All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
19 02, 2020

José Bonaparte – The Father of Palaeontology in Argentina (1928-2020)

By |2024-01-17T09:54:05+00:00February 19th, 2020|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Famous Figures, Main Page|18 Comments

José Bonaparte (1928-2020)

Today’s blog post is dedicated to José Bonaparte, one of the greatest palaeontologists of the 20th century and regarded as the “Father of Argentinian Palaeontology”, who has passed away.  He died yesterday (18th February), at the age of 91.  Social media has been filled with tributes to this dedicated, passionate and influential scientist, who was such an inspiration to a whole generation of palaeontologists.

José Fernando Bonaparte (1928-2020)

José Bonaparte - the father of palaeontology in Argentina.
José Bonaparte (1928-2020).

Picture credit: Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”

El Padre de la Paleontología en la Argentina

Respected and admired by many professional palaeontologists, the self-taught José Bonaparte was regarded as a workaholic and a tough taskmaster, but perhaps, he more than anybody else is responsible for introducing the remarkable vertebrate fossils found in Argentina to the rest of the world.  Dinosaur palaeontologist Peter Dodson stated that “almost single-handedly he’s responsible for Argentina becoming the sixth country in the world in kinds of dinosaurs”.

His legacy will live on and his contribution will continue to be recognised, for example, last year alone there were something like ten new genera of non-avian dinosaurs described from fossil remains found in Argentina.

Bonaparte, who spent the majority of his career as head of the Vertebrate Palaeontology Division of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, in Buenos Aires was responsible for, or at least played a significant role in the study of iconic dinosaurs – famous animals such as Carnotaurus, Amargasaurus, Abelisaurus, Argentinosaurus, Noasaurus and numerous others.  He made many other hugely important discoveries such as the finding of the first fossilised remains of Mesozoic South American mammals and he was amongst the first scientists to lead the “dinosaur revolution” inspired by Ostrom in the 1970s.

The “Master of the Mesozoic”

Robert Bakker nicknamed Bonaparte the “Master of the Mesozoic” (Maestro del Mesozoico).  He was responsible for training a generation of palaeontologists, many of which are now regarded as leaders in the field – scientists such as Luis Chiappe, Rodolfo Coria, Agustín Martinelli, Fernando Novas, Jaime Powell, Guillermo Rougier, Leonardo Salgado, Sebastián Apesteguía and many others.

El Maestro del Mesozoico – José Bonaparte (1928-2020)

José Bonaparte "El Maestro del Mesozoico".
José Bonaparte (1928-2020) the “father of Argentinian palaeontology”

Picture credit: Télam

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” in the compilation of this article.

18 02, 2020

In Praise of a Polish Giant – Lisowicia bojani

By |2024-01-17T09:49:45+00:00February 18th, 2020|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|1 Comment

CollectA and a Prehistoric Giant from Poland – Lisowicia bojani

To celebrate the production of the CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale model of Lisowicia bojani, a prehistoric animal from Poland, Everything Dinosaur has prepared a special blog post in Polish for all our Polish customers and friends.

Lisowicia bojani

Those clever and talented people at CollectA have created the biggest dinosaur line in the world, but they don’t just make models of dinosaurs, there are lots of other prehistoric animals too and later on this year (mid 2020), Polish model collectors will be able to get their hands on their very own Polish prehistoric animal model.  A figure that represents one of the most important discoveries made in Europe by vertebrate palaeontologists this century.

CollectA will be introducing a 1:20 scale replica of Lisowicia bojani, a giant herbivore that roamed Silesia, southern Poland, more than 200 million years ago.

A Photograph of One of the Production Figures of the CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia bojani Model

CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia bojani.
The CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia bojani 1:20 scale model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Late Triassic Dicynodont

A clay pit (the Lipie Śląskie clay pit), close to the village of Lisowice, has provided scientists with thousands of fossil bones to study.  The fossils represent a wide variety of vertebrates including predatory dinosaurs, pterosaurs and large amphibians that once lived in a low-lying, wetland environment.

Polish scientists have played a prominent role in excavating the site and describing the fossil discoveries.  When giant limb bones were unearthed, researchers thought that they had found the remains of a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur (sauropod), but it was soon realised that these colossal and robust bones came from an enormous dicynodont (die-sigh-no-dont), an animal more closely related to us (Homo sapiens), than to any dinosaur!

