Our thanks to talented, young artist Caldey who emailed to Everything Dinosaur her illustration of a Velociraptor. The drawing of the head in lateral view was inspired by the third film in the “Jurassic Park” movie franchise, which was released in 2001.
Our thanks to Caldey for emailing Everything Dinosaur a wonderful illustration of a “Jurassic Park” raptor that she had created. The drawing was inspired by the Velociraptors seen in the third film in the move franchise. Picture credit: Caldey.
Picture credit: Caldey
Illustration of a Velociraptor
The drawing of the head of the dromaeosaurid shows a remarkable level of detail and a careful choice of colours to illustrate this dinosaur. The Velociraptor sports some quills on the top of its head and the head and neck are covered in a variety of different sized scales. The Velociraptor has a prominent, scarlet boss on its naris and blue pigmentation around the eye. The teeth are particularly well drawn. “Jurassic Park III”, was the first film in this movie franchise to depict Velociraptors with quills, whilst in the earlier two films, the Velociraptors were shown without feathers (entirely covered in scales).
Back in the autumn (2022), we received an image of an Atrociraptor from Caldey. This drawing was based on the “raptor” as depicted in the latest film in this series “Jurassic Park Dominion”.
A spokesperson for the UK-based Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The Velociraptor illustration is such a detailed drawing. Palaeontologists are beginning to understand a little more about the integumentary coverings of dinosaurs as more impressions of fossilised skin are studied. It is likely that many genera were covered in scales of different shapes and sizes. As visual communication was important to these lithe, little hunters, why not give Velociraptor bright facial markings.”
Our thanks to Caldey for providing Everything Dinosaur with such a fantastic Velociraptor drawing.
The new Mojo Fun Woolly Mammoth model has arrived at Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse and this excellent prehistoric proboscidean has been made available to purchase on Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website.
The Mojo Fun Woolly Mammoth model is available from Everything Dinosaur.
Mojo Fun Woolly Mammoth
The Woolly Mammoth is one of two Ice Age figures to be added to the Mojo Fun “Prehistoric Life” range of figures. A Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is due to arrive at Everything Dinosaur in a few weeks.
The Woolly Mammoth model is an update on the previous Mojo Fun figure, we suspect that this earlier 1:20 scale Mammuthus primigenius model from Mojo Fun will now be retired.
The hair texture and details of the shaggy coat of this prehistoric elephant model have been praised by Everything Dinosaur team members.
The hair texture on the new Mojo Fun Woolly Mammoth has been praised by Everything Dinosaur team members.
Mammuthus primigenius
A spokesperson for the award-winning, UK-based company stated that team members were most impressed with this Mammuthus primigenius replica.
The spokesperson added:
“There are lots of Woolly Mammoth figures and models available. It is always pleasing to see a manufacturer updating figures in their range and we congratulate the team at Mojo Fun for their amazing Woolly Mammoth and we look forward to the arrival of their Woolly Rhinoceros.”
To view the extensive range of Mojo Fun prehistoric and extinct animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: Mojo Fun Prehistoric Life Models.
Some dinosaur fossils might be regarded as spectacular, the enormous casts of sauropod skeletons or perhaps a Tyrannosaurus rex articulated mount. However, it is often the smaller specimens that provide palaeontologists with a wealth of data. For example, whilst walking through a museum after a meeting, an Everything Dinosaur team member spotted a Triceratops fossil tooth on display.
Fossil teeth provide palaeontologists with an understanding of the animal’s diet. Wear patterns can indicate the method of feeding and in some animals such as elephants for example, detailed analysis of the teeth can not only provide information on diet, but the age of the proboscidean can also be determined.
A Triceratops fossil tooth. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
If the internal structure of the tusk of a Woolly Mammoth is examined, then seasonal variations in growth can be determined and even times when the prehistoric elephant suffered from poor health.
Triceratops Fossil Tooth
A single tooth from a ceratopsian can change perspectives and lead to a revision of our understanding of the Dinosauria. In 2017, Everything Dinosaur team members wrote an article about a scientific paper that confirmed the discovery of a single tooth from a horned dinosaur. This fossil tooth demonstrated that ceratopsids existed in eastern America (Appalachia). This was the first recorded evidence of this group of ornithischian dinosaurs on that part of the American Cretaceous land mass.
