2021 | Everything Dinosaur Blog

21 11, 2021

Rebor Killer Queen T. rex Diorama

By Mike|2022-10-25T09:24:36+01:00November 21st, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

Our thanks to dinosaur model fan and collector James who sent into Everything Dinosaur some pictures of his Rebor Killer Queen T. rex dinosaur diorama. The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex in the “plain” colour scheme seems very much at home on this display, moving away from a damaged vehicle lying on its side with a tyre having been torn off a wheel. James has even added a water-filled T. rex footprint to add extra realism to his diorama.

Rebor Killer Queen "Plain" Dinosaur Diorama — *The Rebor Killer Queen dinosaur diorama (anterior view), the tyre that has fallen off the damaged jeep can be seen on the left and the T. rex footprint is just behind the tyre.*

The Trouble with T. rex

Tyrannosaurus rex might be the most popular choice for dinosaur model manufacturers but producing a large T. rex model such as the 1:35 scale Rebor Killer Queen does have some drawbacks. For example, as the vast majority of the meat-eating dinosaurs were bipedal, model designers have a tricky time of it, trying to balance their creation, when only the hind feet were in contact with the ground for most of the time.

Factories can make the hind feet oversized or perhaps include a transparent support stand to improve stability. Sometimes the best thing to do is to accept that if a dinosaur model is going to be anatomically in proportion, then the addition of a bespoke display base can make all the difference.

James has created a stunning dinosaur diorama, team members at Everything Dinosaur are reminded of the iconic scene in the film “Jurassic Park” when the Tyrannosaurus rex escapes from its enclosure.

*The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex dinosaur diorama (dorsal view). A bird’s eye view of a non-avian dinosaur!*

Stability issues with dinosaur models can often be fixed with a little bit of creative thinking. The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex figure looks very much at home on its bespoke display base.

T. rex footprint detail on the display base. — *A water-filled T. rex footprint on the display base.* *When creating a display base, it is often the little details and touches that really bring the display to life and help to tell a story.*

A Superb Dinosaur Display

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We have some very clever customers! We enjoy seeing prehistoric animal model displays and collections, this diorama made by James is a really stunning piece, we are grateful to him for sending us the photographs and giving us permission to share them with our blog and social media followers.”

The Rebor Killer Queen T. rex diorama — *Rebor Killer Queen T. rex model on display.*

It’s the Little Details and Extra Touches

When making a prehistoric animal diorama, it is often the little details and extra touches that elevate a piece. Take for example the exquisite jeep on its side, the vehicle is very dirty and muddy after its mauling by the tyrannosaur and James has taken care to get the mud splashes and smears just right. He has even ensured the underside of the vehicle is caked in mud too. The rear tyre has nearly been ripped off, caused by a bite from a T. rex no doubt.

The Rebor Killer Queen Tyrannosaurus rex diorama — *The damaged jeep next to the Rebor Killer Queen T. rex model in the diorama.*

Our congratulations to James for such a clever creation and our thanks to him for sending in the photographs to Everything Dinosaur.

To view the range of Rebor figures and models in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Prehistoric Animal Figures and Models.

20 11, 2021

Toothless Theropod Dinosaur from Brazil

By Mike|2023-07-13T20:59:32+01:00November 20th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Scientists writing in the academic journal “Nature” have described a new species of dinosaur. It has been classified as a theropod and a member of the Ceratosauria, however, unlike the vast majority of the Theropoda it had no teeth. The dinosaur has been named Berthasaura leopoldinae and it roamed southern Brazil during the Cretaceous.

This little dinosaur lived in the same oasis environment as the recently described pterosaurs Keresdrakon vilsoni *and Caiuajara dobruskii ** measuring around a metre in length Berthasaura was no giant, but its fossilised remains, which were excavated from an outcrop overlooking a country road (Cruzeiro do Oeste Municipality, Paraná State), represent the most complete non-avian theropod known from the Cretaceous of Brazil.

