There are just a few, limited-edition Rebor Meta the hatchling Deinosuchus figures in the estuary colour scheme left in stock at Everything Dinosaur. With stocks dwindling Rebor fans and model collectors have a last chance to purchase this increasingly rare figure.
Just two Rebor Meta Hatchling Deinosuchus limited-edition figures left in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Limited-edition Collectable Figures
Team members could only find two Meta the hatchling Deinosuchus models in the estuary colour scheme in the warehouse this morning. Only five hundred figures in total were made. The Deinosuchus replicas have proved very popular and just two figures are left. Each figure has its own unique number from one to five hundred. Everything Dinosaur has number thirteen and number forty available.
One of just a very few Rebor Meta the Hatchling Deinosuchus figures in the estuary colour scheme left in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Hatchling Deinosuchus
With only five hundred of these figures being made, the Rebor Club Selection: Meta the Hatchling Deinosuchus estuary variant has proved to be a popular purchase for collectors and fans of Cretaceous prehistoric animals. The hatchling Deinosuchus stands on a plinth with the limited edition number stated on the underside. There is a small piece of eggshell provided within the box so that the plinth and the figure can be united in a seamless display.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur recommend gluing the Deinosuchus egg in place just in case the replica is knocked and the egg falls. We would not want to have any broken crocodilian eggs as these figures are a limited-edition collectable.
The Rebor Meta the hatchling Deinosuchus in the Estuary colour variant. This is one of the few figures in stock (number 13). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:
“We could only find two of these figures in our warehouse. We are close to selling out of the estuary colour variant. When these are sold, we will not be able to get anymore. Only five hundred of these figures were made in total.”
To view the range of prehistoric animal model replicas in stock at Everything Dinosaur, including Deinosuchus figures (whilst stocks last): Rebor Replicas and Prehistoric Animal Models.
The spokesperson added, that both boxes were a little crumpled but the models inside were in pristine condition.
Our thanks to prehistoric animal model collector and dinosaur fan William who sent in his review of the PNSO Suchomimus dinosaur model. William has stated that from the first images he viewed, he has found “Thabo” very pleasing. He describes the PNSO figure as one of the finest and most accurate Baryonychinae figures available.
The new for 2023 PNSO Thabo the Suchomimus dinosaur model. A replica of a baryonychine from PNSO.
A Customer Reviews Suchomimus
The reviewer begins by commenting on the head sculpt. He explains that the nostrils are lower on Suchomimus compared to the Spinosaurini suggesting that Suchomimus and other members of the Baryonychinae subfamily were less aquatic, perhaps preferring to hunt in the shallows.
The colours chosen by PNSO are highlighted and the articulated jaw blends in well. The anterior of the jaws has the classical terminal rosette typical of the Spinosauridae.
The new for 2023 PNSO Suchomimus replica has an articulated lower jaw.
The Body and the Limbs
The reviewer states that the flesh that was prominent along the spine has been recreated and any “shrink wrapping” of the figure avoided by the design team. The model has also been provided with a cloaca.
William exclaims:
“Thabo is a model that is fantastic from any angle, and it will make a great diorama figure.”
The musculature of the shoulder area is praised and the texture on the forelimbs highlighted. The size and proportions of the digits and their associated claws are commented upon and the hind limbs are also praised.
The reviewer explains that the blunt toe claws are realistic, the living animal having blunt toe claws as a result of its locomotion.
The PNSO Thabo the Suchomimus dinosaur model.
PNSO Suchomimus Dinosaur Model
William highlights the bright, orange eyes which work well with the rainbow-coloured nasal crest. The body is described as being a deep, rich matt grey with a paler band running along the back and with stripes covering the tail. The skin texture of the figure is complimented and the numerous skin folds and wrinkles praised.
As with earlier reviews, William provides model measurements and information on the accessories supplied with the PNSO figure:
Standard white PNSO box with clear, plastic trays to protect the model, art poster and transparent support stand.
