Everything Dinosaur has commissioned a Sinopliosaurus drawing as they prepare for the arrival of the PNSO Sinopliosaurus dinosaur model later in the autumn. The Sinopliosaurus illustration will be used in a free fact sheet that team members intend to send out with product sales.

Resolving Taxonomy and Size Issues

It is our intention to produce a scale drawing of this putative spinosaurid. This in itself is quite a challenge as the fossils ascribed to this theropod have had a long and complicated taxonomic history. In addition, the size of this Chinese member of the Spinosauridae remains unknown, such is the fragmentary nature of the fossil material. If Sinopliosaurus (S. fusuiensis) is a synonym for Siamosaurus, the first reported and formally scientifically described spinosaurid from Asia* then size estimates would range between five and in excess of nine metres in length.

Siamosaurus suteethorni was named and described in 1986 (Éric Buffetaut and Rucha Ingavat), the absence of more substantial and complete fossil material, especially skull material has made estimating the potential size of these Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaurs extremely difficult.

Sinopliosaurus Drawing

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We congratulate PNSO for adding a replica of such an enigmatic Chinese fossil specimen to their Age of Dinosaurs mid-size model range. Whilst we welcome the introduction of some of the less well-known theropods, the addition of the Sinopliosaurus has given us a headache when it comes to researching and producing the free fact sheet on this dinosaur. However, we are confident that we will be able to rise to the challenge and anyway, we could always consult our customers and get their input on this matter.”

The PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus is expected in stock at Everything Dinosaur later in the autumn, perhaps early to mid-November (2022).

To view the range of PNSO prehistoric animal models and figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Prehistoric Animal Figures.