By Mike|2023-12-05T08:24:53+00:00April 19th, 2019|General Teaching|Comments Off on The New Edition of the Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs
A New Book About Dinosaurs – “Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs”
Everything Dinosaur has been sent a new book about prehistoric animals for them to review. The book is entitled “Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs – The Theropods”. Written by Rubén Molina-Pérez and Asier Larramendi, the book focuses on the Theropoda, a suborder of the Dinosauria, perhaps the most diverse and speciose of all the dinosaur suborders.
The Front Cover of the “Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs – The Theropods”
The “Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs The Theropods” (front cover).
Picture credit: Natural History Museum (London)
The Theropoda (Beast Feet)
In this beautifully illustrated book, the focus is very much on the Theropoda (beast feet). Theropod dinosaurs ruled the planet from millions of years, ranging from the some of the smallest dinosaurs known to science to the mighty carnivores such as Allosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex. Crammed full of colour reconstructions and illustrations with vivid, user-friendly graphics and text, this book is a great addition to the book collection of dinosaur fans. Published by the Natural History Museum, we have received an advance copy of this book so we can produce a review of this new publication.
Described as a stunningly illustrated guide packed with everything you could ever wish to know about the Theropoda, this new dinosaur book is aimed at academics as well as the general reader.
“The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs – The Theropods”
Title: “Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs – The Theropods” Price: £30 (hardback format) Size: 288 pages with colour illustrations throughout Publication date: May 2019 ISBN: 978 0 565 09497 3
Preparing for a Question and Answer Session with Year 2
This week, sees the beginning of the summer term for schools in the UK. Everything Dinosaur team members have a very congested programme of dinosaur and fossil workshops to look forward to over the next few weeks and in a few days a member of staff will be visiting a school in Lancashire to conduct a series of workshops with Year 2 classes.
As part of a busy morning of dinosaur and fossil themed activities, the teaching team have requested that we participate in a question and answer session with the budding, eager palaeontologists. The children will, no doubt, pose some challenging and intriguing questions to our dinosaur expert, however, we have prepared a special question just for them as part of our programme of suggested extension activities.
Our question for the Key Stage 1 children (Year 2) – how did dinosaurs keep themselves clean?
Did Dinosaur Preen their Feathers just like Birds?
Did dinosaurs preen their feathers like modern birds? If many dinosaurs were feathered, how did they keep their feathers clean?
Everything Dinosaur Providing an Extension Activity
Fossil bones and teeth can provide palaeontologists with lots of information about extinct animals, but evidence from body fossils can’t tell us much about how animals that lived in the past behaved. Trace fossils preserve evidence of the activity of animals, such as tracks, burrows, trails and borings. From this data, scientists can infer behaviour such as dinosaurs moving in a herd, based on fossilised footprints indicating the same type of animals all moving at the same pace in the same direction. However, there is very little evidence preserved in the fossil record about how extinct animals kept themselves clean.
Did Sauropod Dinosaurs Wallow in Mud Like Some Large Mammals?
If large mammals like extant elephants wallow in mud then perhaps large sauropod dinosaurs behaved in a similar way.
Our Challenge to the Year 2 Classes
In order to answer some of these questions about the behaviour of dinosaurs, palaeontologists examine the behaviours of animals alive today that are related to the Dinosauria. By observing how birds and reptiles keep themselves clean, then perhaps the likely behaviours of dinosaurs can be deduced or inferred.
Can the Year 2 children conduct research into how living animals keep themselves clean? Can they transfer this knowledge to the extinct members of the Dinosauria and suggest ways that different dinosaurs such as Apatosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex kept clean?
Extensions
As with all our dinosaur and fossil workshops in school, we like to provide lots of extension ideas to the teaching team.
What can the children do to help the animals that live around the school to help them keep clean? For example, providing a shallow tray filled with water to make a bird bath – linking to the English national curriculum science syllabus – living things and habitats.
Why do we need to keep clean? Why is it important to brush our teeth? A link to hygiene and personal development.
