The Everything Dinosaur blog has been undergoing scheduled maintenance. Visitors to the site will not notice any differences. However, as the weblog is vast, it is important to keep links and references valid. To date, team members have posted up over 6,500 articles. The blog was started in May 2007 and team members have strived to post up a new article every day since.
The Everything Dinosaur blog is being checked to ensure links are working correctly and that references to scientific papers are still valid. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The Everything Dinosaur Blog
A spokesperson confirmed that each article was being checked to ensure references were accurate. This is a vast undertaking with an estimated 200,000 lines of text to be examined. Team members began work on this a while ago. It is hoped that the current maintenance task will be completed by early 2024.
The spokesperson added:
“Our weblog has proved to be an invaluable resource for teachers, academics, collectors and dinosaur fans. We aim to keep it relevant and up to date. With thousands of articles, hundreds of images and video links too, this is an arduous task.”
Site visitors will not be inconvenienced by the scheduled maintenance. The spokesperson confirmed that the housekeeping aspect of this maintenance would be completed promptly, and that the maintenance programme should be finished by the Chinese New Year.
In the meantime, visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.
Everything Dinosaur has commissioned a CollectA Diprotodon drawing. The illustration of the largest marsupial known to science is to be used in a Diprotodon fact sheet. The fact sheet will be available from Everything Dinosaur with sales of the new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Diprotodon model.
The recently commissioned CollectA Diprotodon drawing for use in an Everything Dinosaur Diprotodon fact sheet. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
CollectA Diprotodon Drawing
The illustration will be modified, and a human figure added for scale. This drawing will then provide fact sheet readers with a visual size guide for this herbivore. The CollectA Deluxe Diprotodon is a male, and the illustration will reflect this. Males were much larger than females, perhaps reaching a length of four metres or more. The shoulder height of a fully grown male Diprotodon was around 1.8 metres.
The CollectA Diprotodon model will be available from Everything Dinosaur in 2024.
CollectA Diprotodon has a torn ear. It is likely big males fought each other for mating rates, territory and social status.
The CollectA Diprotodon figure will have a torn ear. An injury sustained most probably in a fight with another male. However, our Diprotodon illustration shows this powerful marsupial with its left ear restored.
Educating and Informing
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that fact sheets were sent out with most of the models the company supplies as these fact sheets help to inform customers about prehistoric animals and palaeontology.
The spokesperson added:
“The fact sheet will be researched and written in plenty of time for the arrival of the CollectA Deluxe Diprotodon. We expect the Diprotodon model to be available around the middle of next year.”
Team members from Everything Dinosaur spotted an unusual dinosaur themed gift. Whilst on their travels they spotted a pair of dinosaur themed wellingtons. The blue boots had been decorated with various colourful dinosaurs.
A dinosaur themed gift. Would Everything Dinosaur team members want a pair of these dinosaur wellington boots? Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Everything Dinosaur team members are always looking for unusual dinosaur themed gift ideas. The wellington boots feature stegosaurs, sauropods and theropod dinosaurs. The boots look very comfortable, however, we did not try on a pair.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Dinosaurs have great public relations. They seem to be featured on all sorts of merchandise. We were impressed with these colourful wellington boots. It is not something we would consider stocking. After all, we have around 1,000 product lines already. However, seeing the boots made our day.”
The next Everything Dinosaur YouTube review will feature the recently announced new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe 1:6 scale Velociraptor model. It is likely to be posted up on the company’s YouTube channel in a few days. The video will feature an early prototype Velociraptor figure.
Team members will review the CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor model, a figure which is due to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur by the middle of 2024.
Everything Dinosaur’s next YouTube video will feature the new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe 1:6 scale Velociraptor model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel contains dozens of CollectA model video reviews. We have plans to release a video highlighting all seven of the new for 2024 CollectA prehistoric animal figures.
The CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor is in approximate 1:6 scale. The early prototype figure we highlight in the video review is about the actual size of the production figures. It measures 32 cm long. At a scale of 1:6 a fully-grown Velociraptor would be 1.92 metres in length. At this size, it is within the parameters for Velociraptor mongoliensis proposed by most palaeontologists.
The Velociraptor genus was erected in 1924, when Velociraptor mongoliensis was formally described (Osborn). CollectA plans to introduce a new, updated Velociraptor to celebrate a hundred years since this dinosaur was named.
Researchers have erected a new ichnogenus and ichnospecies of theropod dinosaur based on fossil tracks. The dinosaur has been named Farlowichnus rapidus.