The discovery of this little theropod dinosaur expands our knowledge of the palaeofauna associated with the Goio Êre Formation. It demonstrates that members of the Ceratosauria were capable of evolving different feeding strategies away from meat-eating. Although the research team cannot confirm the diet of Berthasaura they postulate that it could have been herbivorous or perhaps an omnivore.

Berthasaura life reconstruction — A life reconstruction of the newly described toothless theropod Berthasaura leopoldinae with a pair of Caiuajara pterosaurs flying nearby. The strata in which the fossils were found represent an oasis environment surrounded by a desert. Picture credit: Maurílio Oliveira.

A Member of the Ceratosauria

The first ceratosaurs (members of the Ceratosauria clade), probably evolved in the Late Triassic. This diverse theropod clade consists of three families. The Ceratosauridae and the Abelisauridae are mostly made up of mid-sized to large carnivores and they contain well-known dinosaurs such as Ceratosaurus (Ceratosauridae) and Carnotaurus, Rugops and Ekrixinatosaurus (abelisaurids). The third dinosaur family within the Ceratosauria are the poorly known Noasauridae. Noasaurids are generally much smaller and lighter

The largest known noasaurid taxon is Elaphrosaurus bambergi from the Late Jurassic of Tanzania, which may have been around six metres long. These theropods seemed to have occupied a variety of specialist niches in dinosaur-dominated ecosystems. For example, Masiakasaurus (M. knopfleri) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar had forward projecting teeth in its lower jaw, a possible adaptation to catching fish. In contrast, fossils of Limusaurus (L. inextricabilis) found in Upper Jurassic strata of north-eastern China, show that whilst juveniles had teeth, by the time these gracile theropods reached about three years of age they had lost all their teeth ***. Palaeontologists have postulated that adult Limusaurus were probably herbivorous whilst juveniles were most likely omnivores.

Examples of noasaurids. — Two noasaurids – Limusaurus (left) that lost all its teeth as it matured and Masiakasaurus which had forward projecting teeth in its lower jaw and is regarded as a piscivore. Picture credit: Portia Sloan and Everything Dinosaur.

Taking the Feminine Form for Saurus

The genus name honours Bertha Maria Júlia Lutz, who was a leading activist for women’s rights in Brazil, combined with saura, the feminine form of saurus from the Greek for lizard. The species epithet “leopoldinae” honours the first Brazilian empress, Maria Leopoldina who was instrumental in helping Brazil to become independent.

Berthasaura fossil and line drawing — *The holotype fossil of Berthasaura leopoldinae (MN 7821-V) which represents a disarticulated but nearly complete skeleton (A) and an interpretative line drawing (B). Picture credit: de Souza et al.*

A Juvenile Theropod Dinosaur

Careful analysis of the fossilised bones indicated that the skeleton represents a juvenile. Skull bones and parts of the spine showed signs of not being fused and therefore, the research team, who were led by Geovane Alves de Souza (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro), concluded that Berthasaura, in contrast to Limusaurus, probably did not have any teeth, even as a young animal.

Examining the skeleton of Berthasaura. — *Analysis of the fossil bones of Berthasaura. The fossil material represents a juvenile and is one of the most complete noasaurid skeletons described to date. Picture credit: de Souza et al.*

Berthasaura skull fossils and interpretative line drawing. — *An interpretative drawing of the skull of Berthasaura showing the placement of individual bones. Picture credit: de Souza et al.*

A Basal Member of the Noasauridae

Taxonomic assessment of Berthasaura amongst the Noasauridae and within the wider Ceratosauria proved challenging for the research team. The lack of comparable noasaurid fossils limited the assessment that could be undertaken and it was difficult to conduct a phylogenetic assessment encompassing the Abelisauridae due to difficulties resolving taxonomic relationships between some poorly known abelisaurids. However, the scientists concluded that Berthasaura most likely represents a late, basal member of the Noasauridae and one that was not closely related to Limusaurus.

*Phylogenetic relationship of Berthasaura leopoldinae. Picture credit: de Souza et al.*

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post about the discovery of Keresdrakon vilsoni * from 2019: New Brazilian Pterosaur Announced.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post about Caiuajara dobruskii ** from 2014: New Species of Flying Reptile Identified from Pterosaur Graveyard.