The Suchomimus figure is supplied with an A3-sized poster, a full-colour, 64-page booklet and a QR code on the product packaging links to a video which demonstrates how the model was created.
Information About Suchomimus
William also submitted some information about the dinosaur and its fossils.
Time Period: Early Cretaceous – 112 million years ago, fossils from the Elrhaz Formation.
William explained that Suchomimus shared an extensive floodplain environment with other large theropods such as the early carcharodontosaurid Eocarcharia dinops and the abelisaurid Kryptops palaios. He also outlines some of the latest research that suggests that members of the Baryonychinae were not as well adapted to an aquatic life as later spinosaurids, whose nostrils were positioned higher up the snout.
Our thanks to William for providing Everything Dinosaur with such a comprehensive review.
New research suggests maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs possessed a propatagium. The propatagium (pronounced pro-pah-ta-gee-um), is a soft tissue structure that joins the wrists and shoulders of volant birds. It helps with the wing flapping motion and provides a leading edge to the wing. Without this structure, birds could not fly.
If members of the Maniraptora, such as Therizinosaurus, Velociraptor, Oviraptor and troodontids had a propatagium on each arm, this would change how these dinosaurs are depicted. Many existing models and replicas would not be accurate and these figures would require updating.
Modern volant birds have a propatagium. A specialised wing structure, without which they would not be able to fly. The evolutionary origins of the propatagium remain uncertain, but new research led by scientists at the University of Tokyo (Japan), is helping to fill some of the gaps. By conducting a statistical analysis of the arm joints associated with the fossilised remains of some dinosaurs, the researchers have concluded that a propatagium was present in certain theropod dinosaurs on the dinosaur/bird evolutionary lineage.
Propatagia are also known in other volant vertebrates – the bats and pterosaurs. These structures are examples of convergent evolution. Anatomical traits arising as animals adapt in similar ways to similar selective pressures.
A Tropeognathus pterosaur model with the propatagia highlighted.
Birds Evolved from Dinosaurs
Most scientists agree that birds evolved from maniraptoran dinosaurs. It therefore seems appropriate to look for avian traits within the Dinosauria, such as the presence of feathers, strong but light bones, and inner ears that help with balance and spatial awareness.
The University of Tokyo’s Department of Earth and Planetary Science wanted to try to see if evidence for the propatagium could be found in the non-avian dinosaur fossil record. The propatagium contains a muscle which connects the wrist to the shoulder and the research team set about trying to find evidence for this soft tissue structure in the fossilised remains of maniraptoran dinosaurs.
Co-author of the paper, published in the journal “Zoological Letters”, Associate Professor Tatsuya Hirasawa explained:
“It [the propatagium] is not found in other vertebrates, and it’s also found to have disappeared or lost its function in flightless birds, one of the reasons we know it’s essential for flight. So, in order to understand how flight evolved in birds, we must know how the propatagium evolved. This is what prompted us to explore some distant ancestors of modern birds, theropod dinosaurs.”
Theropod dinosaurs such as Giganotosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor had arms, not wings, although some theropods such as the dromaeosaurid Microraptor were capable of flight. If the researchers could find evidence of early examples of the propatagium within non-avian dinosaurs, they would gain a better understanding of how some Dinosauria gradually transitioned from having arms to evolving wings.
Unfortunately, a soft tissue structure such as a propatagium would only be preserved in exceptional circumstances. Hard, mineralised parts of the body such as bones have a far greater fossilisation potential. Perhaps the bones of fossilised dinosaurs could provide a clue?
Co-author of the study, Yurika Uno (University of Tokyo) explained:
“The solution we came up with to assess the presence of a propatagium was to collect data about the angles of joints along the arm, or wing, of a dinosaur or bird.”
Studying Joint Angles
The presence or lack of a propatagium could be inferred by examining the angles of the joints in the arm in articulated fossil specimens. The way arm joints are articulated in fossils gives away the presence or absence of the propatagium structure. Thus the researchers could provide indirect evidence demonstrating the evolution of the avian wing structure.