The CollectA Deluxe 1:20 Scale Lisowicia bojani Model

Lisowicia bojani model (CollectA Deluxe).
CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia bojani model.  Like most dicynodonts, Lisowicia was toothless and it had a large beak for cropping vegetation.  The articulated jaw on the CollectA Deluxe model helps to show these features. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Defining Dicynodonts

Dicynodonts are a group of extinct quadrupeds which are distantly related to modern mammals.  They first evolved in the Permian geological period, more than 70 different genera have been named and described.  Although the strata in which the fossils of Lisowicia were found have proved very difficult to date, they could be at least 10 million years younger than any previously described dicynodont fossil material known to science.

Not only was Lisowicia bojani one of the last dicynodonts to have roamed our planet, it was by far the biggest.  Scientists have estimated that Lisowicia measured 4.5 metres long and had a hip height in excess of 2 metres.  Lisowicia is believed to have been at least 40% bigger than any other known dicynodont.  Intriguingly, this elephant-sized animal was the largest animal known from the Late Triassic of Poland, and to date, no fossils of big, plant-eating dinosaurs have been found in this part of Europe, although their fossils have been found in similarly aged rocks elsewhere.

A Geological Ruler Helps to Show the Size of the CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia Model

The CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia bojani model.
The ruler helps to show the size of the CollectA Lisowicia model.  The CollectA Deluxe Lisowicia measures just under 20 cm long. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Named and Scientifically Described in 2018

Formally named and described in 2018, the genus name honours the Polish village of Lisowice, whilst the species name honours the German-born comparative anatomist Ludwig Heinrich Bojanus.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“It is great to have a model of a Polish prehistoric animal such as Lisowicia bojani added to the CollectA Deluxe model range.  We are sure that collectors in Poland are going to be delighted with this new replica, the beautiful and very detailed model depicts an extinct, giant dicynodont that is known only from Poland.  It is a model of an animal that was a large as an elephant, a long extinct creature that has helped palaeontologists to better understand Late Triassic ecosystems of Europe.”

To view the range of CollectA Deluxe prehistoric animals and dinosaurs available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life.

17 02, 2020

New Papo Prehistoric Animal Model Measurements (Part 2)

By |2024-01-17T09:42:49+00:00February 17th, 2020|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

New Papo Prehistoric Animal Model Measurements (Part 2)

Everything Dinosaur recently published the official measurements for two of the brand new prehistoric animal models from Papo.  Today, we conclude our blog posts in relation to the measurement of the brand new Papo prehistoric animal figures and our comments on scaling these models by publishing the official measurements for the Papo Stygimoloch dinosaur model and the Papo Megaloceros.

Papo Prehistoric Animal Figures

Whilst Papo may not produce scale models of prehistoric animals, we know how keen dinosaur fans and model collectors are for any guidance as to the approximate scale of a replica.  To this end we have put together this short blog posts that concludes our foray into this area.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s earlier post about the Papo Chilesaurus and the Papo Giganotosaurus dinosaur models: New Papo Prehistoric Animal Model Measurements (Part 1).

The Official Model Measurements for the New Papo Stygimoloch Dinosaur Model

Official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Stygimoloch dinosaur model.
The official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Stygimoloch dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Papo Stygimoloch – Tale of the Tape

Everything Dinosaur has been informed that this new model stands around eight centimetres tall and that it is approximately seven centimetres in length.  Calculating the scale for this pachycephalosaur (bone-headed) dinosaur is a little tricky, as most palaeontologists believe the fossils ascribed to Stygimoloch (S. spirifer), actually represent, juvenile, immature specimens of Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis.

Dracorex (D. hogwartsia) and Stygimoloch (S. spirifer) are regarded as “nomina dubia“, that is to say, that the validity of both these two genera are now in doubt.

The Dracorex and Stygimoloch Debate

The reasons for the uncertainty of the Dracorex and Stygimoloch taxa can be summarised as follows:

  • In 2007, at the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP), palaeontologist John R. Horner (Jack Horner), presented evidence that the holotype Dracorex specimen might represent Stygimoloch.  He further proposed that Dracorex and Stygimoloch represented juvenile or possible female P. wyomingensis specimens.
  • In 2009, Horner in collaboration with Mark Goodwin, published further evidence suggesting that the cranial spikes and bumps on the skulls of these three dinosaurs showed considerable variation but within a range expected for a single species.  In addition, they concluded that whilst P. wyomingensis was known from adult specimens, both Dracorex and Stygimoloch fossil material represent juveniles.  As all three “species” are known from the Hell Creek Formation, then all the pachycephalosaur fossils could be associated with a single genus.  As these types of dinosaurs grew and matured they lost their spikes and developed thick, dome-shaped skulls.
  •  More recently, other scientific papers have been published that conclude that the so-called “unique” characteristics of Stygimoloch and Dracorex are morphologically consistent traits that would be expected if a Pachycephalosaurus growth curve was plotted.