Research that suggests Limusaurus lost its teeth as it grew up *** from 2016: Limusaurus – Dinosaur Species Lost its Teeth.

The scientific paper: “The first edentulous ceratosaur from South America” by Geovane Alves de Souza, Marina Bento Soares, Luiz Carlos Weinschütz, Everton Wilner, Ricardo Tadeu Lopes, Olga Maria Oliveira de Araújo and Alexander Wilhelm Armin Kellner published in Nature.

19 11, 2021

New CollectA Models for 2022 (Part 3)

By Mike|2022-10-25T09:26:24+01:00November 19th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

Today, team members at Everything Dinosaur are pleased to be able to make a third announcement about new CollectA prehistoric animal models for 2022. Despite all the difficulties brought about by the global pandemic (COVID-19), the dedicated and hardworking staff at CollectA have managed to create a diverse range of new for 2022 figures and we are proud to announce the addition of a CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Edmontosaurus dinosaur model.

The figure is due to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in 2022, a spokesperson for the UK-based mail order company was not able to give an exact date as to when this figure would be available.

*The new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Edmontosaurus dinosaur model. CollectA had wanted to introduce a replica of this iconic Late Cretaceous hadrosaur for some time.*

Edmontosaurus – Realising an Ambition

The design team at CollectA had wanted to make a model of this iconic North American hadrosaur for some years. Recent fossil discoveries have led to a reassessment of this hugely successful Late Cretaceous herbivore. For example, a spectacular “mummified” specimen nicknamed “Dakota”, as the fossil was discovered in North Dakota (1999), has provided detailed information on this dinosaur’s skin and the CollectA team wanted to incorporate this new information into their Edmontosaurus figure.

In addition, a well-preserved skull of an Edmontosaurus (E. regalis) revealed that this dinosaur sported a soft comb on the top of its head, rather like the soft tissue crest of a rooster. The new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe Edmontosaurus sports a rather fetching, red-coloured crest on the top of its head.

A view of the head of the CollectA Edmontosaurus — A close-up view of the head of the Edmontosaurus replica with its prominent crest. This crest reflects the evidence of a soft tissue comb reported in 2013 following the analysis of the skull of an Edmontosaurus regalis.

Explaining why CollectA wanted to add an Edmontosaurus to their range of duck-billed dinosaur figures, designer Anthony Beeson stated:

“I was very keen to create a model of this hadrosaur to incorporate the new information we have concerning the hoof arrangement of the front feet, together with the scaling and soft crest suggested by the fossil record.”

Duck-billed Dinosaur Model Measurements

The new CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Edmontosaurus measures an impressive 34 cm in length and the figure stands some 12.5 cm high at the hips. It will scale up nicely with the feathered T. rex model introduced by CollectA in 2015. The CollectA Deluxe feathered Tyrannosaurus rex is about the same length as the new Edmontosaurus figure but as a biped, it is taller.

CollectA Edmontosaurus and the CollectA feathered T. rex. — *The new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe Edmontosaurus and the CollectA Deluxe feathered T. rex that was originally introduced in 2015.*

In Stock at Everything Dinosaur in 2022

The CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Edmontosaurus is scheduled to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in the early part of 2022. Due to the on-going difficulties with logistics and global shipping, we are not able to give a precise date as to when this dinosaur model will be available. Team members will do all they can to update customers with regards to availability.

To view the range of CollectA Deluxe prehistoric animal figures available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life.

18 11, 2021

Everything Dinosaur Reviews New CollectA Models (Part 2)

By Mike|2023-07-15T11:46:35+01:00November 18th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Everything Dinosaur videos, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Product Reviews|0 Comments

Team members at Everything Dinosaur have created a video review of the second batch of new for 2022 CollectA prehistoric animal models to have been announced. This video, which has been posted up on the company’s YouTube channel highlights the new 1:20 scale CollectA Deluxe Smok wawelski model and the fabulous Permian nautiloid Cooperoceras.

Everything Dinosaur looks at the second batch of new for 2022 CollectA prehistoric animal models to be announced.