The graduate student added:
“In modern birds, the wings cannot fully extend due to the propatagium, constraining the range of angles possible between connecting sections. If we could find a similarly specific set of angles between joints in dinosaur specimens, we can be fairly sure they too possessed a propatagium. And through quantitative analyses of the fossilised postures of birds and nondinosaurs, we found the tell-tale ranges of joint angles we hoped to.”
The researchers postulate that the propatagium likely evolved in a group of dinosaurs known as the maniraptoran theropods. The Maniraptora clade is composed of coelurosaurian dinosaurs and is defined as including all birds and the non-avian dinosaurs that were more closely related to birds than they were to Ornithomimus velox.
Close examination of the fossilised remains of the oviraptorosaurian Caudipteryx and the winged dromaeosaurian Microraptor indicate the presence of propatagia. The researchers suggest that they have found evidence for the presence of a propatagium in dinosaurs that existed prior to the evolution of flight in the maniraptoran lineage.
If maniraptoran dinosaurs had propatagia prior to the evolution of powered flight, then this raises an intriguing question. Why did the propatagium evolve? Why did these particular theropods evolve such a structure?
The University of Tokyo researchers are optimistic that by studying more fossils as well as embryonic development within extant vertebrates they might be able to provide some answers.
The team thinks some theropods might have evolved the propatagium not because of any pressure to learn to fly, as their forelimbs were made for grasping objects and not for flying. The propatagium originally had another purpose. It could be speculated that this “leading edge” of the arm evolved to help amplify visual intraspecific communication. Perhaps it evolved as a soft tissue structure used in display to demonstrate fitness for breeding and to win mates.
An enlarged surface area of the forelimb might have played a role in helping to shade eggs or perhaps play some other role in the brooding process.
Finding fossil evidence to support these suggestions is likely to prove difficult. However, if further studies demonstrate the presence of propatagia in the Maniraptora, it will change the way these types of dinosaurs are depicted.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Tokyo in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper “Origin of the propatagium in non-avian dinosaurs” by Yurika Uno and Tatsuya Hirasawa published in Zoological Letters
Team members at Everything Dinosaur have prepared a Ruyangosaurus scale drawing for use in the company’s free Ruyangosaurus dinosaur model fact sheet. The new for 2023 CollectA Deluxe Ruyangosaurus figure is due into stock shortly and the fact sheet will be sent out with model purchases.
Ruyangosaurus was formally named and scientifically described in 2009 (Lü et al) in the Geological Bulletin of China. It is regarded as one of the largest Asian dinosaurs known to science. One species has been assigned to the genus (R. giganteus). Size estimates for this Early Cretaceous titanosaur vary, but it has been speculated that Ruyangosaurus was around thirty to thirty-five metres in length.
The new for early 2023 CollectA Deluxe Ruyangosaurus dinosaur model.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur explained that for virtually every named prehistoric animal that the company sells, a fact sheet is prepared. As new for 2023 CollectA models arrive, so fact sheets for Ruyangosaurus, Ceratosuchops, Brighstoneus, Anomalocaris and the marine reptile Shastasaurus have been prepared.
Everything Dinosaur can confirm that it will be stocking the PNSO Mungo the Meraxes dinosaur model. This figure is due in stock later this spring (2023). Mungo the Meraxes was announced earlier this week and whilst we expect the output from PNSO to slow down a little this year, the number of new figures the company has produced recently has been remarkable.
The carcharodontosaurid from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina Meraxes gigas. The PNSO model will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in the spring (2023).
Meraxes gigas
Meraxes (M. gigas) was formally named and scientifically described in 2012 (Canale et al). It is a member of the Carcharodontosauridae family of theropods and at approximately 11 metres long and weighing 4 Tonnes (estimated 4.26 Tonnes), it was probably the apex predator in its Late Cretaceous environment. Another giant carcharodontosaurid Mapusaurus (M. roseae), is also known from the Huincul Formation of Argentina, but Meraxes fossil material is associated with geologically older strata.
The PNSO Mungo the Meraxes has an articulated lower jaw, and it will be supplied with a clear plastic support stand, a poster and a 64-page, illustrated colour booklet.