For further information about the outreach work conducted by Everything Dinosaur team members: Contact Everything Dinosaur.
Scientists writing in the “Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology” have described a new species of giant hyaenodont from sub-Saharan Africa that was bigger than a polar bear. The giant carnivore, most likely the apex predator in its Early Miocene ecosystem, has been named Simbakubwa kutokaafrika and this fearsome beast with its huge teeth is the stuff of nightmares.
A Life Reconstruction of the Newly Described Giant Hyaenodont Simbakubwa kutokaafrika
A life reconstruction of the newly described giant hyaenodont Simbakubwa kutokaafrika.
Picture credit: Mauricio Anton
Simbakubwa kutokaafrika – A Chance Discovery
Co-author of the scientific paper Matthew Borths (Duke University, North Carolina), was visiting the Nairobi National Museum in Kenya in 2013 to view some specimens. He asked to view the contents of a collection labelled as “hyaenas” and he discovered a gigantic lower jaw bone more than forty centimetres in length. The bones and teeth had been placed in a drawer after a dig in western Kenya in the late 1970s and had remained there ever since.
The genus name, Simbakubwa is from Swahili “simba” meaning “lion” and “kubwa” meaning “big”, big this animal certainly was, its body weight has been estimated at over 1,500 kilograms making S. kutokaafrika heavier than the largest land carnivore alive today, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). The species name kutokaafrika, is also from Swahili, it means “from Africa”.
The Lower Jaw of S. kutokaafrika Compared to the Jaw of a Modern Lion (Panthero leo)
Simbakubwa kutokaafrika mandible, with Panthera leo mandible for comparison.
Picture credit: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
The picture (above), shows the holotype left dentary (KNM-ME 20A), in (A) lingual, (B) buccal and (C) occlusal views. It is compared in size to the lower jaw of a modern lion (Panthero leo), photograph (D). Note the scale bar is 5 cm.
Classified as a Member of the Hyaenodonta (Hyainailourinae)
The carnivore has been classified as a member of the Hyaenodonta (Hyainailourinae), a large and diverse group of creodonts that may have evolved in Africa. These animals dominated predatory niches in ecosystems until the emergence of the modern Carnivora. As such, Simbakubwa is only very distantly related to today’s big cats the Felidae.
The Giant Teeth of a Giant Prehistoric Predator
What big teeth you have – Simbakubwa kutokaafrika.
Picture credit: Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology
The photograph (above), shows isolated teeth associated with the lower jaw. Pictures (A, B and C) show a right lower canine in lingual, buccal and occlusal views. A right molar (m1), is shown in (D) occlusal, (E) lingual and (F) buccal views and the second right molar (m2), is shown in (G) occlusal, (H) lingual and (I) buccal views, whilst a left molar (m2), is show in (J) occlusal, (K) lingual and (L) buccal views. Note the scale bar equals 5 cm.
A Widely Dispersed Clade of Super-sized Mammalian Predators
The hyainailourine hyaenodonts are among the biggest land mammalian carnivores known to science. The group is temporally and geographically widely dispersed with fossil finds in Europe, Asia, North America, Arabia as well as Africa. The fossil material assigned to the Simbakubwa genus represent the most complete hyainailourine known from sub-Saharan Africa. The researchers conclude that the fossils represent a relatively young adult animal and the material was collected at the Meswa Bridge site (western Kenya).
Bayesian ancestral state reconstruction supports an Afro-Arabian origin for Hyainailourinae with subsequent dispersal to Europe and Asia. A regression analysis conducted by the authors of the paper, based on carnassial size suggests that Simbakubwa could have weighed around 1,500 kilogrammes, more than four times the weight of a modern African lion. The evolution and extinction of Hyainailourinae offers important insights for interpreting ecological transitions from Paleogene to Neogene faunas in Afro-Arabia and Eurasia.
