April, 2023 | Everything Dinosaur Blog

10 04, 2023

Working on the Bank Holiday

By Mike|2023-04-10T12:03:00+01:00April 10th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

It might be a holiday for many people at the moment, but this morning for Everything Dinosaur’s Mike and Sue it is Bank Holiday working. Whilst for many today, Bank Holiday Monday, might provide an opportunity for a lie in, Everything Dinosaur team members have come into work to pick, prepare and pack parcels for customers.

Working on the Bank Holiday — It might be a holiday for much of the rest of the world, but Everything Dinosaur has been working today packing orders to ensure a swift despatch tomorrow (Tuesday). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Supporting Our Customers

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur explained that with the recent arrival of the first of the new CollectA prehistoric animal figures, a lot of orders had been placed. Mike and Sue wanted to keep up with the orders and ensure a swift despatch of parcels. By coming into the warehouse today, they can ensure that orders can be sent out as early as possible. Most orders placed last Friday and over the weekend will be on their way to customers by Tuesday afternoon. Orders destined for customers in the European Union will have their parcels despatched later this week, as the international European courier network starts up again.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.

Bank Holiday Working

Mike from Everything Dinosaur joked:

“I told Sue that there were some Easter eggs hidden in the warehouse. She could not wait to get into work!”

He went onto add:

“During these difficult and challenging times, we do appreciate how eagerly our customers await new model arrivals. We want to do all we can to support them, and we are happy to spend a few hours on a national holiday getting parcels ready for customers.”

Bank Holiday working for Everything Dinosaur team members. — *Sorting and checking new for 2023 CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular models for customers. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the CollectA range of not-to-scale models and figures: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Models.

Feefo Feedback Requests

As well as despatching orders, there have been Feefo feedback from customers to respond to. Today, another twenty-three Feefo feedback emails have been despatched to customers.

It certainly has been a busy few days for Everything Dinosaur. Not that we are complaining, we like to help customers.

To view the CollectA Deluxe range of models and figures: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Figures.

10 04, 2023

New CollectA Triceratops horridus Figures

By Mike|2024-01-02T20:05:36+00:00April 10th, 2023|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Newsletters, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

Two CollectA Triceratops horridus figures are featured in the latest edition of the Everything Dinosaur newsletter. The superb, 1:40 scale CollectA Deluxe T. horridus is joined by the recently introduced CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Triceratops horridus – confronting model.

CollectA Triceratops dinosaur models. — A pair of CollectA Triceratops horridus are also included in the latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter. The new CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Triceratops horridus – confronting is alongside the 2022 CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale T. horridus.

The Everything Dinosaur Customer Newsletter

The Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter is sent out to subscribers. It provides updates on new prehistoric animal figures, free to enter competitions and informs model collectors and dinosaur fans about rare figures and product retirements.

To contact Everything Dinosaur to enquire about subscribing: Email Everything Dinosaur.

The customer newsletter is sent out periodically and helps to keep customers informed and up to date with industry and product developments.

CollectA Triceratops horridus Figures

The CollectA Deluxe Triceratops horridus model was introduced in 2022. It provided collectors with the opportunity to acquire a large Triceratops figure which reflected some of the latest research into this famous ceratopsian. The skin texture of the replica for example, mimics what has been observed in Triceratops skin impressions currently being studied in the United States.

CollectA Triceratops horridus 1:40 scale model. In search of Triceratops. — *CollectA Triceratops horridus dinosaur model (left lateral view). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the CollectA Deluxe Triceratops horridus and the rest of the scale models in the CollectA range: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Triceratops

One of eight new CollectA figures, the Triceratops horridus – confronting model is part of the not-to-scale CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular figures. Since Triceratops was formally named and described (Marsh 1889), numerous species have been erected. However, must scientists only recognise two T. horridus and the geologically younger T. prorsus. An intermediate species probably exists but this has yet to formally named and described by palaeontologists.

New CollectA Models 2023 Triceratops horridus confronting. — *The new for 2022 CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Triceratops horridus – confronting dinosaur model.*

To view the CollectA range of not-to-scale prehistoric animal figures: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“Perhaps the introduction of a second, smaller T. horridus figure marks a trend. CollectA may add more figures based on the full, binomial scientific name. The 2024 range introductions may reflect this trend. We shall have to wait and see.”

9 04, 2023

Hominid or Hominin? A Helpful Explanation

By Mike|2024-01-02T20:05:59+00:00April 9th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Teaching|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur team members have produced numerous blog posts documenting fossil discoveries and research into human evolution. Scientists are gradually gaining a better understanding of the evolution of our own species (Homo sapiens). Readers may have noticed a change in the use of the terms that describe members of the Homo genus, related genera and their ancestors.