The Meraxes model will have an articulated lower jaw.
A Carcharodontosaurid Dinosaur Model
An almost complete right arm is known. The arm is proportionately quite small and suggests that as with the abelisaurids and the later tyrannosaurids reduced forelimb size is an evolutionary trait of the Carcharodontosaurinae.
The PNSO model shows the reduced forelimbs and the striking colouration chosen for the figure is reminiscent of the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Giganotosaurus model that was introduced some years previously.
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Giganotosaurus dinosaur model.
Skull material, (Meraxes gigas has one of the best-known craniums of all the Carcharodontosauridae), enabled palaeontologists to estimate the size of other Cretaceous theropods such as Acrocanthosaurus (A. atokensis) and Giganotosaurus carolinii.
The model is supplied with a transparent support base, a poster, a full-colour, 64-page booklet and a QR code on the box provides access to a video showing how the model was made.
Model Measurements
The PNSO Meraxes measures 30.2 cm in length with a head height of 10.4 cm. Although PNSO do not declare a scale for this figure, team members estimate that based on an 11-metre-long animal, the figure is in approximately 1:36 scale.
The Meraxes model measures 30.2 cm long and has a head height of 10.4 cm.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that this figure along with the recently announced new version of the PNSO Lucas the Giganotosaurus model would be in stock in the late spring.
The spokesperson added:
“It is great to see PNSO expanding their theropod dinosaur model range.”
To coincide with World Book Day (2nd March, 2023), here is Everything Dinosaur’s review of “Ancient Sea Reptiles” by Darren Naish. We have had an inspection copy of this eagerly awaited publication for a few weeks, and now that the book is officially available, we thought it an opportune moment to post up our thoughts and comments.
Ancient Sea Reptiles by Dr Darren Naish. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Ancient Sea Reptiles
Dr Naish provides a comprehensive overview of Mesozoic marine reptiles. These denizens of the deep are in safe hands as the accomplished author guides readers through their evolutionary history before going on to dedicate individual chapters to each of the main marine reptile groups.
The Dinosauria may have dominated terrestrial environments. This carefully crafted and beautifully illustrated book leaves the reader in no doubt as to the majesty and variety of reptiles that thrived in the Mesozoic seas.
A less confident writer might have struggled to provide an overview of the anatomy of this extremely diverse group of marine adapted reptiles. Sea turtles, shark-shaped reptiles, plesiosaurs, thalattosuchians and mosasaurs are all tackled with aplomb, and the evolutionary changes required to adapt to an aquatic lifestyle are reviewed in a single compendious chapter. For example, the function of the plesiosaur’s neck is explained and the likely swimming styles of various body plans is clearly elucidated through the skilful use of descriptive text.
Exquisite Photography
Photographs of important fossil discoveries are included along with detailed and informative notes. A glossary is also provided to assist readers with terminology. Some of the lesser-known Mesozoic marine reptiles such as the Triassic sauropterygians, Cretaceous sea snakes and the mesosaurs – the world’s first aquatic reptiles, have their own dedicated chapter.
The paddle bone of a leptonectid ichthyosaur.
Stunning Artwork and Life Reconstructions
“Ancient Sea Reptiles” is richly illustrated with striking specimens and life reconstructions from many highly respected palaeoartists. The author also contributes to the illustrations providing drawings and cladograms.
The author provides many of the cladograms and prehistoric animal illustrations.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur praised the book and commented:
“This is an extensively researched and most informative volume written in an easy to understand language that will please the academic and general reader alike. Ancient Sea Reptiles is highly recommended.”
To purchase Ancient Sea Reptiles by Darren Naish, visit the publisher’s website and search for either the book title or the author: Visit the Publisher’s Website.
Everything Dinosaur team members were asked by a Radio Two researcher to provide the questions for the “midnight mastermind” slot on the OJ Borg early morning radio show when the subject the presenter was being quizzed upon was dinosaurs!