The scientific paper: “Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, gen. et sp. nov. (Hyainailourinae, Hyaenodonta, ‘Creodonta,’ Mammalia), a gigantic carnivore from the earliest Miocene of Kenya” by Matthew R. Borths and Nancy J. Stevens published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Adjusting the Arms on the Rebor Killer Queen T. rex Dinosaur Model
The recently introduced Rebor Killer Queen T. rex dinosaur models are proving to be very popular with collectors and dinosaur model fans. This Tyrannosaurus rex figure is available in two colour variants (plain and jungle) and several parts of this dinosaur are poseable. The lower jaw is articulated, the tail contains a flexible rod that enables it to be put into numerous poses and the arms move to.
Everything Dinosaur has created a short, helpful video that explains how to free up the arms on this Rebor replica. When first unpacked, the forelimbs can be a little stiff and difficult to move. However, give the joints a few seconds of heat, such as from a hairdryer and collectors will find that the warmed joints become easier to manoeuvre. The video has been posted up on our Instagram page along with some more pictures and it is up on our YouTube channel as well.
An Easy Way to Adjust the Arms on the Rebor Killer Queen T. rex Dinosaur Model
Helpful Videos for Model Collectors and Dinosaur Fans
At Everything Dinosaur, we use our various social media platforms, such as this blog, our Facebook page along with Instagram and our YouTube channel to post up helpful information about prehistoric animals and dinosaur models. We will also be posting up videos in the near future that demonstrate the articulated jaw on the Rebor Killer Queen and a video that highlights the poseable tail.
We try our best to educate and inform our customers about the various prehistoric animal models and figures that we supply. However, we can sometimes get our colour variants mixed up, for example, in the video highlighting how to free up the arms we referred to the figure as a “plain” variant, however, eagle-eyed viewers will spot that we were actually using the Rebor Killer Queen “jungle” colour variant in our video shoot.
The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex Dinosaur Models (Plain and Jungle Colour Variants)
The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex is available in two colour schemes (jungle and plain).Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Trade Mark for Everything Dinosaur
Eagle-eyed viewers to our various social media platforms will also notice some subtle changes to our themes and layout. Everything Dinosaur has received a trade mark and our team members are slowly amending all our social media platforms to reflect this. For example, our header image for the Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel has already been changed.
A New Banner for Everything Dinosaur’s YouTube channel
The Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel header. Note the ® symbol which denotes a registered trade mark. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Note the ® symbol associated with the Everything Dinosaur logo, Everything Dinosaur is now a registered trade mark (February 2019).
A spokesperson for the UK-based dinosaur company said:
“We try and post up helpful images, advice and videos for our customers. Our YouTube channel contains a number of model reviews, competitions and helpful tips. When it comes to the Rebor Killer Queen figures, our simple guide to freeing up the arms should help to prevent any unfortunate accidents. In addition, we have commenced a programme to update our company visuals to reflect our trade mark status.”
To view the range of Rebor figures and models available from Everything Dinosaur, including both colour variants of the recently introduced Rebor Killer Queen models: Rebor Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.
Some animals alive today relay on the assistance of other animals to help them keep clean and tidy. Tropical fish on coral reefs deliberately visit areas where “cleaner fish” congregate and they patiently wait whilst these fish clean them and remove dead skin and parasites. In Africa, the Oxpecker (Buphagus spp.), a type of starling, regularly hitch a ride on the back of a large mammals, such as elephants and pick dead skin and parasites from their host’s hide. These birds also catch insects disturbed as the large animals move through the scrub and bush.
Symbiosis in the Dinosauria
It is very likely that these sorts of mutually beneficial relationships between different species occurred in the past and with dinosaurs.
The Megalosaurus statue at Crystal Palace a dinosaur from 1854. Since the nascent days of palaeontology, scientists have speculated about symbiosis within the Dinosauria. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Mutually beneficial activities are termed symbiotic relationships by scientists. In the picture (above), a statue of a large theropod dinosaur (Megalosaurus) is shown. Since the early days of studying dinosaur bones, symbiosis within the Dinosauria was suspected. Symbiosis is the term used to describe an interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association to the benefit of both.
Can your class find examples of mutual co-operation (symbiosis) in the natural world?