Calculating the Scale for the Papo Stygimoloch Model

If it is proposed that Stygimoloch represents a juvenile specimen of Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis, then what growth stage does this model represent?  If we assume that the Papo figure represents a half-grown animal, then we can speculate that the body length would be around two to three metres.  Based on these assumptions, a model that is seven centimetres long would be in scale 1:28.5 for a two-metre-long animal or approximately 1:42 scale for a three-metre-long animal.

One of the Prototype Production Models (Papo Stygimoloch)

Papo Stygimoloch model.
A view of one of the production prototypes of the Papo Stygimoloch dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: The Everything Dinosaur Website.

The Official Model Measurements for the Papo Megaloceros Model

Official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Megaloceros prehistoric animal model.
The official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Megaloceros prehistoric animal model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Papo Megaloceros Model – Tale of the Tape

The Papo Megaloceros model is the only non-dinosaur figure to be introduced by Papo in 2020.  The information received by Everything Dinosaur indicates that this figure will measure some 16 centimetres in length, stand around 6 cm high at the shoulders with an overall height of 13.5 cm.  When all the new Papo figures are in stock, Everything Dinosaur team members will carefully measure each model and publish the details in the “additional information” section of the relevant product pages.

If it is assumed that this figure represents an example of the largest species of Megaloceros (M. giganteus), then with the type species having an estimated body length of 3.2 metres this figure could be in 1:20 scale.

A Papo Megalosaurus Figure on Display

Spotted a Papo Megaloceros model on display.
A pre-production Papo Megaloceros model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Delays in Production due to the COVID-19 Outbreak

As Papo’s production is based in China, the company is currently experiencing difficulties scheduling manufacturing due to the continuing COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak.  Everything Dinosaur will keep social media followers and our blog readers informed of developments and when more information becomes available regarding the availability of these models, we will publish it.

To see the range of Papo dinosaurs and prehistoric animal models in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Papo Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animal Models.

16 02, 2020

New Papo Prehistoric Animal Model Measurements (Part 1)

By |2024-01-17T09:32:33+00:00February 16th, 2020|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

Official Measurements for the Papo Chilesaurus and the Papo Giganotosaurus Models

Everything Dinosaur has published details of the official measurements for the four, brand new prehistoric animal figures expected later in the year from Papo.  In today’s blog post, we will provide information on the Chilesaurus and Giganotosaurus figures, a second post will follow which will provide measurement details of the other new dinosaur replica (Stygimoloch) as well as the eagerly anticipated Papo Megaloceros.

Papo Prehistoric Animal Model Measurements

Although Papo does not produce scale models, our team members have provided an approximation of scale for each of these figures in order to assist dinosaur fans and collectors with their prehistoric animal collections.

The Official Model Measurements for the Papo Chilesaurus Model

Official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Chilesaurus dinosaur model.
The official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Chilesaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Papo Chilesaurus – Tale of the Tape

The Papo Chilesaurus figure measures around fifteen centimetres in length and the tail is approximately eight centimetres off the ground.

A Photograph of One of the Production Figures (Papo Chilesaurus)

Papo Chilesaurus dinosaur model (new for 2020).
The New for 2020 Papo Chilesaurus dinosaur model (the pen helps to show the size of this replica). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

With an estimated adult animal total length of 3 to 3.2 metres, Everything Dinosaur team members estimate that this figure is in approximately 1:20 to 1:22 scale.

The Official Measurements for the New for 2020 Papo Giganotosaurus Dinosaur Model

Official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Giganotosaurus dinosaur model.
The official measurements for the new for 2020 Papo Giganotosaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Papo Giganotosaurus Dinosaur Model

The official measurements for the Giganotosaurus model are length eighteen centimetres, with an overall height of twenty centimetres.  The unorthodox pose of this figure makes an assessment of scale quite a challenge for this particular model.  However, if we apply the Pythagoras theorem which states that the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of squares of the lengths of other two sides of a right-angled triangle, (a² + b² = c²), we can approximate the length of the head, body and tail if the model was put in a more anatomically correct pose.

By drawing a right-angled triangle over the body plan of the figure, an approximation for the length of the head, body and the tail can be calculated.

Team members calculated the length of the hypotenuse to be approximately 27 cm, which, when compared to the estimated length of the adult dinosaur at around 13.2 metres, equates to a 1:48 scale figure.