We were asked to propose six questions from which the researcher would select three to test the knowledge of their colleague.
Questions About Dinosaurs
The word “dinosaur” or to be technically correct the “Dinosauria” was first coined by a British scientist in the early 1840s – who was it?
It was anatomist and biologist Richard Owen, later Sir Richard Owen, a Lancastrian who had been given the task of making sense of the giant reptile fossils that had been found and studied over the preceding couple of decades. Richard Owen named and described several dinosaurs including the first long-necked dinosaur (sauropod) and he went onto help establish what we now know as the London Natural History Museum.
What does the term dinosaur actually mean?
Dinosaur is from the ancient Greek (deinos) which means “terrible” or “fearfully great” and from (sauros) which means lizard, so you have “terrible lizards” or “fearfully great lizards”. However, dinosaurs are not closely related to lizards.
The CollectA 1:40 scale Iguanodon and Mapusaurus dinosaur models. Dinosaurs “fearfully great lizards”.
The radio presenter did really well in a previous “midnight mastermind” in which listener Neil asked questions about the film “Predator”, so we thought it would be a good idea to set him question about a dinosaur which many people believe was the ultimate predator – Tyrannosaurus rex.
Tyrannosaurus rex is perhaps the most famous dinosaur of all, in what year was T. rex formally, scientifically described?
T. rex was first scientifically described back in 1905, by the American palaeontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn. The first T. rex bone was described in 1883 and this was referred to as Monospondylus gigas (giant, thin vertebrae), thankfully scientific convention was overruled and Tyrannosaurus rex became the accepted scientific name.
The Mesozoic
The non-avian dinosaurs died out around 66 million years ago (mya) during a mass extinction event that marked the end of the Mesozoic Era.
Dinosaur fossils are found in rock formations that were laid down during three geological time periods – one of these periods is called the Jurassic – hence the movie “Jurassic Park” but what are the names of the other two geological periods associated with the dinosaurs?
The two other geological time periods associated with the dinosaurs are the Triassic (251 mya – 201 mya) and the Cretaceous (145 mya – 66 mya). The first dinosaurs evolved in the Late Triassic perhaps as early as 235 million years ago. The non-avian dinosaurs became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous 66 mya.
What was the name of the first dinosaur to be scientifically described?
Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be scientifically described. It was named in 1824 by an English clergyman and geologist William Buckland. The Reverend William Buckland went on to become Dean of Westminster Abbey. The Megalosaurus fossils that William Buckland studied can be seen today, on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Dinosaur Models and Prehistoric Animals
At our company Everything Dinosaur, we specialise in the sale of dinosaur and prehistoric animal scale models.
The world’s first life-size dinosaur models are still in existence, but where in the world would you have to travel to if you wanted to see them?
The first, life-size dinosaur sculptures in the world can be seen in Crystal Palace Park in the London Borough of Bromley. Originally commissioned as part of the Great Exhibition, the statues created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins under the guidance of Sir Richard Owen, went on public display in 1854. The statues have Grade I listed building status and the park is the world’s first dinosaur and prehistoric animal theme park, the original “Jurassic Park”.
Answers About Dinosaurs
The researcher selected the question about the first dinosaur to be scientifically described, the question about Tyrannosaurus rex and finally the question about the Crystal Palace dinosaurs.
The radio presenter scored zero out of three. Not to worry, not everyone is cut out to be a palaeontologist.
We have frogspawn in the office pond. This morning (February 28th, 2023), the first batch of frogspawn was spotted in the Everything Dinosaur office pond. The eggs had probably been laid just a few hours earlier in the very early morning. It had rained in the night and there was extensive cloud cover. The night had been chilly with temperatures around 4 degrees Celsius, what would normally be expected in our area at the end of February.
This is the first time that we have recorded frogspawn in February.
The first frogspawn has been laid in the office pond. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Frogspawn in February
We have not recorded frogspawn in the office pond being laid in February before. Last year, we recorded the first frogspawn on March 2nd, this was the earliest we had recorded spawn, until a new record for early spawning was set this year.