Sometimes it can be the smallest fossils that provide the greatest amount of information. Palaeontologists still have a lot to learn about the Dinosauria, even a famous dinosaur such at Triceratops horridus probably hides a few secrets still.
The Triceratops model (Heavy Lance – Tricolor) in anterior view. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The picture (above) is one of the Nanmu Studio Jurassic Series Triceratops colour variants (Tricolor).
Team members at Everything Dinosaur have been busy preparing a Brighstoneus scale drawing in readiness for the arrival of the new for 2023 CollectA Brighstoneus dinosaur model. The first of the new for 2023 CollectA prehistoric animal figures are expected to be in stock in a few weeks. As we research and write our Brighstoneus fact sheet, a scale drawing was commissioned so that we could demonstrate the approximate size of this recently described dinosaur.
The Brighstoneus scale drawing being prepared for the Everything Dinosaur Brighstoneus fact sheet that we intend to despatch with the CollectA Age of Dinosaur Popular Brighstoneus figure. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
When scientifically described (Lockwood et al), Brighstoneus was estimated to measure around eight metres in length, and to have a body mass of approximately nine hundred kilogrammes, team members at Everything Dinosaur have attempted to reflect the animal’s size by using a silhouette of a human being to give a visual guide to scale. Readers can hopefully appreciate how our drawing represents the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular model.
The CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Brighstoneus dinosaur model. This ornithopod figure should be available from Everything Dinosaur in early 2023.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur, explained that they were looking forward to receiving this exciting new herbivorous dinosaur replica and confirmed that the first batch of CollectA prehistoric animal figures (with the exception of the 1:6 scale Stegouros and the 1:20 scale Koolasuchus), should be arriving at the company’s warehouse in a few weeks. The Stegouros and the Koolasuchus were due to be in stock later in the year (April/May 2023).
Everything Dinosaur has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence and company integrity. Everything Dinosaur has won this top Feefo award every year since this accolade was introduced.
Everything Dinosaur wins Platinum Trusted Service Award for the fourth year running.
Platinum Trusted Service Award
Feefo established the Trusted Service Awards in 2014 to recognise brands that use the platform to collect verified reviews and receive exceptional feedback from their customers. Their highest award, the Platinum Trusted Service Award was introduced in 2020 and Everything Dinosaur has been awarded top marks by Feefo four years in a row.
These are unique awards because they truly reflect a company’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service by analysing feedback from genuine customers.
Tony Wheble, CEO at Feefo praised Everything Dinosaur and commented:
“A particular congratulations to Everything Dinosaur for winning a Platinum Trusted Service Award by providing great customer service consistently over a number of years. I look forward to seeing them continue to achieve next year and beyond.”
Customer Service Award
Everything Dinosaur’s dedication and commitment has also been recognised by the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce. The UK-based company won the “Excellence in Customer Service” award at the end of 2022.
Mike and Sue of Everything Dinosaur proudly show their certificate and trophy after winning the Excellence in Customer Service Award at the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Feefo
Feefo is a leading global customer reviews and insights platform. Feefo’s mission is to empower its clients to fully understand how their customers experience their product or service. Working with over 6,000 brands, Feefo is the world’s largest provider of verified reviews, helping brands understand customers by analysing verified reviews and providing insight into trends, needs and habits.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We are delighted to receive the Feefo 2023 Platinum Trusted Service Award for customer service, which recognises our hard work over the last three, challenging years. This award means a lot to us because it is based on feedback and reviews from our customers and, ultimately, keeping them happy is what we care about. We are committed to delivering the highest quality of service, so we will continue to listen, understand and respond to all our customers.”
Carboniferous chimaeras were suction feeders unlike their modern relatives such as the rat fish which are durophagous (feed on hard-shelled prey such as crabs, snails and molluscs). That is the conclusion of new research published this week in the academic journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
An Exceptional Three-dimensional Fossil
The research led by the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (MNHN) located in Paris, and the University of Birmingham has shown that an ancient relative of chimaeras, jawed vertebrates that are related to cartilaginous fishes (sharks and rays), fed by sucking in prey animals underwater.
