September, 2023 | Everything Dinosaur Blog

20 09, 2023

A Bizarre Avialan Theropod from China

By Mike|2023-09-25T15:01:00+01:00September 20th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A new taxon of avialan theropod has been described from fossils found in Fujian Province (China). This small dinosaur has been named Fujianvenator prodigiosus. The fossil bones demonstrate a mosaic of anatomical features that are shared with early avialans as well as other members of the Maniraptora.

Fujianvenator prodigiosus

Writing in the academic journal “Nature”, the researchers describe this new theropod and state that it is one of the stratigraphically youngest avialans described to date. Fujianvenator roamed a wetland environment around 148-150 million years ago (Tithonian faunal stage of the Late Jurassic). Its fossils are likely to prove invaluable in understanding the evolution of the characteristic bird body plan, and to reconcile phylogenetic controversies over the origin of birds.

Fujianvenator is one of the geographically southernmost Jurassic avialans known to science. The headless specimen was excavated from Nanyuan Formation deposits near Yangyuan Village (Zhenghe County).

Defining the Avialae

The Avialae (means bird wings), is a clade of theropods. It contains the Aves (avian dinosaurs) and all non-avian dinosaurs more closely related to birds than to deinonychosaurs. In turn, the Avialae is part of the larger Maniraptora which includes all birds, and well-known types of dinosaurs such as dromaeosaurs, troodontids, the Alvarezsauroidea, the therizinosaurs and the Oviriaptorosauria.

During the fieldwork, a diverse assemblage of vertebrate fossils were documented. The assemblage is dominated by aquatic and semi-aquatic species. Fossil discoveries include fish, turtles and choristoderes (semi-aquatic, diapsid reptiles). Only one dinosaur fossil has been found at the location (Fujianvenator prodigiosus). Furthermore, this is the first time that a dinosaur fossil has been discovered in Fujian Province.

*Fujianvenator prodigiosus fossils and interpretative line drawing. Picture credit: Xu et al Chinese Academy of Sciences.*

Fujianvenator and the Zhenghe Fauna

Fujianvenator demonstrates a mosaic of morphological features. The forelimbs are similar to those of Archaeopteryx, whereas the hip bones are more typical of troodontids. The hindlimb is elongated, suggesting that this theropod adapted to a wading lifestyle. In contrast, other early avialans show specific adaptations to powered flight or a life in the trees.

Such is the amount of vertebrate fossil material collected that the palaeontologists can build up a detailed map of this ancient swampland ecosystem. They are confident that it will provide key insights into terrestrial ecosystems of the Late Jurassic. Perhaps more avialan theropod fossils will be found.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a press release from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “A new avialan theropod from an emerging Jurassic terrestrial fauna” by Liming Xu, Min Wang, Runsheng Chen, Liping Dong, Min Lin, Xing Xu, Jianrong Tang, Hailu You, Guowu Zhou, Linchang Wang, Wenxing He, Yujuan Li, Chi Zhang and Zhonghe Zhou published in Nature.

For models and replicas of dinosaurs including members of the Maniraptora: Dinosaur Replicas Including Models of Theropods.

19 09, 2023

New Haolonggood Dinosaur Models Set to Arrive

By Mike|2024-01-02T14:49:33+00:00September 19th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

The first shipment of Haolonggood dinosaur models is due to arrive at the Everything Dinosaur warehouse on Wednesday, 20th September (2023). A spokesperson from the UK-based mail order company explained that the shipment had cleared customs. Transport had been arranged to deliver the Haolonggood dinosaur models to Everything Dinosaur. The models should be on-line and available for sale, either late on the 20th or by early Thursday morning (21st).

Haolonggood dinosaur models due into stock. — *The shipment of Haolonggood models has cleared UK customs and is scheduled to arrive at Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse on Wednesday, September 20th (2023). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For information about Haolonggood dinosaur models and other prehistoric animal figures stocked by Everything Dinosaur: Email Everything Dinosaur.

Haolonggood Dinosaur Models

In total, there will be nineteen different Haolonggood dinosaur models delivered.