Over the last few years, Everything Dinosaur team members have noted the date of the first frogspawn being laid. The trend is for the frogs (Rana temporaria) to spawn earlier each year. Is this caused by the impact of global climate change?
Earliest recorded spawning dates for Common frogs in the office pond:
February 28th 2023
March 2nd 2022
March 11th 2021
March 20th 2020
March 22nd 2019
March 17th 2018
March 11th 2017
March 20th 2016
March 12th 2015
Other dates when we have recorded the first frogspawn in a year:
March 19th 2013, March 11th 2012, March 18th 2011 and the first ever frogspawn in the office pond was laid on March 16th 2008.
New Beasts of the Mesozoic models (2023) feature in the latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter. New ceratopsians and tyrannosauroid replicas to collect. The headline item in the newsletter is the feathered tyrannosauroid Yutyrannus huali in 1:18 scale.
The new for 2023 Beasts of the Mesozoic Yutyrannus huali tyrannosauroid dinosaur model is highlighted in Everything Dinosaur’s latest customer newsletter. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Beasts of the Mesozoic Models
There are seven additions to the popular Beasts of the Mesozoic models range. Four carnivorous dinosaurs and three ceratopsian figures. Part of the new “tyrannosaur” series, a replica of a juvenile T. rex and a 1:6 scale Dilong paradoxus have arrived at Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse.
The juvenile T. rex figure (left) and the 1/6th scale Dilong replica. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Jurassic and Cretaceous Dinosaur Models
Whilst six of the seven new figures represent Cretaceous dinosaurs, the Guanlong (G. wucaii) is an articulated model of an early tyrannosauroid (proceratosaurid tyrannosauroid) known from the Late Jurassic of China.
There are two new replicas of Styracosaurus for fans of horned dinosaurs to collect. Both Styracosaurus models are in 1:18 scale and called “Old Buck” as they represent a mature male.
The Late Jurassic tyrannosauroid Guanlong (left) and the Late Cretaceous ceratopsian Styracosaurus (right). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Old Buck Styracosaurus
One of the “Old Buck” Styracosaurus figures has been painted to reflect injuries it may have sustained in a fight with a tyrannosaur. None of the tyrannosauroids that have just been added to the Beasts of the Mesozoic range were coeval with Styracosaurus. Collectors will have to wait for the tyrannosaurs associated with the Campanian faunal stage such as Albertosaurus and Gorgosaurus to be introduced.
The Beasts of the Mesozoic Styracosaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Old Buck (Bloody)
The articulated Styracosaurus with the battle damage is known as “Old Buck Bloody”.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that:
“Along with the two new Styracosaurus models, a trio of articulated baby Diabloceratops models have been added to the Beasts of the Mesozoic range.”
The Old Buck – Bloody (left) and the trio of baby Diabloceratops figures (right). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Everything Dinosaur team members have been busy packing and despatching the latest Beasts of the Mesozoic fulfilment programme. New tyrannosaur and ceratopsian figures in the Beasts of the Mesozoic range have arrived at the company’s warehouse and Kickstarter orders are in the process of being sent out.
Beasts of the Mesozoic tyrannosaur and ceratopsian model fulfilment by Everything Dinosaur. Parcels awaiting movement to the despatching area. Sue poses with parcels made ready for despatch. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Beasts of the Mesozoic Fulfilment
Seven new Beasts of the Mesozoic figures have arrived. They include the two new Styracosaurus figures (Old Buck and Old Buck – Bloody), along with the baby Diabloceratops and four tyrannosauroids – Guanlong, Dilong, a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex and a Yutyrannus huali.
The Beasts of the Mesozoic Yutyrannus huali articulated dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We have been focusing on getting out the UK orders and those parcels destined for Europe. A sizeable portion of UK orders have already been sent out. Over the weekend we have been concentrating on getting out the Kickstarter orders for customers in the EU.”
Plans are in place to complete the UK fulfilment within a few days and the European orders are scheduled to be sent out by the evening of Thursday 2nd March (2023).