Estimating the Scale of the Papo Giganotosaurus Figure

Estimating the approximate scale of the new for 2020 Papo Giganotosaurus dinosaur model using the Pythagoras theorem.
Estimating the approximate scale of the new for 2020 Papo Giganotosaurus dinosaur model using Pythagorean theorem. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Production Delays due to COVID-19 Outbreak

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak in China, there has been an unavoidable delay on the production of these new Papo models.  Everything Dinosaur will, of course, keep our blog readers and social media followers updated and provide further information as and when we receive it.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“Whilst there is a lot of uncertainty with regards to the production of the new models and figures, Everything Dinosaur has built up considerable stock of Papo models and we are confident that the vast majority of the Papo figures, including some quite rare and retired replicas will still be available from us for a considerable time to come.  If a model should be temporarily unavailable, customers always have the option to join a waitlist.  As and when we receive updates on Papo prehistoric animal production, we will provide this information to our social media followers and blog post readers.”

To view the range of Papo prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: Papo Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animal Models.

15 02, 2020

New Study Examines Climate Change Impact on Reptiles and Amphibians

By |2024-01-17T09:21:10+00:00February 15th, 2020|Animal News Stories, Main Page|4 Comments

New Study Suggests Climate Change Could Reduce Lifespan Amongst Hundreds of Species

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast and Tel Aviv University (Israel), have carried out one of the most comprehensive studies to date to better understand what affects life expectancy among all living vertebrates in the world.  The study’s conclusions not only challenge a long-accepted theory about the lifespan of organisms, but also provide a new perspective on climate change – that global warming could have a huge impact on the life expectancy among ectothermic animals such as reptiles and amphibians.

Amphibians such as Frogs Could Be Exceptionally Vulnerable to the Consequences of Global Warming

New study suggests climate change could reduce lifespan amongst hundreds of species.
Cold-blooded animals such as frogs may be exceptionally vulnerable to climate change.

Picture credit: Queen’s University Belfast

Global Warming

The “rate of living” theory has long been accepted as an explanation as to why organisms age.  According to this theory, the faster the metabolic rate the shorter the lifespan.  Live fast and die after a relatively short period, in other words the “faster” the species lives in terms of the speed of its internal body functions and how quickly they start to reproduce, or how “slowly” in terms of these internal body functions and of lower reproductive rates, will determine the lifespan.

Research into How Organisms Age

This hypothesis helps to explain why some vertebrates such as frogs and reptiles may only live for a few months, whilst other species such as elephants, the Greenland shark and turtles can live for a very long time.

Giant Tortoises Can Live for Over a Hundred Years

Rebor "Lonesome George.
The Rebor 1:6 scale Pinta Island tortoise “Lonesome George” in oblique lateral view. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) shows the Rebor 1:6 scale giant tortoise model “Lonesome George”.

To view this model range: Rebor Models and Figures.

The Hotter the Environment – The Faster the “Rate of Living”

Until now the theory had not been tested at a global scale with all land vertebrates and there were limitations with the range of species the theory was tested on.  The scientists from Queen’s University and Tel Aviv University analysed data from over 4,100 land vertebrate species from across the planet to test the prevailing “rate of living” theory.

They discovered that “rate of living” does not affect aging rates, rejecting the previously accepted link between lifespan and metabolism.

Writing in the academic journal “Global Ecology and Biogeography”, the researchers found that rates of aging in cold-blooded organisms (ectotherms), including amphibians and reptiles are linked to high temperatures.  These findings led the scientists to put forward an alternative hypothesis: the hotter the environment is, the faster the rate of living that in turn leads to more accelerated aging and a shorter lifespan.

Critical Implications

Commenting on the significance of this new study, co-author Dr Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, (School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast) stated:

“Our findings can have critical implications for our understanding of factors that contribute to extinctions, especially in modern times when we are facing a worldwide decline of biodiversity, with cold-blooded animals being particularly endangered.  Now we know that the life-expectancy of cold-blooded vertebrates is linked to environmental temperatures, we could expect to see their lifespans further reduced as temperatures continue to rise through global warming.”

A Pair of Common Frogs Mating (Rana temporaria)

Mating frogs (2017).
A pair of mating frogs (2017).  The long-term outlook for many species of amphibian including the Common frog (Rana temporaria) is not good. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Amphibians the Most Threatened Class of the Animalia

According to date from the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (IUCN), some 30,000 species are currently threatened with extinction.  This figure represents around 27% of all the species assessed.  Amphibians are, on average, the most threatened Class, with 41% of species threatened.  A press release from the Queen’s University Belfast states that nearly one in five of the world’s estimated 10,000 species of lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles and other reptiles are threatened with extinction.

PhD student, Gavin Stark, the lead author of the study (Tel Aviv University), explained:

“The link between lifespan in cold-blooded animals (amphibians and reptiles) and ambient temperatures could mean that they are especially vulnerable to the unprecedented global warming that the planet is currently experiencing.  Indeed, if increasing ambient temperatures reduces longevity, it may make these species more prone to go extinct as the climate warms.”