Can the class consider ways that pupils and staff at the school co-operate together?
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon Model Review
The talented team at JurassicCollectables have posted up a short video review of the new for 2019 walking Pteranodon model from the Wild Safari Prehistoric World figure collection. This video review really helps collectors and prehistoric animal model fans to appreciate the vivid colours that Safari Ltd chose for their new pterosaur figure. Unlike most flying reptile figures, this new for 2019 introduction, depicts Pteranodon on the ground, after all, these members of the Pterosauria must have spent some time on “terra firma”.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon Video Review
Video credit: JurassicCollectables
Fantastic Details Around the Skull and the Eye
In the short video review, (the video lasts six minutes and thirty seconds), the narrator takes the Pteranodon model out of its wrapping and provides viewers with a guided tour of the figure. Much of the video focuses on the beautifully-painted head, crest and beak. In particular, the painting around the eye is praised. Safari Ltd have made Pteranodon figures before, but this is the first Pteranodon model that has been depicted in a walking pose and not with the wings stretched out in a flying position.
In the Video, the Quality of the Painting Around the Eye is Highlighted
The superbly painted Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon model. In the video, viewers are given a close-up view of the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon model.
Picture credit: JurassicCollectables
Pteranodon longiceps
The genus Pteranodon and the first species (P. longiceps), was erected in 1876 (Othniel Charles Marsh). Numerous models of this famous Late Cretaceous pterosaur have been made, but few of them with the quality of sculpt and the paintwork of this Safari Ltd replica. The shape of the crest denotes the species and the tiger colouration and the subtle airbrushing on the crest is admirable.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon (P. longiceps) Model
JurassicCollectables reviews the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon model.
Picture credit: JurassicCollectables
A Well-crafted Pteranodon Model
This well-crafted figure measures over eight centimetres long and the head is some ten centimetres off the ground. The Pteranodon model used in the review was one of the first of the production figures to be made. In this most informative video review, the model is compared with the recently reviewed Kaiyodo Sofubi Toy Box T. rex figure . The Papo green standing T. rex also features, along with a cameo appearance by off-colour Alan. No JurassicCollectables video review would be complete without an appearance of the Alan Grant figure.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon Compared to the “Classic” Kaiyodo Sofubi Toy Box T. rex Figure
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Pteranodon compared to the Kaiyodo Sofubi Toy Box T. rex.
Picture credit: JurassicCollectables
Our thanks to JurassicCollectables for posting up such an interesting and helpful video review, of what is an excellent pterosaur model.
The YouTube channel of JurassicCollectables contains lots of informative and helpful dinosaur and prehistoric animal videos. Everything Dinosaur recommends that readers subscribe to JurassicCollectables: JurassicCollectables YouTube Channel.
Tentacled “Cthulhu” Fossil Reveals Relative of Modern Sea Cucumbers
The remarkable Silurian-aged deposits located at a secret site in Herefordshire (England), have provided scientists with a unique look at the early evolution of sea cucumbers and their relatives. The rocks at this location are comprised of very fine grained volcanic ash that settled on the seafloor some 430 to 425 million years ago. These deposits have preserved in fantastic detail the remains of the marine biota. The latest new species to be named from this location is Sollasina cthulhu, a multi-tentacled, benthic animal that was a ferocious predator.
The prehistoric sea cucumber’s trivial name honours the “Cthulhu” universe, as it resembles some of the monsters created by the American, 20th century science-fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft. At only three centimetres across, it might not look very formidable to us, but its numerous tentacles, (actually tube feet), would have been used to terrorise and capture other animals as it roamed across the seafloor.
A Life Reconstruction of the Newly Described Sollasina cthulhu
Sollasina cthulhu life reconstruction.
Picture credit: Elissa Martin, (Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History)
Writing in the academic journal the “Proceedings of the Royal Society B (Biology)”, palaeontologists from the USA and the UK were able to create an accurate, three-dimensional digital reconstruction of the 430-million-year-old fossil. The exceptionally preserved fossil, once analysed using this three-dimensional computer modelling technique, revealed details of internal soft tissues previously not seen in a fossil like this.