Smok wawelski and Cooperoceras texanum

The video review lasts approximately 11 minutes and 50 seconds. The narrator explains some of the challenges that model manufacturers have faced with the global pandemic and praises CollectA for their new prehistoric animal figures. Some of the science behind the creation of the Smok wawelski model is explained. It might be a quadruped and reminiscent of a pseudosuchian (crocodile lineage of the Archosauria), the Everything Dinosaur video explains why the model does not look like a theropod dinosaur.

CollectA Deluxe Smok wawelski. — *The new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe Smok wawelski replica reflects the view that this large Late Triassic predator was not a theropod dinosaur.*

New CollectA Models

The video examines the diet of this formidable predator and looks at the fossil bones and coprolites associated with Smok, the largest, terrestrial carnivore described to date from the Late Triassic of central Europe. The second model to be featured is the Cooperoceras replica. How this bizarre, spiny nautiloid came to be discovered is explained and the narrator highlights the range of CollectA invertebrate models and discusses how fossils of ammonites and other animals can be used to help date strata.

In Stock at Everything Dinosaur in 2022

Both the CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Smok wawelski and the CollectA Cooperoceras models will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in 2022, although at this stage the video narrator was unable to give a precise date as to when these two excellent figures would be available.

To view the range of CollectA Prehistoric Life models in stock: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models.

View the range of CollectA Deluxe models in stock: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Models.

To subscribe to the Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel: Everything Dinosaur on YouTube.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

17 11, 2021

New for 2022 Papo Prehistoric Animal Models Announced

By Mike|2022-10-25T09:28:55+01:00November 17th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|2 Comments

The new for 2022 Papo prehistoric animal models have been announced. There will be two new models, a Protoceratops along with a Mosasaurus and a new colour variant of the Papo Styracosaurus dinosaur model. The first of these new figures is scheduled to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in the second quarter of next year.

The new for 2022 Papo models in the “Les Dinosaures” range:

A new colour variant of the Papo Styracosaurus (scheduled for quarter 2 of 2022).
A replica of the early horned dinosaur Protoceratops (scheduled for quarter 3 of 2022).
A marine reptile model – Mosasaurus (scheduled for quarter 4 of 2022).

Papo Styracosaurus dinosaur model (new colour variant) — *The new for 2022 Papo Styracosaurus colour variant. This is the first new Papo dinosaur model scheduled for 2022, it is due to be available in quarter 2 2022.*

Papo Styracosaurus (New Colour Variant)

The first model to be announced by Papo for 2022 is a new colour variant of the Styracosaurus dinosaur which originally came out in 2011. The muted tones and emphasis on the greens, junipers and moss colours have been well received by dinosaur fans and model collectors. The sculpt is essentially the same as the 2011 version, the new model measures 16 cm in length, it is the same size as the original Papo Styracosaurus figure.

Although no official announcement has been made about retirements from the Papo range, with the arrival of the new Styracosaurus colour variant in quarter 2 of next year, team members at Everything Dinosaur expect the original Styracosaurus to be withdrawn from production.

Papo Styracosaurus dinosaur model. — *The original Papo Styracosaurus model was released in 2011.*

Papo Protoceratops Dinosaur Model

Next year marks the centenary of the discovery of the dinosaur fossils in the Gobi Desert by an American led expedition that resulted in the naming and scientific description of “First Horned Face”. To commemorate this expedition and to honour the significant contribution to palaeontology made by the scientists, Papo is bringing out a replica of Protoceratops (P. andrewsi).

The Papo Protoceratops is scheduled to arrive at Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse some time in quarter 3 of 2022.

*The new for 2022 Papo Mosasaurus model, complete with its dorsal fin. We think that this figure is reminiscent of the giant mosasaur seen in the “Jurassic World” film franchise.*

Papo Mosasaurus Marine Reptile Model

The third model that has been announced, the only non-dinosaur, is a model of the Late Cretaceous marine reptile Mosasaurus.