Dr Pincheira-Donoso added:

“We need to further develop our understanding of this link between biodiversity and climate change.  Only armed with knowledge will we be able to inform future policies that could prevent further damage to the ecosystem.”

The Scientific Paper

The paper entitled, “No evidence for the “rate-of-living” theory across the tetrapod tree of life” is published in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography.  Manuscript ID GEB-2019-0279.R4.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from Queen’s University Belfast in the compilation of this article.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

14 02, 2020

Win a Rare Dinosaur Model with Everything Dinosaur

By |2024-01-17T09:13:25+00:00February 14th, 2020|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|5 Comments

Fantastic Mojo Fun Models Giveaway

WIN! WIN! WIN! with Everything Dinosaur!

Please note this contest is now closed.

Everything Dinosaur has teamed up with those clever, creative people at Mojo Fun and to celebrate the roll out of the new for 2020 Mojo Fun dinosaurs, Everything Dinosaur is giving away two very special Mandschurosaurus models.

We have one of the production models for the new Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus, the one that collectors will find in the new Mojo Fun 2020 catalogue AND a second Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus, the original prototype figure, one with a different colour scheme.

A Pair of Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus Dinosaur Models to Give Away

Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus dinosaur models.
Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus dinosaur model giveaway.  A pair of Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus dinosaur models to give away- courtesy of Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Win the two marvellous Mandschurosaurus models in Everything Dinosaur’s Competition.

All you have to do is “Like” Everything Dinosaur’s FACEBOOK page, then comment on the “Mojo Fun Competition” picture, perhaps you could tell us your favourite dinosaur, or maybe suggest a name for these two rare figures and we will enter you into our free prize draw.

Everything Dinosaur on FACEBOOK: “LIKE” our Facebook page and enter the competition!

We will draw the lucky winners at random and the “Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus” competition closes on midnight Friday 28th February.  Good luck, we hope you win this pair of highly sought after dinosaur models.

The new for 2020 Mojo Fun Prehistoric Life models are due in stock shortly, to view the Mojo Fun range: Mojo Fun Prehistoric and Extinct Animals.

Mojo Fun Models – The Mandschurosaurus

The genus Mandschurosaurus was erected ninety years ago, the species name Mandschurosaurus amurensis translates as “Chinese lizard from the Amur River”, given the current difficulties in China due to the COVID-19 outbreak it seems appropriate to express our support and sympathy for all those people affected and to celebrate the Mojo Fun factory’s excellent production values by giving away these two very special dinosaur models.

Win the Pair of Special Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus Dinosaur Models

Two Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus models to win in Everything Dinosaur's giveaway.
Win the pair of special Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus dinosaur models. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Terms and Conditions of the “Everything Dinosaur Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus” Competition

Automated entries are not permitted and will be excluded from the draw

Only one entry per person

The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered

The “Everything Dinosaur Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus” competition runs until midnight Friday 28th February 2020.

Winner will be notified by private message on Facebook.

Prize includes postage and packing

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges a complete release of Facebook by each entrant/participant

For full terms and conditions contact: Contact Everything Dinosaur.

Win, Win, Win with Everything Dinosaur!

Win a Wonderful Pair of Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus Dinosaur Models with Everything Dinosaur

Win a pair of dinosaur models.
Win a pair of Mojo Fun Mandschurosaurus dinosaur models from Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

Please note this contest is now closed.

14 02, 2020

New Research Suggests Climate Change Could Adversely Affect Amphibians and Reptiles

By |2024-01-17T07:49:26+00:00February 14th, 2020|General Teaching|Comments Off on New Research Suggests Climate Change Could Adversely Affect Amphibians and Reptiles

New Research Suggests Climate Change Could Adversely Affect Amphibians and Reptiles

Researchers from Tel Aviv University (Israel) and Queen’s University Belfast have carried out one of the most comprehensive studies to date to better understand what affects life expectancy among all living vertebrates in the world.  The study’s conclusions not only challenge a long-accepted theory about the lifespan of organisms, but also provide a new perspective on climate change – that global warming could have a huge impact on the life expectancy among cold-blooded animals such as reptiles and amphibians.

Studying Reptiles and Amphibians

With many schools having ponds in their grounds and wildlife areas, it is important to emphasise how crucial these habitats are for many animals, particularly frogs, toads and newts as the spawning season gets underway.

Forty-one Percent of All Amphibian Species Assessed to Date* Are Threatened with Extinction

New study suggests climate change could reduce lifespan amongst hundreds of species.
Cold-blooded animals such as frogs may be exceptionally vulnerable to climate change.

Picture credit: Queen’s University Belfast

International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Data.