For example, the terms “hominid” and “hominin”. In the past, these terms were interchangeable. Both hominid and hominin referred to the group of apes consisting of modern humans, extinct humans and all our immediate ancestors. The definition of these terms has changed. This change can lead to confusion, so, Everything Dinosaur thought it might be helpful to explain what “hominid” and “hominin” now refer to.

Hominid (Hominidae Family)

The term “hominid” has been given a wider definition, encompassing all the Great Apes. It now encompasses all modern and extinct Great Apes (humans, chimpanzees, including the bonobos, gorillas, orangutans and their immediate ancestors.

Hominin and Hominid — *The Great Apes – extant and extinct (humans, gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and all their immediate ancestors) – defining hominids (Hominidae Family).*

Hominin Defined

The term “hominin” now refers to a narrower group. This group consists of modern humans, extinct human species and all our immediate ancestors (including members of the genera Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Ardipithecus).

Hominid or Hominin?

The change in definition has occurred as palaeoanthropologists have altered the way that apes are classified. In the previous taxonomy, humans were distinct and separate from all other apes. They were placed into their own, unique family the Hominidae or hominids, one of three families classifying the apes.

Scientists have revised their classifications to develop more up-to-date evolutionary trees. The revision has reduced the number of families recognised to just two. All the Great Apes (including humans) are placed into the same family, the Hominidae or hominids. The next branching of this evolutionary tree divides the orangutans into one subfamily and all the remaining Great Apes into another subfamily. Then at the tribe level, gorillas, chimpanzees and humans separate onto different branches of the evolutionary tree with humans in the Hominini or hominin branch.

To view models and replicas of extinct Great Apes and ancestors of modern humans: Everything Dinosaur Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of post produced by the Australian Museum (Sydney) in the compilation of this article.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.

8 04, 2023

New CollectA Models Feature in Newsletter

By Mike|2024-03-09T15:57:01+00:00April 8th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Newsletters, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

The first batch of new for 2023 CollectA models feature in the latest Everything Dinosaur newsletter. The Collect Deluxe 1:40 scale Mosasaurus has arrived along with Shastasaurus, a replica of a Triassic ichthyosaur. The Cambrian is represented by the arrival of the Anomalocaris figure. It is great to see CollectA introducing more figures of Palaeozoic invertebrates.

The biggest model to be introduced in 2023 is the 1:100 scale replica of the giant Asian sauropod Ruyangosaurus. This spectacular figure is the headline attraction in Everything Dinosaur’s latest newsletter.

Ornithischian Dinosaurs

Ornithischian dinosaurs are represented by Hadrosaurus and Brighstoneus. Hadrosaurus (H. foulkii), was the first duck-billed dinosaur to be scientifically described that is still recognised by scientists today. Brighstoneus in contrast, was named and described much more recently (2021).

CollectA Models

Another dinosaur that was recently described Ceratosuchops (C. inferodios), also has its own CollectA model. The CollectA Ceratosuchops is depicted in a fishing pose. This dinosaur, known from fossils from the Isle of Wight, is thought to have been a piscivore.

Marine Reptiles

The latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter also highlighted the two new CollectA marine reptile models. A replica of the primitive Triassic ichthyosaur Shastasaurus was accompanied by the larger, 1:40 scale Mosasaurus model.

CollectA Anomalocaris Model

The newsletter also featured the CollectA Anomalocaris model. A fantastic replica of what is thought to be one of the world’s first apex predators.

Last but not least, subscribers to Everything Dinosaur’s regular emailed newsletter also received news about the arrival of the Triceratops horridus – confronting model.

To contact Everything Dinosaur to request to subscribe to the free newsletter: Email Everything Dinosaur.

The Wide Range of CollectA Models

CollectA have added a further eight prehistoric animal figures to their model range. The Koolasuchus in 1:20 scale and the armoured dinosaur Stegouros are due out later in the year.

To view the not-to-scale range of CollectA models: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Range.

To view the range of scale dinosaur and prehistoric animal figures: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Models.

7 04, 2023

Thank You Letters and Everything Dinosaur

By Mike|2023-04-07T10:26:44+01:00April 7th, 2023|Educational Activities, Main Page, Photos, Teaching|0 Comments

Whilst tidying up some files on the Everything Dinosaur database, an old photograph of a set of thank you letters sent into the UK-based mail order company was discovered. When team members conducted school visits lots of pupils sent in thank you letters. The letters from each class were grouped together and photographed. Often a picture of the children’s letters would have been pinned to our office notice board.