Here is the full list:

Dicraeosaurus (Yunmi).
Nasutoceratops (Huarong) and Nasutoceratops (Yanqing).
Ouranosaurus (Wuwei) and Ouranosaurus (Wuju).
Tianzhenosaurus (Shixiou) and Tianzhenosaurus (Yangxiong).
Pentaceratops (Lioutang) and Pentaceratops (Likui).
Apatosaurus (Shijing) and Apatosaurus (Huangxin).
Wuerhosaurus (Shiyong) and Wuerhosaurus (Jiaoting).
Pachyrhinosaurus (Ivfang) and Pachyrhinosaurus (Guosheng).
Edmontonia (Jiezhen) and Edmontonia (Jiebao).
Allosaurus (Yangzhi) and Allosaurus (Suochao).

Haolonggood dinosaur models (Allosaurus figures). — *The Haolonggood Allosaurus dinosaur models (Allosaurus Yangzhi and Suochao).*

Haolonggood Allosaurus Figures

Haolonggood tend to create two colour variants of each prehistoric animal model that they manufacture. The picture (above) shows the new Haolonggood Allosaurus figures. The model on the left is Suochao, whilst the blue Allosaurus on the right of the image is Yangzhi. Both these Allosaurus models will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur.

The spokesperson commented that this was a substantial shipment and team members would do all they could to ensure the figures were available for sale on the company’s website as quickly as possible.

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

To view the Haolonggood range of models: Haolonggood Prehistoric Animal Models.

18 09, 2023

Vectidromeus – A New Hypsilophodontid from the Isle of Wight

By Mike|2023-09-25T07:03:19+01:00September 18th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Scientists have formally named a new species of hypsilophodontid dinosaur from the Isle of Wight. The new species, named Vectidromeus insularis, is the second member of the hypsilophodont family to be found on the island after Hypsilophodon foxii. This discovery lends weight to the theory that Europe had its own unique biota of small herbivorous dinosaurs, distinct from those found in North America and Asia.

Vectidromeus insularis

Four blocks containing fossil bones were collected at different times from Wessex Formation exposures at Sudmoor Point which is located on the western side of the island about 2 miles (3.2 kms) from the village of Brighstone. The largest block contains hip bones, dorsal vertebrae, a left femur and lower leg bones. The second block contains other parts of the lower leg bones and some tailbones. A third block consists of elements from the right femur and the right tibia. The small fourth block contains the left metatarsals and bones from the toes (phalanges). Blocks one and two come from the same animal and the other fossils can be tentatively ascribed to the same individual.

The fossils represent a chicken-sized juvenile. Vectidromeus may have grown much larger.

Closely Related to Hypsilophodon foxii

The specimen shows numerous autapomorphies that distinguish it from Hypsilophodon foxii. For example, the hip bones are very different. The blade of the ilium is short and deep, and the ischia are more rectangular in shape. The fourth trochanter, a muscle attachment scar on the femur is proportionately larger. As both juvenile and adult specimens of H. foxii are known, the research team confidently stated that these anatomical traits were not due to the dinosaur’s young age. The different characteristics indicate a new dinosaur genus, albeit one closely related to Hypsilophodon.

Vectidromeus insularis holotype fossils. — *Holotype fossil material of Vectidromeus insularis. Picture credit: University of Bath*.

Dr Nicholas Longrich, from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, led the study. He commented:

“Palaeontologists have been working on the Isle of Wight for more than a century, and these fossils have played an important role in the history of vertebrate palaeontology, but we’re still making new discoveries about the dinosaur fauna as the sea erodes new fossils out of the cliffs.”

Vectidromeus Geologically Much Older than Hypsilophodon

Vectidromeus probably dates from the earliest Barremian or the latest Hauterivian stage of the Early Cretaceous (125-126 million years ago. The H. foxii material from the Hypsilophodon beds higher up the stratigraphic column, lie at the top of the Wessex Formation and are no younger than 121.4 million years. Therefore, as much as 4.6 million years could separate these two taxa.

*Vectidromeus insularis compared in size to Hypsilophodon foxii. Picture credit: University of Bath.*

The Cretaceous strata on the Isle of Wight are hundreds of metres thick and span several million years. Scientific consensus is still not entirely clear how old they are – so the fossils may be sampling a whole series of evolving ecosystems, each with a different set of species.