Papo has a Tylosaurus and a Plesiosaurus replica in the “Les Dinosaures” range and the Mosasaurus will, no doubt, be welcomed by fans of the “Jurassic World” movie franchise. The Mosasaurus replica is similar to the giant Mosasaurus associated with the films “Jurassic World” and its sequel “Fallen Kingdom”. The artwork created by Papo to illustrate their new for 2022 figure, pays homage to a poster used to promote “Jurassic World when it came out in 2015.

Everything Dinosaur team members are aware of rumours circulating that Papo was to introduce a Kronosaurus model in 2022. We can assure our customers and social media followers that this rumour is not true, there will only be three prehistoric animal models introduced by Papo next year.

The Mosasaurus figure is due to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in quarter 4 of 2022.

The Papo Mosasaurus model and company artwork. — *The Papo Mosasaurus model and accompanying artwork. The illustration reflects a scene from the hugely successful “Jurassic World” film.*

Jurassic World Mosasaurus — *Huge Mosasaur about to tackle “jaws”. A poster from the film “Jurassic World” which was released in June 2015. Picture credit: Universal Studios.*

In Stock at Everything Dinosaur in 2022

It is good to see that Papo are able to get some prehistoric animal figures out in 2022. Like many companies the on-going issues of the global pandemic and the chaos with logistics and production has made the making of new dinosaur and prehistoric animal figures particularly challenging.

Papo Styracosaurus new colour variant due out quarter 2 2022.

Papo Protoceratops due out quarter 3 2022.

Papo Mosasaurus due out quarter 4 2022.

To view the current range of Papo prehistoric animal models and figures currently in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Papo Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animal Models.

16 11, 2021

Defining Foliodont Teeth Some Helpful Information

By Mike|2024-05-12T07:01:11+01:00November 16th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

One of the terms that you might come across when reading about different types of dinosaur dentition (their teeth) is the term foliodont. Foliodont is from the Latin and it translates as “leaf tooth”, the term is used to describe teeth that have a leaf-shaped crown. For example, armoured dinosaurs (Thyreophora), have leaf-shaped teeth.

The diagram below, shows typical stegosaur teeth (A and B) and typical ankylosaur teeth (C, D) from Maidment et al (2008).

Examples of Thyreophoran teeth (stegosaur and ankylosaur) — Examples of thyreophoran teeth. Teeth of stegosaurs (A, B) and ankylosaurs (C, D) showing typical foliodont characteristics. The leaf-shaped teeth come from (A) Paranthodon, an Early Cretaceous stegosaur from South Africa, whilst B is from Stegosaurus armatus from the Morrison Formation of the western USA. The ankylosaur tooth (C) is from Sauropelta edwardsorum from the Cloverly Formation of the USA and (D) is from Edmontonia rugosidens from the Upper Cretaceous deposits of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Canada). Scale bar for (A, B) equals 0.5 cm, whilst scale bar for (C, D) equal 1 cm. Picture credit: Maidment et al.

Small stegosaur tooth from the dentary. — Small, relatively unworn tooth of an indeterminate stegosaur from the Teete locality in (A) occlusal, (B) labial and (C) lingual views. These teeth in labial and lingual view can be described as foliodont. Picture credit: Skutschas et al

Beware of Wear

Unfortunately, perfectly preserved and entire teeth are exceptionally rare. Worn, broken teeth are much more common, either as a result of the shedding of teeth when the thyreophoran was alive or as a result of distortion during the fossilisation process (taphonomy). This can lead to difficulties when trying to assign isolated teeth fossils to a particular family or genus.

Whilst general characteristics of tooth morphology can be discerned from a fragmentary, partial specimen and some idea of diet can be surmised, identifying the taxon represented is extremely difficult.

For example, worn teeth discovered in the Arctic circle indicate that stegosaurs were present in Siberia during the Early Cretaceous, at what was a high palaeolatitude, but in the absence of more substantial fossil material little more about the dinosaurs present can be discerned.

To read our blog post about Arctic stegosaurs: Studying Stegosaurs that Lived in the Arctic Circle.