A set of thank you letters from a class. — Pupils sent in thank you letters to Everything Dinosaur. A school class sent in thank you letters to Everything Dinosaur after a dinosaur workshop at their school. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Dinosaur Workshops in School

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“In the past, the company visited schools to conduct dinosaur workshops. Over the years we must have worked with thousands of schoolchildren. We enjoyed our school visits, and the dinosaur workshops were an enormous success. The company has received hundreds of thank you letters from pupils. It was always a pleasure to read these notes.”

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.

Thank You Letters

Asking the class to produce a thank you letter was a popular extension activity encouraged by Everything Dinosaur team members. These thank you letters helped the children practice their handwriting and helped build confidence with sentence construction, punctuation and grammar.

The spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur explained that the company did not visit schools at present. This service was stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic and other projects have prevented this popular service from resuming.

For educational, dinosaur and prehistoric themed toys, models and crafts: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

As team members tidy up files and archive more photographs, happy memories will be triggered as old school photographs are seen once more. The archiving and cataloguing of these files are part of Everything Dinosaur’s commitment to GDPR. The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the UK Data Protection legislation help to protect customer’s data.

6 04, 2023

New CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models in Stock

By Mike|2023-04-06T15:30:46+01:00April 6th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

The new for 2023 CollectA prehistoric animal models have arrived at Everything Dinosaur. Eight new prehistoric animal figures to collect. New CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular not-to-scale models have arrived. In addition, two new CollectA Deluxe figures, the Mosasaurus and the impressive Ruyangosaurus are also in stock.

CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models

Six of the new figures are new additions to the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular range. There are four new dinosaurs – Triceratops horridus – confronting, Hadrosaurus, Brighstoneus and the Ceratosuchops – fishing spinosaurid figure.

The other two new figures to be introduced are both scale models in the CollectA Deluxe range. The 1:40 scale CollectA Deluxe Mosasaurus has an articulated lower jaw. There is also a replica of the giant Asian sauropod Ruyangosaurus. The Ruyangosaurus model (R. giganteus) has a declared scale of 1:100.

Everything Dinosaur

A spokesperson for the UK-based, mail order company commented:

“These are the first batch of new for 2023 CollectA models to arrive at our warehouse. We have been busy contacting all our customers who asked to be informed when these figures became available. The last two new for 2023 CollectA models Stegouros and Koolasuchus are expected in the late spring.”

To view the range of not-to-scale CollectA prehistoric animal figures: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Models.

Anthony Beeson

Sadly, our dear friend Anthony Beeson, passed away last year. Anthony was the inspiration behind the CollectA range of prehistoric animal figures. His enthusiasm and dedication to the CollectA brand has enabled CollectA to introduce new models. Such was Anthony’s passion for these models that there is a huge inventory of new replicas and models all waiting to be produced. The CollectA range will continue to grow, and Anthony’s unbounded energy and drive has ensured that there will be lots of new model introductions for many years.

To view the range of scale figures and replicas in the CollectA range: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Figures.

5 04, 2023

A Special Dinosaur Birthday Cake with “Raptor Claws”

By Mike|2024-01-02T20:05:19+00:00April 5th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos|0 Comments

Team members at Everything Dinosaur tried to bake a birthday cake for a family member but left it on a cooling tray too long. Having removed the baked cake from the oven, it was deposited on a cooling rack. Unfortunately, the hot cake became marked by the bars on the cooling rack. Inadvertently, we had created a dinosaur birthday cake complete with “raptor” claw marks.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaur Birthday Cake

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“It was just serendipity. We did not intend to create the marks in the cakes that we had baked, it happened by accident. However, we were rather impressed with the result. The cake looks like it has been clawed by the three-clawed hand of a dinosaur.”

For models and replicas of fossils including dinosaur claws and teeth: Replicas of Iconic Fossils, Dinosaur Claws and Teeth.

Once decorated the cake looked quite presentable. It was soon eaten but at least whilst it lasted, we could be comforted with the thought that we had produced a cake that was “on brand”.

4 04, 2023

Exciting Chocolate Dinosaur Nests with Eggs

By Mike|2024-03-09T15:57:42+00:00April 4th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Educational Activities, Main Page, Photos, Press Releases|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur team members have come up with a fun and easy chocolate dinosaur nests with eggs recipe. It is our way of providing a little a treat for children. We are also confident that many dedicated teaching professionals will enjoy these tasty cakes too.

Our recipe for dinosaur chocolate nests will provide a dozen or so little chocolate cakes. For a healthy, balanced diet, we suggest that would-be chefs are reminded by the grown-ups about the benefits of fruit and vegetables when it comes to eating sensibly.