Co-author on the study, Professor Dave Martill (University of Portsmouth) stated:

“It is utterly bizarre that so many new dinosaurs are being discovered on the Isle of Wight. Vectidromeus is the seventh new species of dinosaur to be discovered in the last four years. This is all down to the amateur collectors.”

It is likely that many new species of dinosaur will be described from fossils found on the Isle of Wight. Palaeontologists are building up a more complete picture of the dinosaur dominated fauna that existed in this part of the world during the Early Cretaceous.

Isle of Wight ornithopods. — *Herbivorous dinosaurs (ornithopods) known from the Isle of Wight. Picture credit: University of Bath*.

Dozens of small plant-eating dinosaurs have been assigned to the hypsilophodont family, but revisions to the dinosaur family tree have resulted in reclassifying them to other branches of the tree, leaving Hypsilophodon as the only species left in the family.

Dr Longrich added:

“We had a curious situation where one of the first dinosaur families to be recognised had just one species. And now, we have two. What’s intriguing is that they’re not particularly closely related to anything found in North America, Asia, or the Southern Hemisphere. We’re still piecing together how all these dinosaurs are related, and how dinosaurs moved between continents. After Pangaea broke up, there was a lot of isolation, leading to different kinds of dinosaurs evolving on each continent.”

This newly published scientific paper highlights the contribution made to science by fossil hunters and their local knowledge.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Bath in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Vectidromeus insularis, a new hypsilophodontid dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, England” by Nicholas R. Longrich, David M. Martill, Martin Munt, Mick Green, Mark Penn and Shaun Smith published in Cretaceous Research.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

17 09, 2023

A Delightful Dicraeosaurus Scale Drawing

By Mike|2024-01-02T14:52:23+00:00September 17th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur has commissioned a Dicraeosaurus scale drawing to use in a fact sheet in anticipation of the arrival of the Haolonggood Dicraeosaurus model. The Haolonggood shipment is due to arrive at the company’s warehouse in a few days.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dicraeosaurus Scale Drawing

The Haolonggood Dicraeosaurus sauropod model has a scale of 1:35. The figure measures a fraction under 36 cm long. It stands approximately 9.5 cm high.

Two species have been named. Both the type species Dicraeosaurus hansemanni and the potentially geologically younger D. sattleri are known from numerous skeletons, many of which are nearly complete. Dicraeosaurus had a short neck, and a relatively large head. The jaws were more robust than those of other diplodocids. It is likely that this sauropod fed on coarse plant material.

*The green Haolonggood Dicraeosaurus dinosaur model.*

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

Dicraeosaurus is regarded as one of the largest of the dicraeosaurid dinosaurs. Palaeontologists estimate that it grew to a length of around fifteen metres.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that the team members were looking forward to the arrival of the Haolonggood models.

The spokesperson added:

“We expect the PNSO and Haolonggood shipments to arrive at our warehouse on the same day. It is likely that they will arrive next Wednesday [20th September]. We have made plans to ensure we can unpack the shipment rapidly and then get these sets of figures on-line quickly. We have also allocated some time that day to contact all those customers who wanted to be informed when the PNSO and Haolonggood figures arrived.”

Visit the website of Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

To view the range of Haolonggood models in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Haolonggood Models and Figures.

16 09, 2023

New Research into Brachiopods and Bivalves Faunal Turnover

By Mike|2024-01-02T14:52:46+00:00September 16th, 2023|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Scientists have used complex statistical analysis to assess one of the most dramatic changes in the history of visible life on Earth. At the end of the Permian, during a mass extinction event there was a dramatic and extensive faunal turnover between brachiopods and bivalves.

One of the biggest crises in Earth’s history was marked by a revolution in the shellfish. Brachiopods, sometimes called “lamp shells”, as some genera superficially resembled Roman lamps, were replaced everywhere ecologically by the bivalves, such as clams, mussels and oysters. This happened as a result of the devastating end-Permian mass extinction which reset the evolution of life 250 million years ago.