An exceptional three-dimensional fossil of an ancient chimaera (Iniopera genus), has revealed new clues about the diversity of these creatures during the Carboniferous period.
The three-dimensional cast of the Carboniferous chimaera fossil (Iniopera) which helped the researchers to determine feeding strategy. Picture credit: University of Birmingham.
Carboniferous Chimaera
The fossil, from a genus called Iniopera, is the only suction feeder to be identified among chimaeras, and quite different from living chimaeras, which generally feed by crushing molluscs and other hard-shelled prey between their teeth.
Chimaeriformes are an ancient order of cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) that are thought to have evolved in the Devonian. Most extant species are found at depths greater than two hundred metres, and some chimaera fish are restricted to extremely deep water (Bathypelagic Zone).
Most fossil and extant chimaeras are quite small, very few specimens exceed one metre in length. However, other prehistoric, cartilaginous fish that were distantly related to Iniopera grew much larger. For example, the Permian genus Helicoprion with its bizarre tooth-whorl jaw, which has been estimated to have grown to around eight metres in length.
As Everything Dinosaur prepares for the arrival of Haylee the Helicoprion model from PNSO a scale drawing of this Permian fish has been commissioned. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Although models of prehistoric fish from the Chondrichthyes Class are rare, PNSO have included two prehistoric shark figures (O. megalodon and Cretoxyrhina) and a replica of Helicoprion.
Commenting on the significance of this study, lead researcher Dr Richard Dearden (University of Birmingham) stated:
“Being able to identify Iniopera as a suction feeder sheds light on the diverse role of chimaeras in these early ecosystems. In particular, it suggests that in their early evolutionary history, some chimaeras were inhabiting ecological niches that are now monopolised by ray finned fishes – a far cry from their modern life as specialised shell-crushers.”
The cartilage skeleton of these fish are rarely fossilised and the Chondrichthyes tend to be underrepresented in the fossil record. The skeletons that are preserved tend to be crushed flat and distorted so interpreting them is notoriously difficult. However, by studying the tooth shapes and diverse body plans, palaeontologists were already aware that extinct forms were far more varied than their living counterparts.
3-D Imaging Techniques
Using advanced 3-D imaging techniques, the researchers reconstructed the head, shoulder and throat skeleton of the Iniopera fossil. They then estimated the location of major muscles and found the anatomy was poorly suited to durophagous feeding. Instead, the researchers believe the animal was more likely to have used the muscle arrangement to expand the throat to take in water and a forward-pointing mouth to orient towards prey.
Suction feeding is a technique used by many animals that live underwater. It involves generating low pressures in the throat to pull in water and prey. To do this effectively, the animal needs to be able to rapidly expand its throat, and point its mouth forward towards prey items. Numerous different aquatic jawed vertebrates, such as ray-finned fishes and some turtles have evolved specialised anatomies to help them feed in this manner more effectively.
The suction feeding theory is also supported by fossilised Chimaeriformes that have preserved stomach contents. Small arthropods have been found in association with the body cavity of several specimens and their relatively entire state suggests suction feeding as the method of prey capture.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Birmingham in the compilation of this article.
The next edition of “Prehistoric Times” magazine (issue 144) is on its way and should be with readers in a couple of weeks. Our thanks to magazine editor Mike Fredericks who sent into Everything Dinosaur a preview of the front cover artwork which was created by Daniel Navarro, a very talented artist from Spain.
The front cover image of the next edition of the quarterly publication “Prehistoric Times”.
“Prehistoric Times”
We are reliably informed that this issue (winter 2023), will feature an interview with the Canadian palaeoartist Julius Csotonyi. We suspect that the interview will feature his new book “Dinosaur World”, a publication eagerly anticipated by fans of his artwork as it includes over 1,200 different dinosaur illustrations. Fans of palaeoart on this side of the Atlantic get to hear from John Conway about his latest projects including his own book, which is due out shortly entitled “A History of Painting (with Dinosaurs)”.
Visit the “Prehistoric Times” website to subscribe to this quarterly magazine: “Prehistoric Times”.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
The featured prehistoric animals in issue 144 are the Chinese early tyrannosauroid Dilong and the biggest snake known to science – Titanoboa. Readers can expect to see lots of amazing artwork.