The “Rate of Living” Theory

Some animals with backbones, such as some species of frog, can live for less than a year.  Whilst other animals such as elephants and turtles can live for a very long time. The “rate of living” theory has long been accepted as an explanation as to why organisms age.  According to this theory, the faster the metabolic rate the shorter the lifespan.

The scientists from Queen’s University Belfast and Tel Aviv University looked at data from over 4,100 land vertebrate species from across the planet to test the prevailing “rate of living” theory.  They found that ‘rate of living’ does not affect aging rates, rejecting the previously accepted link between metabolism and lifespan.

Identifying Extinction Factors for Reptiles and Amphibians

The study, published today (Friday 14 February), in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography, found that rates of aging in cold-blooded organisms including amphibians and reptiles are linked to high temperatures.  These findings led the scientists to propose an alternative hypothesis: the hotter the environment is, the faster the rate of living that in turn leads to more accelerated aging and a shorter lifespan.  Dr Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, co-author and Lecturer in Evolution & Macroecology at the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, explained:

“Our findings can have critical implications for our understanding of factors that contribute to extinctions, especially in modern times when we are facing a worldwide decline of biodiversity, with cold-blooded animals being particularly endangered.  Now we know that the life-expectancy of cold-blooded vertebrates is linked to environmental temperatures, we could expect to see their lifespans further reduced as temperatures continue to rise through global warming.”

A Tiny Frog Emerging from a Pond

Baby frog spotted close to the office pond.
A close-up view of the tiny, baby frog spotted near to the office pond. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Helping Wildlife

Providing suitable habitats for animals such as frogs, newts and toads is essential.  School wildlife areas, especially those with a body of water can play a vital role in helping to sustain local populations, as well as providing schoolchildren with an opportunity to study wildlife at close quarters.  Teaching teams can then use these resources to help link learning to key elements of the science curriculum.

For models of prehistoric reptiles and amphibians: Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

13 02, 2020

An Unusual New Sauropod from Asia

By |2024-01-17T07:41:26+00:00February 13th, 2020|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Abdarainurus barsboldi – A New Species of Late Cretaceous Sauropod from Mongolia

A researcher from the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St Petersburg, Russia), in collaboration with a colleague from the Borissiak Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences located in Moscow, have published a description of a new type of long-necked dinosaur from Mongolia.  The dinosaur has been named Abdarainurus barsboldi (pronounced Ab-darah-in-you-rus bars-bold-eye).  Named from fragmentary caudal material (fossil tail bones), the scientists conclude that this new long-necked dinosaur represents a highly specialised lineage of Asian sauropods that was previously unknown to science.

A Life Reconstruction of the Newly Described Mongolian Sauropod A. barsboldi

Life reconstruction of the newly described Asian sauropod Abdarainurus barsboldi.
Abdarainurus barsboldi life reconstruction.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

Abdarainurus barsboldi

The picture (above), shows a speculative life reconstruction of Abdarainurus barsboldi wandering across a floodplain with the soft-shelled turtle (Trionychidae spp.) in the foreground close to the bleached tree stump, whilst a pair of unconcerned ankylosaurus (Pinacosaurus) wander past in the background.  Described from a series of eight caudal vertebrae from the base of the tail, along with some middle tail bones and associated chevrons, the fossil material was originally discovered during an expedition to the northern Gobi Desert in 1970, however, the fossils remained unstudied until recently.  Tail bones of sauropods can be very diagnostic with numerous autapomorphies (distinctive features), that can help the identification of fossil remains down to the species level (in this case a new species).

The Alagteeg Formation of Mongolia

The Upper Cretaceous deposits that make up the Alagteeg Formation, from whence the fossil material came, represent an extensive, low-lying floodplain.  A number of dinosaur species have been identified from these Campanian-aged rocks, including Protoceratops, as well as the armoured dinosaur Pinacosaurus.  The genus name for this new sauropod is derived from the Russian spelling for the Abdrant Nuru locality (Abdarain Nuru) and urus, the Latinised term for the tail, a reference to the holotype fossil material.

The species name honours Dr Rinchen Barsbold, a Mongolian vertebrate palaeontologist who has done much to improve understanding regarding the geology of Mongolia and worked tirelessly to excavate the fossil rich deposits of the Gobi Desert and better understand the ancient palaeofauna of Asia.

A phylogenetic analysis carried out by the authors of the scientific paper places A. barsboldi as a basal titanosaurian sauropod, but the researchers urge caution with regards to this placement due to a lack of consensus with regards to the taxonomy of basal titanosaurs.  They conclude that it is likely that Abdarainurus represents a highly specialised lineage of Asian macronarian sauropods that was unknown to science previously.