15 11, 2021

A New Species of Sauropodomorph Called Issi saaneq – “Cold Bone” from Greenland

By Mike|2024-05-12T07:01:47+01:00November 15th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

This month has seen another new species of sauropodomorph named and described. Issi saaneq (pronounced is-y sa-ah-neq), roamed what is now eastern Greenland around 214 million years ago (Late Triassic), this new dinosaur has been named based on two fossil skulls believed to represent one juvenile and one older animal possibly a sub-adult. Ascribed to the Plateosauridae family and showing affinities to South American sauropodomorphs I. saaneq helps to extend our understanding of the evolution and development of these important early dinosaurs.

Computer generated models of skulls and a life reconstruction of Issi saaneq. — A image showing digital interpretative reconstruction of the skulls NHMD 164741 and NHMD 164758 and living representation of Issi saaneq. A digital interpretative reconstruction of the skull NHMD 164741 in left lateral view (A). Digital interpretative reconstruction of the smaller skull NHMD 164758 in left lateral view (B). Digital interpretative reconstruction of skull NHMD 164741 in dorsal view (C). Living representation of Issi saaneq (D). Scale bar = 50 mm.

Originally Assigned to Plateosaurus

The skull fossils were found in the early 1990s, during excavations of sediments representing lake shore deposits that make up part of the of the Malmros Klint Formation in Jameson Land, Greenland. The larger skull was found in 1991, the smaller skull, now believed to represent the same species was found subsequently along with numerous other fossils including skull material that has yet to be catalogued and described.

The two skulls (specimen numbers NHMD 164741 and NHMD 164758), are now part of the vertebrate fossil collection of the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Postcranial material was also found in association with the smaller skull (NHMD 164758) and this could have come from the same animal, but these bones have also not yet been examined in detail.

When first found, it was thought that these fossils were examples of Plateosaurus (P. engelhardt which is now regarded as nomen dubium with fossil material assigned to P. trossingensis). As several new sauropodomorphs had been described in recent years, the researchers were able to tap into the wealth of new fossil data and confidently assign the skulls to a new genus.

Commenting on the significance of the find, lead author of the scientific paper, published in the journal “Diversity”, Doctor Victor Beccari (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), stated:

“The anatomy of the two skulls is unique in many respects, for example in the shape and proportions of the bones. These specimens certainly belong to a new species.”

Photograph of the skulls NHMD 164741 and NHMD 164758 (A) NHMD 164741 in left lateral view and (B) NHMD 164758 in left lateral view. The smaller skull (NHMD 164758) represents a juvenile, whilst the larger skull (NHMD 164741) represents an older juvenile or a young adult. Picture credit: Beccari et al.

“Cold Bone” – Issi saaneq

Issi saaneq is the first non-avian dinosaur to be named from fossils found in Greenland. The name comes from the local Inuit language, with “issi” meaning cold and “saaneq” meaning bone. This is a reference to the harsh and very unpleasant weather conditions associated with the fossil site. The bones of this dinosaur were cold to the touch and the field team were often “frozen to the bone” as they worked in the extremely chilly conditions.

Jameson Land and the Issi saaneq fossil site — Location map of Jameson Land, central east Greenland (A), the Issi saaneq quarry is circled in red and indicated by the number 2. Photograph of the outcrop from which the fossil material was excavated (B). The conditions endured by the various field teams were extremely challenging and harsh.

Affinities with South American Sauropodomorphs as well as Plateosaurus

Phylogenetic assessment indicates that Issi saaneq has affinities to Brazilian plateosaurids such as Macrocollum (M. itaquii) and the European Plateosaurus, being recovered as the sister clade of Plateosaurus in this study. It is the northernmost record of a Late Triassic sauropodomorph.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post about the naming and scientific description of Macrocollum itaquii: How Did Some Dinosaurs Get Long Necks?

The discovery of Issi saaneq expands the known geographical range of these dinosaurs and broadens our knowledge about the evolution of the Sauropodomorpha.

The scientific paper: “A New Sauropodomorph Dinosaur from the Late Triassic (Norian) of Jameson Land, Central East Greenland” by Victor Beccari, Octávio Mateus, Oliver Wings, Jesper Milàn and Lars B. Clemmensen published in Diversity.