A drawing of Titanoboa commissioned by Everything Dinosaur for a fact sheet on Titanoboa for a Rebor model.
The Titanoboa illustration (above) was commissioned by Everything Dinosaur so that the UK-based company could produce a scale drawing of the giant prehistoric snake for the fact sheet that was despatched with Rebor Titanoboa figures.
To view the range of Rebor models including museum class Titanoboa maquettes (whilst stocks last): Rebor Models and Figures.
Everything Dinosaur can confirm that the new for 2023 Mojo Fun Woolly Rhino model will be in stock around May (2023). This new replica of Coelodonta antiquitatis will be available from Everything Dinosaur in a few months.
Woolly Rhino model in lateral view.
Mojo Fun Woolly Rhino Model
The Mojo Fun Woolly Rhino model will be part of the “Prehistoric Life” series and this replica follows the new version Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) that the company developed recently. Replicas of Woolly Rhinos are amongst the most popular Ice Age figures with collectors, only Sabre-toothed cat figures and Woolly Mammoths tend to be stronger sellers.
The new for 2023 Mojo Fun Woolly Rhinoceros model which will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur around quarter 2 of 2023.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We are looking forward to receiving the new Mojo Fun Woolly Rhino model. This is the only new figure being added to the Mojo Fun Prehistoric Life range and from the images we have seen it looks a really good Ice Age figure.”
Coelodonta antiquitatis
This geographically widespread species is thought to have originated in Asia (Tibet). Fossils have been found throughout both eastern and western Europe (no fossils found in Ireland). The last of these magnificent creatures died out around 10,000 years ago. Over hunting by humans may have played a role, however, most palaeontologists consider that these large animals were unable to adapt to a rapidly changing climate at the end of the last Ice Age.
Mojo Fun Woolly Rhino model, which will be available from Everything Dinosaur around April or possibly early May of 2023.
It will be interesting to see if that large nose horn has flattened sides. Scientists think the sides of the horn (which was made of keratin), were worn away as the animal brushed snow aside so that it could graze on the sedges, mosses and grasses hidden underneath.
Following the announcement yesterday (12th January, 2023), from Royal Mail about a “cyber incident” currently affecting international mail activities Everything Dinosaur would like to take this opportunity to inform customers about the actions that they have taken to minimise any possible inconvenience.
The Everything Dinosaur customer statement:
An update from Everything Dinosaur about the steps the company has taken to ensure the effects of the current “cyber incident” at Royal Mail are minimised for Everything Dinosaur customers. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Royal Mail
Everything Dinosaur would like to take this opportunity to reassure all its customers. Our website and customer data remains secure. Everything Dinosaur works tirelessly to protect and safeguard all our customers. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience the problems at Royal Mail may cause, but please be assured, we have implemented contingency plans and only a small portion of our total number of orders will be affected.
Contacting Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from the award-winning, UK-based mail order company confirmed that yesterday (16.34pm GMT), Everything Dinosaur was officially alerted by Royal Mail about the incident. Unfortunately, Royal Mail’s email came too late and international airmail, tracked and signed for parcels had already been collected.
Team members will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend and contingency operations will remain in place.
Everything Dinosaur received this week a copy of “Two Acres of Time” by Richard S. Laub, the former curator of geology at the Buffalo Museum of Science (New York). The book documents the remarkable Pleistocene fossil and archaeological deposit preserved at Byron (Genesee County in New York State).
The arrival of “Two Acres of Time” by Richard S. Laub and published by Columbia University Press. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
“Two Acres of Time”
The location formally owned by the Hiscock family (the fossil quarry is often referred to as the Hiscock site), preserves evidence of mastodon elephants as well as flint tools from humans that were present in this area around 10,000 years ago. The book tells the story of the fossil and archaeological excavations and highlights the remarkable dedication and enthusiasm of the hundreds of volunteers that have worked to uncover the fossils and other artefacts from this unique location.
Published by Columbia University Press, this book explains how scientists explore, investigate, excavate and preserve evidence of ancient landscapes and the animals and people that lived in them.
Aimed at students, academics as well as the general reader, team members at Everything Dinosaur are looking forward to reading this recently published book.
To find this book visit the Columbia University Press website and search under the author Richard S. Laub or alternatively, under the book title “Two Acres of Time”.