Sollasina cthulhu
Like other fossils from the secret Herefordshire “Lagerstätte”, Sollasina cthulhu was examined using a method that involved grinding it away, layer-by-layer, with a photograph taken at each stage. This led to hundreds of images being produced which were then combined in a special computer programme to create an exact 3-D image, a “virtual fossil”.
The scientists, which included researchers from the Oxford Museum of Natural History, Leicester University, Imperial College London, Yale University and the University of Southern California, were able to make out an internal ring, which is believed to be part of the organism’s water vascular system. The water vascular system is the system of fluid-filled canals used for feeding and movement in living sea cucumbers and their relatives.
Dr Imran Rahman (Deputy Head of Research at Oxford University Museum of Natural History) and lead author of the paper stated:
“Sollasina belongs to an extinct group called the ophiocistioids, and this new material provides the first information on the group’s internal structures. This includes an inner ring-like form that has never been described in the group before. We interpret this as the first evidence of the soft parts of the water vascular system in ophiocistioids.”
Computer-based Analysis
This new fossil was subjected to a phylogenetic analysis to assess the evolutionary relationships between fossil sea cucumbers and sea urchins (members of the Echinodermata Phylum). The results showed that Sollasina and its relatives are more closely related to sea cucumbers than they are to sea urchins. This has provided a new insight into the evolution of this very important group of invertebrates.
A Computer-generated Three-dimensional Image of Sollasina cthulhu
Three-dimensional reconstruction of Sollasina cthulhu using the computer programme. Tube feet shown in different colours.
Picture credit: Dr Imran Rahman (Oxford University Museum of Natural History)
Dr Jeffrey Thompson (University of Southern California) and a co-author of the paper commented:
“We carried out a number of analyses to work out whether Sollasina was more closely related to sea cucumbers or sea urchins. To our surprise, the results suggest it was an ancient sea cucumber. This helps us understand the changes that occurred during the early evolution of the group, which ultimately gave rise to the slug-like forms we see today.”
The Herefordshire site has provided palaeontologists with some remarkable fossils to study:
A marine environment from the early Phanerozoic Eon (Silurian). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a press release from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “A New Ophiocistioid with Soft-tissue Preservation from the Silurian Herefordshire Lagerstätte, and the Evolution of the Holothurian Body Plan” by Imran A. Rahman, Jeffrey R. Thompson, Derek E. G. Briggs, David J. Siveter, Derek J. Siveter and Mark D. Sutton published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The eagerly awaited Rebor Killer Queen Tyrannosaurus rex models are due to arrive at Everything Dinosaur in the next few days. Both versions of the Rebor T. rex are coming into stock, the brown/black-coloured model (plain) and the predominately green-coloured replica (jungle). This is the second Rebor T. rex pairing after the successful launch of “Vanilla Ice” in the autumn of 2018.
Rebor Killer Queen T. rex Figures (Plain and Jungle) Coming to Everything Dinosaur
The Rebor Killer Queen Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur models (jungle and plain colour variants).Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Pair of “Killer Queens”
The Rebor Killer Queen models have articulated lower jaws, moveable forelimbs and a flexible tail so the tail can be posed in various positions. When these figures arrive, Everything Dinosaur team members will be busying themselves by contacting all those who have reserved figures. It is likely that these very collectable figures will feature in Everything Dinosaur’s next customer newsletter.
Each Tyrannosaurus rex figure measures approximately 40 centimetres in length. At the hips, the models measure a fraction under 13 centimetres in height.
New for Spring 2019 The Rebor Killer Queen Tyrannosaurus rex (Plain)
The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex dinosaur model (Plain).
Plain or Jungle Colour Variants
Collectors will have the opportunity to pick up two versions of this model. Tyrannosaurus rex is known from Upper Cretaceous strata from the United States and Canada. One fossilised footprint from Mexico, suggests that the “King of the Tyrant Lizards” lived in Mexico as well, but no body fossils have confirmed this assertion.