Dinosaur chocolate nests. Chocolate dinosaur nests. — *Super dinosaur chocolate nests which are fun and easy to make.* Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Simple and Inexpensive Recipe

Here is a list of ingredients to make 8 to 12 chocolate dinosaur nests.

Plain or Milk cooking Chocolate 225 grammes (8oz)
Packet of Breakfast Cereal Cornflakes or Shredded Wheat variety
Packet of Sugar Coated Mini-chocolate Eggs
Pack of Small Cake Cases

With our recipe there is some measuring involved. There is some mixing too, so this is a good exercise to help little ones with number confidence and manual dexterity. Please take care when supervising children when it comes to melting the chocolate.

Chocolate Dinosaur Nests

For full instructions on how to make these simple, dinosaur themed cakes: How to Make Dinosaur Chocolate Nests.

These chocolate nests also make super cakes for a dinosaur themed party. They are simple to create, require no baking and are very tasty. If you are having a dinosaur party, please, don’t forget the fruit and vegetables. After all, palaeontologists calculate that around seventy percent of all the Dinosauria were herbivores!

You can be quite imaginative, laying out a “Stegosaurus salad”, or perhaps some crunchy “Cretaceous cucumber” or “Camarasaurus carrots”.

To view the huge range of educational toys and games available from Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur – Learning (Games, Toys, Crafts).

Or simply visit our home page: Everything Dinosaur.

We hope all teachers, teaching assistants, parents, grandparents and guardians enjoy the early spring break.

3 04, 2023

A Superb Triceratops Skull on Display

By Mike|2024-01-02T20:09:29+00:00April 3rd, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|1 Comment

Visitors to the Berlin Naturkundemuseum (Germany) will be able to see an amazing Triceratops skull on display as part of an exhibition entitled “Dinosaurs! Age of the Giant Lizards”.

The impressive cranium, complete with horns and an imposing head shield measures two metres long and it was found in Lance Creek Formation deposits (Wyoming, USA) back in 2020. The fossil was discovered by an amateur fossil hunter and after preparation in Canada, the current owner Lars Fjeldsoe-Nielsen has lent the stunning specimen to the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin.

Horned Dinosaur Skull

The Triceratops specimen has been nick-named “Amalie” after the daughter of the owner. It is not known whether the skull fossil is from a female or male Triceratops. Both males and females sported neck frills and horns.

Numerous ornithischian dinosaurs are known from the Lance (Creek) Formation. The strata were deposited during the Maastrichtian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous (69-66 million years ago). The fossils found in these rocks represent a diverse dinosaur dominated terrestrial fauna that thrived prior to the mass extinction event that saw the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs, including ceratopsians like Triceratops.

PNSO Doyle the Triceratops (2022) — *The new for 2022 PNSO Doyle the Triceratops 1:35 scale model comes complete with a scale model of a Triceratops skull.*

The picture above shows a Triceratops model and skull, which is part of the PNSO Age of Dinosaurs series.

To view the PNSO prehistoric animal models and figures available from Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models and Replicas.

Triceratops Skull on Display

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that they were unsure as to the Triceratops species that “Amalie” represented. They explained that both Triceratops horridus and an as yet, not fully described Triceratops species are associated with the Lance Formation.

Johannes Vogel, Director General of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin thanked the owner for lending this wonderful specimen and stated:

“The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin would like to express its sincere thanks to Mr Fjeldsoe-Nielsen for this further generous loan. This will enable research museums like ours to get visitors excited about nature and explore the objects.”

The exhibition “Dinosaurs! Age of the Giant Lizards” is due to run until the end of the year.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in the compilation of this article.

2 04, 2023

The Amazing Papo Green Styracosaurus Dinosaur Model

By Mike|2024-01-02T16:56:56+00:00April 2nd, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

Team members at Everything Dinosaur took advantage of the settled weather to take a photograph of the splendid Papo Green Styracosaurus model outdoors. This new colour variant of the Papo Styracosaurus model was added to the Papo “Les Dinosaures” range last year. It has proved popular with dinosaur model fans and collectors. Its popularity could be explained by its striking colouration or perhaps the excellence of the painting. It could be popular because of the detailed skin texture. Whatever the reason, the Papo green Styracosaurus has been a welcome addition to the Papo range for fans of horned dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Papo Green Styracosaurus

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that this ceratopsian figure had been introduced in the autumn of 2022. The original version (red Styracosaurus), was introduced in 2011. The original Styracosaurus figure has been retired and is out of production.

To view the range of Papo prehistoric animal figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur, including the rare, red Styracosaurus (whilst stocks last): Papo Prehistoric Animal Models.