Research conducted by palaeontologists based in Wuhan (China) and the University of Bristol, has shed new light on this crucial faunal turnover when ocean ecosystems changed, eventually taking on a more modern, familiar structure that still persists today.

Brachiopods and Bivalves

Life on land and in the sea is rich and forms particular ecosystems. In modern oceans, the seabed is dominated by animals such as bivalves, corals, gastropods, crustaceans, marine worms and fishes. These ecosystems all date back to the Triassic when life slowly recovered from the “Great Dying”. During that crisis, only one in twenty species survived, and there has been long debate about how the new ecosystems were constructed and why some groups survived, and others perished.

Brachiopods were the dominant shelled animals prior to the extinction. However, bivalves thrived afterwards, seemingly better adapting to their new conditions.

Lead author of the study published in “Nature Communications”, Zhen Guo commented:

“A classic case has been the replacement of brachiopods by bivalves. Palaeontologists used to say that the bivalves were better competitors and so beat the brachiopods somehow during this crisis time. There is no doubt that brachiopods were the major group of shelled animals before the extinction, and bivalves took over after.”

Statistical Bayesian Analysis

Co-author Joe Flannery-Sutherland added:

“We wanted to explore the interactions between brachiopods and bivalves through their long history and especially around the Permian-Triassic handover period. So, we decided to use a computational method called Bayesian analysis to calculate rates of origination, extinction, and fossil preservation, as well as testing whether the brachiopods and bivalves interacted with each other. For example, did the rise of bivalves cause the decline of brachiopods?”

The researchers found that in fact both groups shared similar trends in diversification dynamics right through the time of global crisis.

This suggests that these two groups were not really competing or preying on each other. It is more likely that these unrelated groups were responding to similar external drivers such as fluctuations in sea temperature, oxygen levels and acidity.

The bivalves eventually prevailed, and the brachiopods retreated to deeper waters, where they still occur, but in much reduced numbers.

Brachiopods and Bivalves examining their diversity. — *Diversities of brachiopods and bivalves over the past 500 million years, showing the brachiopod-bivalve switch near the Permian-Triassic boundary. Picture credit: Zhen Guo et al.*

Statistical Analysis to Resolve the Brachiopods and Bivalves Faunal Turnover Issue

Professor Zhong-Qiang Chen (China University of Geosciences, Wuhan) explained that it was very satisfying to see how modern computational techniques helped resolve a long-standing issue in palaeontology.

Professor Zhong-Qiang Chen stated:

“We always thought that the end-Permian mass extinction marked the end of the brachiopods and that was that. But it seems that both brachiopods and bivalves were hit hard by the crisis, and both recovered in the Triassic, but the bivalves could adapt better to high ocean temperatures. So, this gave them the edge, and after the Jurassic, they just rocketed in numbers, and the brachiopods didn’t do much.”

Fossils of over 330,000 brachiopods and bivalves were analysed in the course of this study. The Bristol University supercomputer took weeks to crunch all the numbers. The Bayesian analysis took into account all kinds of uncertainties and aspects of the data to provide an extremely detailed report on the evolutionary changes.

Brachiopods and Bivalves examining the impact of the end-Permian mass extinction event. — *Diversities of brachiopods and bivalves through the time of the brachiopod-bivalve switch near the Permian-Triassic boundary. Picture credit: Zhen Guo et al.*

Professor Michael Benton (University of Bristol) concluded:

“The end-Permian mass extinction was the biggest of all time, and it massively reset evolution. In fact the 50 million years after the crisis, the Triassic, marked a revolution in life on land and in the sea. Understanding just how life could come back from near-annihilation and then set the basis for modern ecosystems is one of the big questions in macroevolution. I’m sure we haven’t said the last word here though!”

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Bristol in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Bayesian analyses indicate bivalves did not drive the downfall of brachiopods following the Permian-Triassic mass extinction” by Zhen Guo, Joseph T. Flannery-Sutherland, Michael J. Benton, and Zhong-Qiang Chen published in Nature Communications.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

15 09, 2023

Furcatoceratops – A New Centrosaurine

By Mike|2023-09-17T14:08:54+01:00September 15th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles|0 Comments

The discovery of a new species of horned dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana has been announced. The new dinosaur named Furcatoceratops elucidans has been assigned to the Nasutoceratopsini subfamily of the Centrosaurinae. This ceratopsian is known from a single, sub-adult specimen (holotype number NSM PV 24660). However, the nearly complete and three-dimensionally preserved bones have the potential to yield valuable data on early centrosaurines. The fossil material was first described in 2015, it was reputed to represent an Avaceratops.