14 11, 2021

The Remarkable Artwork of Luke du Toit

By Mike|2024-05-12T07:02:10+01:00November 14th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur customer and prehistoric animal fan Luke du Toit combines his skills as an artist and graphic designer to create stunning dinosaur themed artworks. Take for example, this very colourful Dilophosaurus illustration shown below.

Dilophosaurus illustrated. — *A colourful Dilophosaurus artwork created by talented artist and graphic designer Luke du Toit. Picture credit: Luke du Toit.*

Mesozoic Art

Mesozoic Art was started by Luke back in 2016, he has been selling his unique creations to fans of prehistoric animals and palaeoart all over the world from his company’s website.

Commenting on why dinosaurs have inspired him so much, Luke explained:

“I have a deep love and obsession for dinosaurs and have been drawing them since I was 5 years old. Their variety of different shapes, sizes and colours really tap into my imagination. The fact that dinosaurs existed and are now not readily available for us to access make them almost mythical in nature. For me, they are a great source of creative expression. “

Parasaurolophus artwork. — A striking Parasaurolophus illustration. The duck-billed dinosaur is surrounded by a border of flowering plants (angiosperms). Flowering plants would have been familiar to this Late Cretaceous herbivore. Picture credit: Luke du Toit.

Inspired by the “Jurassic Park” Movie Franchise

Based in Pretoria, South Africa, Luke uses a variety of reference sources to inspire his illustrations. In particular, he is a big fan of the “Jurassic Park” movie franchise and a number of the iconic dinosaurs from that famous film franchise feature in his artwork.

Velociraptor Blue by Luke du Toit — An illustration of Velociraptor Blue inspired by the “Jurassic Park” movie franchise. Artwork entitled “Clever Girl” by South African graphic designer and artist Luke du Toit. Picture credit: Luke du Toit.

Each detailed illustration is meticulously drawn, then scanned and turned into an electronic file before being digitally redrawn and then coloured.

“My artwork looks equally beautiful in a child’s bedroom, a study as well as an art piece in a living room or even a “Man Cave” setting,” commented the talented artist.

Triceratops artwork — *A striking illustration of the horned dinosaur Triceratops. Picture credit: Luke du Toit.*

Take a look at the Mesozoic Art website to see the full portfolio of artwork and illustrations of the artist: Mesozoic Art.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

13 11, 2021

Everything Dinosaur’s Next Video – New CollectA Models (Part 2)

By Mike|2023-07-15T12:01:51+01:00November 13th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur videos, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur’s next YouTube video will feature the second batch of new CollectA prehistoric animal models for 2022 that have been recently announced. The video will provide more details on the bizarre Palaeozoic nautiloid Cooperoceras and the super-sized Late Triassic predator Smok wawelski (pronounced Smock var-vel-ski).

New for 2022 CollectA models (part 2). — The second batch of CollectA models have been announced (2022), the archosaur Smok wawelski from Poland and the armoured nautiloid Cooperoceras from North America and Europe. These exciting prehistoric animal figures will feature in the next Everything Dinosaur YouTube video.

The second set of prehistoric animal models are due to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur early 2022, however, a spokesperson for the UK-based mail order company confirmed that there was no date yet as to when these figures might be available. However, a promise was made to keep dinosaur fans and model collectors informed of progress with regular updates and posts on the company’s social media pages.

Everything Dinosaur YouTube Video (CollectA Models Part 2) — *Everything Dinosaur’s next YouTube video will focus upon the new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Smok wawelski and the CollectA Cooperoceras nautiloid model.* Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

New CollectA Models

Everything Dinosaur stocks a large range of prehistoric animal figures including CollectA. There are CollectA dinosaurs, marine reptiles and other prehistoric animals. The CollectA model range also includes prehistoric mammals and pterosaurs.

View the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs range: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Range.

View CollectA scale models: CollectA Deluxe Models.