The trackways come from the Lower Cretaceous Botucatu Formation of Brazil. The sandstones preserve a variety of trackways including dinosaurs. The tracks were made when animals traversed the extensive dune fields that once existed in this ancient desert. The sandstones of Botucatu Formation originally covered a land area estimated to be at least 1,300,000 km2, an area larger than the Gobi Desert. The ancient sandstones of the Botucatu Formation represent the largest fossil desert known to science.
Farlowichnus rapidus
The three-toed prints that led to the erection of the new dinosaur ichnogenus Farlowichnus were donated to Brazil’s Museum of Earth Sciences (Museu de Ciências da Terra) in 1984. The stride pattern indicates a small biped probably less than a metre tall. This dinosaur was probably carnivorous and fleet-footed, its light body able to traverse the dunes without disturbing the sands too much. This permitted the prints to be preserved.
A new ichnogenus of fleet-footed theropod has been described from fossilised trackways preserved in sandstones located in the Paraná Basin (Brazil).
Picture credit: Cretaceous Research
Unique Characteristics
The tracks differ from other theropod ichnogenera. The footprints have a relatively large and very wide digit III and small, short, pointed, bladelike outer digits. The most significant characteristic is that digit II is longer and more robust than digit IV. As a result of this unusual morphology, the general outline of the footprint reminded the scientists of a water droplet. Although three toes are in contact with the ground (a tridactyl print), most of the weight would have been supported by the oversized digit III, making the foot essentially monodactylous.
A similar foot morphology is seen in living archosaurs today. The ostrich (Struthio camelus) walks on two toes (digits III and IV). Digit III is much more robust and supports most of the bird’s weight.
Views of the foot of an ostrich (Struthio camelus). Dorsal (left) and ventral (right). The third digit (III) is greatly enlarged, it is much larger than digit IV. Essentially the foot morphology gives this extant bird an almost monodactylous pes. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Ancestors of Noasaurs and Velocisaurs
The ichnogenus name honours the palaeontologist James O. Farlow, for his extensive work on dinosaur trace fossils. The species name “rapidus” reflects the likely habits of this small theropod. It was probably able to run fast, and it was extremely agile.
Writing in the academic journal “Cretaceous Research”, the authors of the scientific paper speculate that Farlowichnus was an ancestor of other theropod clades such as the noasaurs and velocisaurs.
The scientific paper: “Farlowichnus rapidus new ichnogen., new ichnosp.: A speedy and small theropod in the Early Cretaceous Botucatu paleodesert (Paraná Basin), Brazil” by Giuseppe Leonardi, Marcelo Adorna Fernandes, Ismar de Souza Carvalho, Julia Beatrice Schutzer and Rafael Costa da Silva published in Cretaceous Research.
As Everything Dinosaur prepares for the arrival of the new Schleich prehistoric animal figures, we have been busy preparing fact sheets. One of our jobs was to create a Moros intrepidus scale drawing. The Schleich Moros model represents the first time we have had this tyrannosauroid in our range. We commissioned an illustration based on the image sent out with the original Moros intrepidus media release. A human figure was added to provide a scale for this three-metre-long theropod.
The recently commissioned Moros intrepidus illustration has been incorporated into a scale drawing for use in the next Everything Dinosaur fact sheet to be prepared. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A Moros intrepidus Scale Drawing
For every named prehistoric animal figure that we sell, we try to research and write a fact sheet. Our fact sheets have been well received by customers. Requests are received each week as collectors try to complete their collections. Moros intrepidus was formally named and described in 2019. At around three metres long and with it standing about 1.2 metres high at the hips, it was no giant. However, it was a distantly related forerunner of the giant tyrannosaurs that were to dominate Late Cretaceous ecosystems of North America. It lived some thirty million years before Tyrannosaurus rex.
Schleich are going to introduce six new dinosaur figures in early 2024. Some of these new models will be coming into stock at Everything Dinosaur next month (December 2023). One of these figures is a replica of Moros intrepidus, hence the need to compile a fact sheet.
The new for 2024 Schleich Moros intrepidus figure.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We try to write a fact sheet for all the prehistoric animal models and figures we stock. As Moros is one of several new Schleich figures, we needed to create a Moros intrepidus scale drawing and fact sheet. We intend to send out the fact sheet with sales of the Schleich Moros model.”
For further information about the extensive range stocked by Everything Dinosaur, visit the company’s website: Everything Dinosaur.
Less than a week to go now before the start of the TetZooCon 2023 event. Once again, Everything Dinosaur are proud to be involved with this conference and as a sponsor we wish the organisers every success. This is the tenth TetZooCon, the conference is becoming an institution, a must attend event for anyone with an interest in the natural world, the Earth sciences and palaeoart.