Furcatoceratops elucidans

The disarticulated skeleton was collected from the upper Coal Ridge Member of the Judith River Formation. The fossil material is believed to around 75.6 million years old (Campanian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous. Postcranial material recovered included a substantial proportion of the left side of the body, including a complete left front limb and parts of the pelvis. In addition, a significant amount of skull material was excavated.

Although the fossil specimen represents a sub-adult, researchers estimate that this herbivorous dinosaur probably reached a maximum length of around four metres. It may be possible to calculate an accurate assessment of bodyweight using circumference measurements of the left femur. Consequently, it may be possible to demonstrate that a fully grown adult Furcatoceratops would have weighed over five hundred kilograms.

Furcatoceratops elucidans scale drawing — A scale drawing showing the newly described centrosaurine Furcatoceratops elucidans. This horned dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana is thought to have been around four metres in length. Picture credit: Tim Bollinger.

A Significant Ceratopsid Fossil Discovery

The authors of the scientific paper conducted a phylogenetic assessment and concluded that F. elucidans was closely related to Nasutoceratops titusi from Utah and Avaceratops lammersi, which is also known from the Judith River Formation. Although Avaceratops lammersi was scientifically described in 1986, palaeontologists have remained uncertain with regards to classifying ceratopsid fossil material associated with other strata within the Coal Ridge Member.

The Furcatoceratops fossils will permit palaeontologists to study postcranial autapomorphies. Research on centrosaurines will be less reliant on skull fossil characteristics. Therefore, the Furcatoceratops holotype will likely be valuable for understanding previously neglected aspects of ceratopsian anatomy.

The genus translates as “forked horn face”, presumably a reference to the curved shape of the prominent brow horns. The species name comes from the Latin for “enlightening”, which reflects the significance of the holotype in terms of providing insights into ceratopsid anatomy and growth rates.

Scale Drawing and Illustration

Everything Dinosaur team members were composing a blog post about Furcatoceratops when an email was received from American artist Tim Bollinger. We checked out his DevianArt page: UnexpectedDinoLesson and discovered that he had drawn Furcatoceratops.

Tim stated:

“I love everything you are doing at Everything Dinosaur. I am a dinosaur enthusiast myself, and an aspiring palaeoartist I would love to be involved with Everything Dinosaur in any way possible.”

We explained that we get many requests such as this. However, in a bid to showcase his work, we asked and received permission to feature Tim’s illustration of Furcatoceratops in our blog post.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of artist Tim Bollinger in the compilation of this article.

Take a look at Tim Bollinger’s work under the moniker UnexpectedDinoLesson:

Instagram – @unexpecteddinolesson
Facebook – @UnexpectedDinoLesson
X (Twitter) – @Dino_Lesson
YouTube – @unexpecteddinolesson (subscribe to the channel here: Unexpected Dinosaur On YouTube.

The scientific paper: “Furcatoceratops elucidans, a new centrosaurine (Ornithischia: Ceratopsidae) from the upper Campanian Judith River Formation, Montana, USA” by Hiroki Ishikawa, Takanobu Tsuihiji and Makoto Manabe published in Cretaceous Research.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

14 09, 2023

Carnian Street a New Book Review

By Mike|2024-01-02T14:53:07+00:00September 14th, 2023|Book Reviews, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos|0 Comments

Recently, Everything Dinosaur received a copy of “Carnian Street” the first novel by aspiring author David McGowen. The book focuses on the life of Emily, a college student in the gritty, run-down fictional Yorkshire city of Thewlington. Tired of the childish antics of her peers, Emily yearns for something better. She wants to explore, to travel and to experience what the world, present and past has to offer.