The scientific paper: “An unusual new sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia” by Alexander O. Averianov and Alexey V. Lopatin published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

12 02, 2020

New Dinosaur Model Wins Award

By |2024-01-17T07:37:34+00:00February 12th, 2020|General Teaching|Comments Off on New Dinosaur Model Wins Award

Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus Model Wins Award

Readers of the magazine “Prehistoric Times” have voted the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus model the best dinosaur model of 2019.  The discerning readers of the magazine selected this dinosaur figure based on its scientific accuracy and its suitability for permitting creative, imaginative play.

Camarasaurus Model

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus Model Wins an Award

Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus dinosaur model.
The award-winning Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus dinosaur model.

An Extensive and Diverse Prehistoric Animal Model Range

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World model range from Safari Ltd features an extensive range of extinct animals and other prehistoric creatures.  The Camarasaurus figure, the largest dinosaur introduced by this American company last year, has been voted the best dinosaur toy of 2019 by readers of “Prehistoric Times” magazine.

The Camarasaurus model (pronounced KAM-are-oh-sore-us ), measures around thirty-five centimetres long and that carefully sculpted head stands some sixteen centimetres high.  The model is not too heavy and ideal for little hands and creative minds.  The design team at Safari Ltd work hard to ensure that the dinosaur models that they create are scientifically accurate, utilising the latest research from palaeontologists to assist them in this process.

Voted the Best Dinosaur Toy of 2019 – The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus Dinosaur Model

Dinosaur model wins award.
The award-winning Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus dinosaur model.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus Model

“Prehistoric Times” readers praised the model for its intricate paint detail and the pose of the dinosaur with its foot raised as if the animal was in motion.  Whether on the shelf or in the toy chest, the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Camarasaurus makes an excellent accessory helping to encourage children to have fun and play whilst learning about dinosaurs and life in the past.

Commenting on the award, a spokesperson for UK-based Everything Dinosaur stated:

“Our teaching team recognises the benefits of creative, imaginative play.  It is wonderful to see that the great care and attention to detail that Safari Ltd put into their dinosaurs has been acknowledged by readers of the magazine.  At the heart of everything that Safari Ltd do, is the desire to develop toys that teach, helping to educate young learners, fostering their curiosity and their respect for the environment and conservation.  Learning about long extinct creatures such as the Camarasaurus can help children become enthusiastic environmental activists and provide a perspective on climate issues affecting our planet today.”

To view the range of dinosaur and prehistoric animals from Safari Ltd available from Everything Dinosaur: Safari Ltd – Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

12 02, 2020

“Cracking” the Mystery of Dinosaurs Being Warm-Blooded

By |2024-01-17T07:32:32+00:00February 12th, 2020|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|2 Comments

Eggshell Geochemistry Suggests Endothermy Deeply Rooted in the Dinosauria

The puzzle of dinosaur metabolism has been a subject of debate amongst vertebrate palaeontologists for a very long time.  Numerous studies have been published, drawing on a variety of research methods and lines of enquiry to determine whether the non-avian dinosaurs were warm-blooded like their avian (bird) relatives, or whether they were cold-blooded like today’s crocodilians.  A study published in the journal “Science Advances”, one that looked at the geophysical and chemical properties of dinosaur eggshell, has concluded that non-avian dinosaurs had the ability to metabolically raise their temperatures above their environment – in essence they were endothermic, that is to say “warm-blooded”.

A Thin Cross-section of Fossilised Eggshell Viewed under Cross-polarising Light to Reveal Internal Structure

Dinosaur eggshell fossil in cross-section under a microscope using cross-polarising light.
A dinosaur eggshell fossil in cross-section under a microscope using cross-polarising light.  Eggshell analysis has provided compelling evidence to suggest that dinosaurs were endothermic.  Note scale is 500 microns.

Picture credit: Robin Dawson/University of Yale

Non-avian Dinosaurs were they Cold-blooded or Warm-blooded?

The terms cold-blooded and warm-blooded are found frequently in articles about dinosaurs.  These terms are very misleading and have been disregarded for a long time by most of the scientific community.  For example, most lizards, regarded as cold-blooded, actually maintain a surprisingly high body temperature in their normal environment during the daytime.  Internal body temperatures around 42 degrees Celsius have been recorded in some species, much higher than the normal 37˚ Celsius associated with our own “warm-blooded” species.

In simple terms, cold-blooded animals (ectotherms), are largely unable to regulate their own body temperature without the assistance of external sources.  Lizards bask in the early morning sun to warm up and then during the heat of the day, they seek shade to help them to keep cool.  In contrast, “warm-blooded” organisms such as mammals and birds (endotherms), are able to maintain a body temperature that is higher than the temperature of the environment.  They can generate their own body heat.  This heat comes from the animal’s metabolism, the chemical reactions that take place in the body (although there are other methods of keeping cool and warming up).

