DIY Dinosaur “Ruffs”

Our chums at Rebor have provided a little challenge to dinosaur fans and model collectors.  As this is the last day of “Jurassic June”, we thought it would be fun to see what those clever and creative people at Rebor have got up to.  It seems that they have produced some artwork for collectors to help them customise the next set of Rebor prehistoric animal figures that are due to come into stock.

Ruffs for the Rebor Dilophosaurus Figures

Here is an image of the artwork that Rebor has provided:

Colourful Dinosaur Frills to Customise Dinosaur Models

Two frills from Rebor.
A pair of frills to thrill Rebor model collectors.

Picture credit: Rebor

Fans of Rebor collectables will know that the next models to be introduced are a pair of Dilophosaurus dinosaurs (Dilophosaurus wetherilli).  These magnificent models, nick-named “Oasis” and “Green Day” are coming into stock at Everything Dinosaur in the next few days.  Team members will be emailing all those customers on our priority reserve list when these dinosaurs arrive.

Rebor models and replicas: Rebor Replicas and Figures.

Rebor Replicas – Dilophosaurus Dinosaurs (“Green Day” and “Oasis”

Rebor Dilophosaurus models "Green Day" and "Oasis"
The Rebor Dilophosaurus replicas “Green Day” and “Oasis”.

An Early Jurassic Predator

Dilophosaurus was an Early Jurassic, carnivorous dinosaur, so it is appropriate to feature this dinosaur as “Jurassic June” draws to a close.  We suspect that the frills could be used to adorn the necks of these beautiful figures, but we couldn’t possibly comment further.  After all, Dilophosaurus may be one of the most extensively studied of all the theropods known from the Lower Jurassic, but there is no fossil evidence to indicate that these predators had neck frills that could be “flashed” as part of a visual display.

Rebor Have Produced a Male and Female Dilophosaurus Figure

Rebor Dilophosaurus replicas compared.
Comparing the Rebor Dilophosaurus replicas “Green Day” and “Oasis”. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Male and Female Dilophosaurus

The Rebor models depict a male and female Dilophosaurus.  There are subtle variations in the paint scheme used for each model to highlight the differences.  For example, the male “Green Day” has crimson markings on the bony crest over the eye (orbit).  Most palaeontologists are comfortable with the idea that these archosaurs, like living archosaurs today (birds and crocodilians), had excellent colour vision.  Visual signals may have been very important to the Dinosauria.

As to whether Dilophosaurus had an expandable neck ruff, is very much speculation, there is no fossil evidence to support such an idea.  However, popular culture such as books, films and television programmes have helped set up notable preconceptions in the minds of the public and who are we to challenge such views.

There is a reptile alive today that has a neck ruff, it is the neck-frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii), native to northern Australian and Papua New Guinea.  This relatively large lizard, can when frightened, extend a large ruff of skin out from its neck to produce a startling display, designed to intimidate attackers.  The neck frill usually lies folded against the animal’s neck, but by flexing its jaws and gaping, this lizard can engage cartilage supports that extend the skin folds out to produce a mock threat display that makes it look much more fearsome than the lizard actually is.

Prehistoric Animals were Show Offs

Just like many animals today, it is quite likely that visual display was very important to the extinct non-avian dinosaurs.  Back in 2010, Everything Dinosaur reported on the publication of a study by an international team of researchers which examined the fossil record to find evidence of visual display structures that probably had a primary function in sexual selection and attracting mates.

To read more about this research: Prehistoric Animals May Have Been Show Offs.

Rebor model fans might be able to work out what influenced Rebor’s decision to produce these accessories to help customise their models.  These colourful additions will be available from Everything Dinosaur free of charge, just drop us an email requesting the dinosaur frills and we will be happy to email them out.

To request these dinosaur frills: Email Everything Dinosaur.

Helpful Instructions

  1. Once you have the download, print it out using a colour printer.
  2. Carefully cut out each of the four sections.
  3. Glue part A and part B back-to-back so that there is colour showing on the front and on the rear of the ruff.
  4. Trim them until you are happy with their look, then use them to customise your Rebor models, for example, you could carefully manoeuvre the ruffs onto the tail, onto a limb or anywhere else on the model for that matter.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.