The author draws on his own experiences of having lived in Leeds, attended art college and having been born in Thailand to weave an intriguing storyline that traces Emily’s development away from her dysfunctional surroundings to that of a confident young woman.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

“Carnian Street”

With a title referencing a stage within the Late Triassic, readers can expect plenty of prehistoric animal encounters. The author is a fan of dinosaurs, however, the Dinosauria does not dominate the dialogue. This said, Baryonyx and a pair of Eotyrannus do make an appearance along with other fauna associated with the Wealden Formation. Inspired by one of the many enigmatic characters in this intriguing book Emily attempts to draw a Stegosaurus. An encounter is described in which this famous armoured dinosaur looks on whilst a kebab is consumed.

Readers are transported back in time to explore ancient landscapes and marine environments. Megalodon features along with fearsome toothed birds. The author drawing on his own imagination to populate the prehistoric landscape with bizarre and colourful creatures.

Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon Encounters

The harsh and brutal life on the long submerged Doggerland habitat is highlighted. The struggles for existence of our ancestors documented in visceral detail. The novel is aimed at a mature audience. It deals with adult themes. Strong language is used throughout the book and some of the dialect can best be described as “earthy”. It is suitable for ages fifteen and over.

“Carnian Street” is an imaginative composition. We suspect that nothing quite like it has been placed on bookshelves for a long while.

Book Details – “Carnian Street”

Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers

Published August 2023 | Price: £13.99/€15.95 | Pages: 405
6 plus| Paperback | ISBN: 9781398474031
Also available as an E-book.

Visit the website of Austin Macauley Publishers: Austin Macauley Publishers. Search on the website for “Carnian Street” to find the book.

13 09, 2023

New Study – How Angiosperms Survived Mass Extinction

By Mike|2024-01-02T14:53:46+00:00September 13th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos|0 Comments

Angiosperms are great survivors! Anyone having to remove dandelions and buttercups from their lawn or garden border will testify to this. However, a new study demonstrates that flowering plants are truly nature’s great survivors. The angiosperms came through the K-Pg extinction event relatively unscathed. This extinction event may even have assisted flowering plants as they became the dominant flora on our planet.

The study by researchers from the University of Bath in collaboration with colleagues from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico) shows that flowering plants were not too badly affected by the extinction event that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs.

Mass Extinction Events

Scientists have detected evidence of five major extinction events during the Phanerozoic Eon. The most famous is the end-Cretaceous extinction event that saw the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs. An extra-terrestrial bolide impact may have contributed to the eradication of around 75% of all species. The impact on the angiosperms had not been explored until now.

Plant fossils are relatively rare compared to the body and trace fossils of animals. This makes it very difficult for palaeontologists to assess how genera might have been affected by extinction events.

If the fossil record is too poor and fragmentary to provide data, then an alternative method of analysis must be found. Dr Jamie Thompson of the Milner Centre for Evolution (University of Bath) and Dr Santiago Ramírez-Barahona of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México analysed evolutionary trees constructed from mutations in the DNA sequences of up to 73,000 living species of flowering plants. Using complex statistical methods, they fitted “birth-death” models to estimate the rates of extinction throughout deep geological time.

A water lily in flower. — *From the time of the dinosaurs, but flowering plants were relatively unscathed by the K-Pg extinction event.* *Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Angiosperms Flourished After the Extinction Event

The fossil record suggests that the K-Pg event had a strong regional impact on flowering plant species extinctions. However, it only had a minor impact on the extinction rates of major lineages (families and orders). These lineages survived and flourished. Out of approximately 400,000 extant plant species, around 300,000 are angiosperms.

Molecular clock evidence suggests that the vast majority of angiosperm families around today existed before the end-Cretaceous event. Species including the ancestors of orchids, water lilies, magnolia and mint all shared Earth with the dinosaurs.

Commenting on the study, co-author Dr Jamie Thompson stated:

“After most of Earth’s species became extinct at K-Pg, angiosperms took the advantage, similar to the way in which mammals took over after the dinosaurs, and now pretty much all life on Earth depends on flowering plants ecologically.”

Angiosperms are Great Survivors – How?

Despite being unable to walk and relying on the sun for energy and food, how did the flowering plants become so successful?