The Debate over Endothermic or Ectothermic Dinosaurs

warm-blooded or cold-blooded dinosaurs?
Where on the spectrum between endothermic and ectothermic are the Dinosauria?  Organisms can demonstrate a range of adaptations to assist them in maintaining an optimal body temperature. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Understanding the Metabolism – So What?

Understanding the metabolism of a long extinct group of animals such as the non-avian members of the Dinosauria, can provide valuable insight into all sorts of areas, such as energy requirements, food consumption, behavioural traits and activity levels.  It can also help scientists to understand how extinct animals adapted to a wide range of environments, such as non-avian dinosaurs being found at high latitudes. Dinosaur fossils being discovered in Antarctica for example.

In this newly published study, the researchers used a technique known as clumped isotope palaeothermometry.  It is based on the fact that the ordering of oxygen and carbon atoms in a fossil eggshell are determined by temperature.  Once the order of the atoms has been plotted, the scientists can calculate the internal body temperature of the egg-layer.

Based on this analysis, the research team were able to demonstrate that potentially, the three major clades of dinosaurs, Ornithischia, Sauropodomorpha and Theropoda, were characterised by warm body temperatures.

Non-avian Dinosaurs Characterised by Warm Body Temperatures

Commenting on the significance of this study, lead author of the research Robin Dawson, who conducted the research while she was a doctoral student in geology and geophysics at Yale University stated:

“Dinosaurs sit at an evolutionary point between birds, which are warm-blooded, and reptiles, which are cold-blooded.  Our results suggest that all major groups of dinosaurs had warmer body temperatures than their environment.”

Eggshell ascribed to a troodontid (theropod) tested at 38˚, 27˚, and 28˚ Celsius (100.4, 80.6, and 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit).  Eggshells from the large, duck-billed dinosaur Maiasaura (an ornithischian dinosaur), yielded a temperature of 44˚ Celsius (111.2 degrees Fahrenheit).  Both the troodontid and Maiasaura eggshells were collected from Alberta, Canada.

Studying Fossil Eggshells

In addition, the fossilised eggs associated with the oospecies Megaloolithus from the Hateg Formation of Romania tested at 36˚ Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit).  The taxonomy of the Romanian material remains uncertain.  The eggshells could represent the dwarf titanosaur Magyarosaurus, the much larger titanosaur Paludititan or indeed, the dwarf hadrosauroid Telmatosaurus.  If this fossil material does represent a sauropodomorph, then these results could suggest that metabolically controlled thermoregulation was the ancestral condition for the Dinosauria.

The Taxonomic Relationships of the Taxa Involved in the Study

Simplified phylogeny of the archosaur taxa involved in the study.
The phylogeny of the taxa involved in the study.

Picture credit: Science Advances

The picture (above), shows living ectotherms in blue, whilst extant endotherms (birds) are shown in orange.  The Maiasaura silhouette represents the major dinosaurian subclade Ornithischia.  The asterisk (*) indicates the uncertainty over the taxonomy of the oospecies Megaloolithus, but the fossil eggshells could represent the dwarf sauropod Magyarosaurus.  The troodontid material is assigned to the Theropoda.

Fossil Shells Compared with Fossil Eggshells

The researchers conducted the same analysis on cold-blooded invertebrate shell fossils (molluscs) from the same locations as the dinosaur eggshells.  This helped the scientists determine the temperature of the local environment — and whether dinosaur body temperatures were higher or lower.

Dawson, now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, explained that  the troodontid samples were as much as 10˚ Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), warmer than their environment, the Maiasaura samples were 15˚ Celsius warmer (59 degrees Fahrenheit) and the Megaloolithus samples were 3 to 6˚  Celsius (37.4-42.8 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer.

She added:

“What we found indicates that the ability to metabolically raise their temperatures above the environment was an early, evolved trait for dinosaurs.”

Other Implications

This new research may have other implications as well.  For instance, the study shows that a dinosaur’s body size and growth rate may not necessarily be a good indicator of body temperature.  The researchers also stated that their findings might add to the ongoing discussion about the role of feathers in early bird evolution.  Dense coats of feathers may have evolved to help insulate the bodies of dinosaurs, secondary functions such as for use in visual displays or as part of adaptations towards powered flight occurred later.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a press release from Yale University in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Eggshell geochemistry reveals ancestral metabolic thermoregulation in Dinosauria” by Robin R. Dawson, Daniel J. Field, Pincelli M. Hull, Darla K. Zelenitsky, François Therrien and Hagit P. Affek published in the journal Science Advances.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

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