Many of Everything Dinosaur’s chums will be attending. Unfortunately, pressures of work have once again prevented us from going, but we will be thinking of everyone next weekend.
The TetZooCon banner for 2023 which has been designed by Darren Naish, one of the conference organisers.
Picture credit: Darren Naish
TetZooCon 2023
TetZooCon 2023 will be held at Bush House, King’s College, London, on the weekend of 2nd and 3rd December 2023, with an evening reception on Friday December 1st and a fieldtrip on Monday 4th December. For the first time ever, the TetZooCon will consist of parallel sessions throughout.
Several of the sessions are dedicated to marine reptile research. Attendees will get the chance to meet “Flip” the world’s most scientifically accurate swimming plesiosaur. Dr Dean Lomax will be delivering a presentation covering the latest research into the “Rutland Sea Dragon”. Not to be outdone, Emily Swaby will be discussing Yorkshire’s very own giant marine reptile – Temnodontosaurus crassimanus.
Dr Dean Lomax working on the skull of the Rutland ichthyosaur, the largest and most complete ichthyosaur fossil ever found in the UK. Picture credit: Matthew Power.
Palaeoart in Perspective
The very talented Luis Rey will lead a panel discussion on the Past and Future of Palaeoart. Co-host Darren Naish will provide an insight into the television series “Prehistoric Planet” and expect living archosaurs such as corvids and cassowaries to enter the debate.
On Sunday (December 3rd), Nigel Marven will look back on his adventures filming dinosaurs and other reptiles. In addition, during Sunday lunch time there will be a special screening of the film “The Lost World” from 1925.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We wish we could attend next weekend. Bush House at King’s College, London is going to be buzzing. Our congratulations to Darren Naish and John Conway for all their hard work organising such an exciting event.”
Today, Everything Dinosaur in collaboration with CollectA makes the fourth and final announcement about new CollectA models for 2024. We can introduce three new CollectA figures namely:
Age of Dinosaurs Popular Nanuqsaurus – Stalking.
CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Diprotodon.
CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Placerias.
All three of these new prehistoric animal models will be available from Everything Dinosaur in the middle of 2024 or thereabouts.
The Age of Dinosaurs Popular Nanuqsaurus – stalking figure.
The CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Diprotodon model.The male Diprotodon has an injury on its cheek. It is likely that these large mammals fought rivals. The CollectA Deluxe model sports a bite from another male Diprotodon.
The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Placerias model.
New CollectA Models for 2024
The last of the figures to be announced this year, include a polar dinosaur, the biggest marsupial that ever lived and a Late Triassic dicynodont. In total, there will be seven new CollectA prehistoric animals plus the mini sauropod set.
CollectA Nanuqsaurus – stalking
The Age of Dinosaurs Popular figure reflects the very latest scientific interpretation of Nanuqsaurus (N. hoglundi). Fossils of this tyrannosaur come from the Prince Creek Formation in northern Alaska. When first described in 2014 (Fiorillo and Tykoski), this dinosaur was thought to be relatively small, perhaps around six metres in length. Subsequent discoveries including cranial and postcranial material has led to a reassessment of this theropod. A scientific paper published in August (2023) postulated that Nanuqsaurus was comparable in size to other Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurs such as Daspletosaurus.
Nanuqsaurus was probably a permanent resident of the polar north. At around nine metres long (possibly bigger), it was the apex predator in the environment.
The CollectA figure has been given a robust and powerful body. It is covered in a coat of shaggy feathers. The tail has a plume on its end. Whilst speculative (as is the entire integumentary covering), the plume could have played a role in visual communication, or perhaps this dinosaur wrapped its tail around its body to help keep it warm. This posture has been observed in other theropod dinosaurs. Nanuqsaurus would have had to endure around four months each year of almost total darkness. The paint scheme chosen would have provided excellent camouflage as this predator roamed the polar forests.
Diprotodon was the first fossil mammal from Australia to be scientifically described (1838). The CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Diprotodon represents a male. This huge animal stood around 1.8 metres high at the shoulder, measured approximately 4 metres in length and weighed over 3 tonnes.
The CollectA Diprotodon has an old scar from an attack by a marsupial lion (Thylacoleo). When fully grown, a healthy male Diprotodon would have been virtually invulnerable.
The CollectA Diprotodon model has an old scar from a marsupial lion on its rump.