Fellow author Dr Ramírez-Barahona explained:

“Flowering plants have a remarkable ability to adapt. They use a variety of seed-dispersal and pollination mechanisms, some have duplicated their entire genomes and others have evolved new ways to photosynthesise.”

The seeds of many angiosperms are also extremely robust and remain dormant for years until the right conditions occur to allow them to germinate.

The study is published in Biology Letters and the project was supported by benefactors Roger and Sue Whorrod.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Bath in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “No phylogenetic evidence for angiosperm mass extinction at the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K-Pg) boundary” by Jamie B. Thompson and Santiago Ramírez-Barahona published in Biology Letters (Royal Society Publishing).

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

12 09, 2023

The New PNSO Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus

By Mike|2024-01-02T14:54:08+00:00September 12th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

The new for late 2023 PNSO Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus, a replica of a metriacanthosaurid theropod is coming into stock at Everything Dinosaur. The Yangchuanosaurus figure will be in stock in a few weeks. The Yangchuanosaurus is the latest theropod to be announced in PNSO’s mid-size model range.

PNSO Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus

Named and described in 1978 (Dong et al), Yangchuanosaurus was a member of the Allosauroidea superfamily. It was an apex predator, with some palaeontologists estimating that this dinosaur reached lengths in excess of ten metres. The new for 2023 Yangchuanosaurus is more sensibly proportioned. The model measures 22.5 cm in length.

Yangchuanosaurus model measurements. — *The metriacanthosaurid theropod dinosaur model measures 22.5 cm long and stands 6.4 cm tall.*

To view the range of PNSO dinosaur and prehistoric animal models in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Prehistoric Animal Models.

Theropod Dinosaur Model with an Articulated Jaw

PNSO has already introduced models of Yangchuanosaurus. There is a small figure of Yangchuanosaurus, and it features in a 1:35 scale diorama with the stegosaur Chungkingosaurus. This is the first Yangchuanosaurus figure made by PNSO that has an articulated lower jaw.

The Yangchuanosaurus dinosaur model has an articulated jaw. — *The PNSO Yangchuanosaurus dinosaur model has an articulated jaw.*

Yangchuanosaurus Accessories

The model is supplied with an A3-sized Sci-Art poster along with a fully illustrated, 64-page colour booklet. A QR code on the packaging links to a product video. Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus is also supplied with a transparent support stand.

Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus poster and accessories. — *The PNSO Yangchuanosaurus dinosaur figure is supplied with a full-colour, 64-page illustrated booklet, a Sci-Art poster and there is a QR code that links to a product video.*

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that the Albertosaurus, Megalosaurus and Gorgosaurus PNSO figures were due into stock in a few days. The Yangchuanosaurus would be following in a second shipment along with another new PNSO figure.

To visit the website of Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

11 09, 2023

Wild Safari Prehistoric World Therizinosaurus

By Mike|2023-09-12T07:05:58+01:00September 11th, 2023|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

A Wild Safari Prehistoric World Therizinosaurus is to be added to the range of prehistoric animal figures offered by Safari Ltd. An image of this new theropod dinosaur model has been included in documents sent to Everything Dinosaur. A spokesperson for the UK-based mail order company explained that the figure was likely to be in stock early in 2024.

To view the extensive range of Safari Ltd prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Models.

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Therizinosaurus Model

Formally named and scientifically described in 1954 (Maleev), this dinosaur is famous for its huge hand claws. Size estimates vary, but some palaeontologists suggest Therizinosaurus could have reached a length of ten metres and stood around five metres tall. Fossils of Therizinosaurus cheloniformis are rare. This dinosaur’s body shape and size has been inferred by studying more complete specimens of smaller maniraptoran relatives such as Nanshiungosaurus and Erliansaurus.

Puzzling therizinosaurs - a scale drawing of Therizinosaurus. — *Huge “scythe lizard”. A scale drawing of Therizinosaurus. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Model Measurements

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated that the model had a length of 16.8 cm (6.6 inches). It stood 16.4 centimetres high (6.4 inches tall).

The spokesperson also confirmed that the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Therizinosaurus dinosaur model was likely to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur early in 2024.

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