It has been suggested that T. rex was confined to more northern latitudes, even the most southerly portions of Laramidia could not be described as “jungle”, although the palaeoenvironment in the southern portion of Laramidia is regarded as sub-tropical. T. rex would have been familiar with plains, although analysis of plant fossils indicates that the Hell Creek Formation (Maastrichtian faunal stage), deposits are representative of a riverine dominated system surrounded by forest.
Rebor Killer Queen Tyrannosaurus rex Model (Jungle Colour Variant)
T. rex Killer Queen (jungle).
Rebor Killer Queen
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:
“Congratulations to Rebor for making two more excellent Tyrannosaurus rex models. The different colour variants provide dinosaur fans and collectors with the opportunity to get two different versions of the same model and we have received lots of emails from customers asking us to reserve figures for them. As soon as the shipment arrives at our warehouse, we will get the cartons unpacked and checked over as quickly as possible, then it is simply a question of getting the stock on-line and contacting all those people on our priority reserve list. The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex figures could be stock as early as tomorrow.”
It has recently been confirmed that Everything Dinosaur will be offering both “plain” and “jungle” as a set at a specially discounted price.
Purchase the Pair of Rebor Killer Queen T. rex Models Together (Jungle and Plain)
Purchase the Rebor Killer Queen T. rex models as a pair (plain and jungle).Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Today, we feature another of those wonderful prehistoric scenes created by Safari Ltd. Safari Ltd have produced some superb images illustrating various models within their excellent Wild Safari Prehistoric World range and today, the sail-backed, pelycosaur Dimetrodon steps into the spotlight.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon Diorama
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon diorama.
Picture credit: Safari Ltd
In the illustration (above), a pair of Dimetrodons confront each other. Such intraspecific conflicts may have been relatively common as animals fought for dominance, mates and territory.
Dimetrodon A Predator of the Permian
Known from North America, Europe and Russia, several species of Dimetrodon have been named. One of the largest (D. grandis) is estimated to have weighed around two hundred kilograms and measured in excess of three metres in length. Dimetrodon grandis would have been an apex predator within its ecosystem and it is quite probable that these reptiles (distantly related to modern mammals), would have battled each other to win mates and to gain territory in which to hunt.
In the illustration created by Safari Ltd, we see a pair of Dimetrodons confronting each other against a backdrop of a conifer forest. It is possible, that these large reptiles may have competed with each other for the best basking sites, an example of intraspecific competition. After all, if that large sail played a role in thermoregulation, the best places to warm up in the morning would have been at a premium for these large animals.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon Model
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon model. Introduced into the model range in 2018.
Picture credit: Safari Ltd
Evolving Dimetrodon Models
The latest incarnation of Dimetrodon by Safari Ltd was introduced into their model range in 2018. It ostensibly replaced an earlier figure that had been part of the Carnegie Collectibles model series. When the Carnegie relationship ended and this part of the Safari Ltd model portfolio was retired, the company had the opportunity to introduce several new figures in subsequent years. For example, in 2018 the new Dimetrodon replica was one of fourteen new prehistoric animal figures launched.
To view a range of pelycosaur figures and models, visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.
The Earlier Carnegie Collection Dimetrodon Figure
Sail-back reptile with ferocious teeth.
Picture credit: Safari Ltd
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Replicas
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon figure is approximately the same size as the earlier Carnegie Dimetrodon (approximately 19 cm long), but there are subtle differences between the two models. The sails are different shapes, the supporting struts (elongated spines from the vertebrae), are more prominent in the most recently introduced version and the limbs in the 2018 model look more powerful and robust. These changes reflect the changing interpretation of the fossil material associated with this genus.
Our congratulations once again to the design team at Safari Ltd. Not only has this company produced some excellent prehistoric animal figures, including monsters from the Palaeozoic like Dimetrodon, they have also produced fantastic promotional images of their creations.
