs and other predators. However, not everything was rosy in the Cretaceous garden for this little furry critter, in between dodging hungry dinosaurs and crocodiles it seems that it suffered from a fungal disease that attacked the hairs that made up its coat.

Mesozoic Mammals

The fossil was excavated from the limestone lake bed sediments at Las Hoyas in the Iberian mountains of Cuenca Province (central Spain). It was discovered back in 2012, when a field team under the direction of Angela Buscalioni (a palaeontologist at the University of Madrid), was exploring the finely grained sediments in a bid to find more specimens of early birds, fossils of which, have made the Las Hoyas site one of the most important Lagerstätten sites in the world for vertebrate fossils dating from the Barremian faunal stage of the Cretaceous. The almost intact fossil was brought to the University of Bonn. A paper detailing the discovery has just been published in the journal “Nature”.

Fossils from Las Hoyas

The animal which was around 22 cm long, has been identified as a member of the Eutriconodonta, a diverse Order of primitive mammals which probably evolved in the Jurassic. The phylogenetic relationship between eutriconodonts and modern mammals remains unclear, but many academics argue that these animals are closely to today’s mammals (monotremes, placentals and marsupials) than the Multituberculata. Everything Dinosaur, earlier this month reported on the discovery of a multituberculate mammal from New Mexico, an animal that lived just a few hundred thousand years after the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs.

To read about this Cenozoic multituberculate: Mammals Quick off the Mark after Dinosaur Extinction.

Spinolestes xenarthrosus

This new species has been named Spinolestes xenarthrosus. The name roughly translates as “spiny, strange jointed one”. It is derived from the spiny, defensive hairs found on the back, whilst the species name refers to the strengthened joints of the vertebrae. A similar anatomical feature is seen in extant members of the Xenarthra such as anteaters, armadillos and sloths. It is also observed in a small shrew from the Congo Basin.

The Prepared Fossil Specimen (Spinolestes xenarthrosus)

The prepared holotype specimen – S. xenarthrosus.

Picture credit: Georg Oleschinski with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur

The picture above shows the prepared holotype specimen that has been set in resin. The skull, seen towards the right of the photograph is viewed from below. An arrow (top right) points to a patch of preserved skin that shows dermal hairs which acted as defensive spines.

An Illustration of Spinolestes xenarthrosus

Described as “cute” by scientists.

Picture credit: Oscar Sanisidro

Defensive Spines

As well as the defensive spines which probably broke off if a predator bit the back of this fast running mammal, letting Spinolestes escape but leaving the attacker with a mouthful of spines for their trouble, the rump of Spinolestes was partially covered in horny scutes. Commenting on these points, lead author Professor Thomas Martin (Steinmann Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Palaeontology of the University of Bonn), stated:

“We are familiar with these characteristics in modern spiny mice from Africa and Asia Minor. If a predator grabs them by the back, the spines detach from the skin. The mouse can escape and the attacker is left with nothing more than a mouthful of spines. It is possible that these structures served a similar purpose in the case of Spinolestes.”

Best Preserved Mesozoic Mammal (Spinolestes xenarthrosus)

The fossil may well represent the best preserved mammal known from the Mesozoic and although described as mouse-like in some media reports, Spinolestes was only distantly related to modern mice (rodents).

Professor Martin explained:

“We are not able to classify the finding in any of the groups of mammals alive today. It displays characteristics which we also find in today’s mammals. However, these are not signs of relatedness but rather they developed independently – throughout the course of evolution, they have been ‘invented’ many times.”

This is an example of convergent evolution.

A Magnified Area of the Fossil Showing Guard Hairs (Proto Spines)

SC = area showing dermal scutes on the skin.

Picture credit: University of Bonn

It is likely that Spinolestes had a similar lifestyle to that of a mouse or a rat, scurrying through the undergrowth and using its keen senses to keep out of trouble. It may also have been nocturnal. The Las Hoyas deposits may lack dinosaurs (only a handful of different dinosaurs are known from the site), but there were plenty of other predators around capable of making a meal out of this particular eutriconodont.

A Strong Back

Convergent evolution also accounts for the anatomical features seen in the vertebrae. Individual bones in the back have supporting appendages that interlock the vertebrae together. The back is incredibly strong, much stronger than the backs of other similar sized animals. This feature is also found in the Hero Shrew (Scutisorex somereni) which comes from Central Africa. The Hero Shrew uses its strong back to help force itself under logs as it looks for insects to eat. It could be speculated that Spinolestes evolved a strong back for a similar purpose.

Signs of a Fungal Disease on the Fur

Such is the exquisite preservation of the fossil, that individual hairs of the fur can be studied. The state of some of the tiny fossilised hairs suggests that this animal was suffering from a fungal disease of the fur. This suggests that early mammals may have suffered from similar diseases as their modern counterparts. This fossil may help scientists to assess the taxonomic position of the Eutriconodonta in relation to extant mammals.

For models and replicas of prehistoric animals and other Mesozoic creatures: Mojo Fun Prehistoric and Extinct Models.

Summarising the team’s research, Professor Martin stated:

“One hundred twenty-five million years ago, Spinolestes was very well adapted to its ecological niche – through horny scutes and spines on its back as well as through its reinforced spine. We have to revise our thinking, mammals were indeed very small during the time of the dinosaurs. But they were certainly not primitive.”

To read an article on a carnivorous dinosaur, whose fossils have been found at Las Hoyas: One Lump or Two for a Dinosaur.