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12 11, 2021

New CollectA Models 2022 (Part 2)

By Mike|2022-10-25T09:34:34+01:00November 12th, 2021|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|3 Comments

New CollectA Models 2022 (Part 2)

Today, team members at Everything Dinosaur announce the second set of new for 2022 CollectA prehistoric animal models. Although, due to all the various issues caused by the global pandemic, CollectA, like most manufacturers will introduce fewer figures than usual next year, they are certainly setting extremely high standards.

The two new for 2022 figures we announce today are:

CollectA Deluxe Smok wawelski with an articulated jaw (1:20 scale)
CollectA Prehistoric Life Cooperoceras

Scheduled for delivery in early 2022, Everything Dinosaur will keep model collectors informed about shipments.

Smok wawelski – A Polish Dragon!

CollectA will be adding a replica of the Late Triassic predator Smok wawelski to their model range next year. Fans of the CollectA range will know that in 2020, a 1:20 scale replica of the giant, Polish dicynodont Lisowicia bojani was introduced. Fossil remains of a large carnivore were also found at the same site. The bonebed in southern Poland close to the village of Lisowice, also revealed the presence of a five-metre plus archosaurian meat-eater. Named and described in 2011, Smok wawelski is the largest terrestrial predator known from the Late Triassic of central Europe.

A Taxonomic Puzzle

When first studied, it was thought that the fossilised remains represented a theropod dinosaur. The braincase had several anatomical traits reminiscent to those seen in the skulls of allosaurids. Subsequent fossil discoveries have thrown doubts on whether Smok is a dinosaur. It may not belong to the dinosaur/bird lineage of the Archosauria at all, Smok could be a member of the Rauisuchidae, or perhaps a prestosuchid from the crocodile branch of the Archosauria. Designer Anthony Beeson has opted to depict this powerful predator as a quadruped, a member of the crocodile lineage of archosaurs. The 1:20 scale model has an articulated jaw.

CollectA Deluxe Smok wawelski model. — *The new CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Smok wawelski has an articulated lower jaw.*

CollectA Cooperoceras

The second new for 2022 CollectA figure we announce today, is a beautiful model of the bizarre nautiloid Cooperoceras. A spiky cephalopod distantly related to the living nautilus. CollectA have made several replicas of iconic Palaeozoic invertebrates in recent years. For example, in 2020 the company added a model of a nautilus to their model range (N. pompilius). The introduction of Cooperoceras adds to the list of important zonal fossil models made by CollectA. These replicas represent Palaeozoic and Mesozoic invertebrates, fossils of which assist with the dating of strata (biostratigraphy).

Cooperoceras was an early nautiloid with a shell measuring 4 inches (101.6 mm) long and 3 inches (76 mm) high.

The genus and type species C. texanum was erected by the American geologist Arthur K. Miller in 1945 following an extensive period of fossil collecting in the Glass Mountains and the Sierra Diablo of western Texas undertaken by several scientists in a bid to better understand the diversity of Permian-aged nautiloids which were very poorly known in comparison to the contemporary ammonites.

Originally thought to have been confined to the Permian, in 1977, a new species of Cooperoceras was named and described (C. milleri) from much older deposits (Shumway Limestone Formation of the Mattoon Formation, Illinois). This discovery suggests that these types of nautiloids were present in the Late Carboniferous.

Explaining how Cooperoceras (Cooper’s horn) came to be added to the CollectA portfolio, designer Anthony Beeson stated:

“It had an amazing and tactile open coiled shell with flattened sides and sporting recurvant hollow spines on its outer edge which was the reason that I wanted to do a model of it. I think it may be popular with children. It lived in the shallow seas over what is now Texas and Illinois, and the Urals in Europe.”

Model Measurements

CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Smok wawelski with an articulated jaw length 27 cm, height 8.5 cm.
CollectA Cooperoceras nautiloid model length 11 cm, height of shell 8.3 cm.

These figures are scheduled to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in the early part of 2022. Due to the current difficulties with logistics and global shipping, we are not able to give a precise date as to when these figures will be available. Team members will do all they can to update customers with regards to availability.

To view the range of CollectA Deluxe models, including the Lisowicia bojani model in stock at Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animals.

To view the CollectA Prehistoric Life models, including the invertebrate figures: CollectA Prehistoric Life.