Lingyuanosaurus sihedangensis – A New Species of Therizinosaur is Announced
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the University of Alberta, have announced the discovery of a new therizinosaur based on fragmentary fossils from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group of Liaoning Province (north-eastern China). This is the third therizinosaur to have been named from the Jehol Group, joining Jianchangosaurus and Beipiaosaurus. These dinosaurs are approximately the same size, the researchers have put forward a number of theories to help explain why three similar-sized members of the Therizinosauridae could have potentially co-existed without directly competing.
The dinosaur has been named Lingyuanosaurus sihedangensis (pronounced: ling-you-an-oh-sore-us), the genus name honours the city of Lingyuan, whilst the trivial epithet refers to the town of Sihedang where the fossils were discovered.
Fossil Material Ascribed to Lingyuanosaurus sihedangensis Prior to Complete Preparation
Lingyuanosaurus fossil material.
Picture credit: Scientific Reports
The picture above shows some of the fossils used to name and describe this new species of dinosaur. Top left (a), limb bones consisting of a right femur and left tibia, whereas, (b) contains ribs, part of the right humerus and the ischium. Slab (c) consists of claw bones (manual unguals) and ribs, whilst (d), shows the right ankle bone (astragalus) and the left ilium. Note the scale bar equals 5 cm.
An Intermediate Position within the Therizinosauria
Described from a single, disarticulated but associated partial skeleton, the exact age of the fossils is disputed. The fossil-bearing strata at Sihedang have been assigned to the Yixian Formation in some studies but to the younger Jiufotang Formation in others. A phylogenetic analysis carried out by the authors places Lingyuanosaurus in an intermediate position within Therizinosauria. It has been placed between the early-branching therizinosaurs such as Falcarius, Jianchangosaurus, and Beipiaosaurus and the late-branching ones such as Alxasaurus and Therizinosaurus. Lingyuanosaurus sheds additional light on the evolution of major therizinosaurian characteristics, including the distinctive pelvic girdle and hindlimb morphology seen in this group.
A Drawing of a Typical Therizinosaur
A drawing of a typical therizinosaur.Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Where Did Lingyuanosaurus Fit into the Jehol Biota?
Measuring around two metres in length, this is the third similar-sized therizinosaur to be assigned to this Early Cretaceous biota of northern China. The presence of three very similar types of dinosaur in the Jehol Group is unusual. Unless the region was particularly rich in resources, these dinosaurs could have been in direct competition with each other. The researchers put forward several possible explanations as to why three similar therizinosaurs have been identified.
Firstly, the beds in which these therizinosaurs (Jianchangosaurus, Lingyuanosaurus and Beipiaosaurus), have been found are not precisely dated. The Yixian and the Jiufotang Formations were deposited over a span of at least 8 million years. It is possibly that these three dinosaurs could have been separated from each other by a considerable period of time, hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.
Secondly, these three species are known from different parts of Liaoning Province. Whereas, Jianchangosaurus and Lingyuanosaurus were found at sites just a few miles apart, Beipiaosaurus heralds from more than 200 miles further north. There is some, albeit limited, evidence to suggest that during the Early Cretaceous the deposition of the Jehol Group occurred in multiple small basins, suggesting that the three Jehol therizinosaurs might have been separated by geographic barriers even if they were mutually contemporaneous.
Thirdly, if these three therizinosaurs did live at the same time, in the same habitat, they might have occupied different niches in the ecosystem. The teeth of Jianchangosaurus are different (although the holotype represents a juvenile, so comparison with fully grown animals can be problematic), this suggests that Jianchangosaurus might have fed on different types of vegetation compared to Lingyuanosaurus and Beipiaosaurus. In addition, the ratio of limb bones in Beipiaosaurus is different to the other two dinosaurs, it might have been relatively slow in comparison with Jianchangosaurus and Lingyuanosaurus and therefore it could have had a more limited range.
The scientific paper: “A New Transitional Therizinosaurian Theropod from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China” by Xi Yao, Chun-Chi Liao, Corwin Sullivan and Xing Xu published in Scientific Reports.