Related to living wombats, this gentle giant lived during the Pleistocene, becoming extinct less than 50,000 years ago. Climate change leading to extensive droughts may have been a factor, but hunting and habitat destruction by the first Aboriginal Australians cannot be ruled out. It is likely that Diprotodon males fought with each other over social status and mates, hence the fresh bite mark on the cheek and the torn ear which signifies an older injury.
The stripes on the rump are a nod in the direction of the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger). Advances in genetic engineering could lead to the de-extinction of the Thylacine and its reintroduction to Australia. CollectA have made a model of an extinct marsupial, and its colour scheme partly reflects the tantalising prospect of the resurrection of another iconic Australian animal.
CollectA Diprotodon has a torn ear. It is likely big males fought each other for mating rites, territory and social status.
CollectA Deluxe 1:20 Scale Placerias
The last figure for 2024 is a Deluxe Placerias. Placerias was a dicynodont and therefore distantly related to modern mammals. Fossils of this Late Triassic herbivore come from the USA, most notably from a single location in Arizona known as the “Placerias Quarry”. The remains of at least forty individuals have been found, suggesting that this herbivore lived in herds.
The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Placerias model.
The CollectA Deluxe Placerias joins the CollectA Lisowicia bojani model that was introduced in 2020. It is likely that Placerias spent much of its time wallowing in shallow water and feeding on bankside vegetation, filling an ecological niche similar to the extant hippopotamus.
Although associated with an equatorial environment, the CollectA Deluxe Placerias has been given a subtle coat of body hair.
The CollectA Deluxe Placerias has a sparse covering of body hair running down its back. This reflects recent research on dicynodonts.
Hair remnants found in the fossilised faeces (coprolites) of Permian carnivores indicate that dicynodonts may have been covered in a coat of insulating body hair and therefore endothermic (warm-blooded), with a metabolism similar to a modern mammal. In recognition of this recent discovery and to reflect its mammalian links, the CollectA Deluxe Placerias has been given a sparse patch of bristles running along its back to the chubby tail.
Model Measurements
Here are those all-important model measurements:
Age of Dinosaurs Popular Nanuqsaurus – stalking (length 15.7 cm, height 4.5 cm).
CollectA Deluxe 1:20 Diprotodon (length 20.5 cm). We estimate the height at the shoulder to be around 12.5 cm).
CollectA Deluxe 1:20 Placerias (length 15.7 cm, height 8 cm).
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that these figures will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur by the middle of 2024.
The new Rebor GNG alligator models are in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Both figures are available, the “Downpour” and the “Basking” colour schemes. The pair of alligator figures are the latest editions to the Rebor GrabNGo range.
Each Rebor GNG figure measures 62 cm long. The figures are approximately 10.5 cm high and around 10 cm wide across the back.
Rebor GNG Alligator Models
Both figures are the same sculpt, just the colouration depicted by the subtle painting schemes is different. Each figure is supplied in two parts. Some assembly is required, the tail has to be fitted into the body. When assembled the alligator figure measures approximately 62 cm long. The highest point of the back is around 10.5 cm off the ground. Across the torso, the impressive alligator model is about 10 cm wide.
The new Rebor GrabNGo alligators require some assembly. The tail and body sections have to be heated to permit insertion. The stiff plastic of the models does represent a challenge, we recommend an adult takes responsibility for inserting the tail. The model in the photograph is the “Basking” colour variant. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
When inserting or removing the tail, we recommend an adult takes responsibility for this.
To view the range of Rebor models and figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Figures and Models.
The Rebor GrabNGo alligator fossils come with assembly and disassembly instructions. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Rebor Models and Figures
Rebor has extended its range to include extant reptiles as well as prehistoric animals. The two alligator figures join the recently introduced “Lonesome George” giant tortoise.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The two new alligator models are extremely detailed. It is recommended that the tail piece is gently heated before inserting it into the body piece. Hot water can be used to heat up the joints. However, we urge caution as the figure is hollow and if hot water is used, it would be necessary to drain any excess water before attempting to secure the tail.”
The Rebor GNG07 alligator figure in the Downpour colouration.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur spotted a cute Sinosauropteryx reconstruction on display at the Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt. We visited the museum back in 2017, providing a break from the Frankfurter Buchmesse that we had been attending. The little, life-sized dinosaur was part of an exhibit outlining the origin of birds. A model such as this, helps visitors to interpret fossil information.
A Sinosauropteryx reconstruction on display at the Frankfurt Natural History Museum. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Sinosauropteryx Reconstruction
Sinosauropteryx has been classified as a member of the Compsognathidae family of theropod dinosaurs. At the time of its scientific description (1996, Ji and Ji), it was classified as a primitive bird. Subsequent revision, placing Sinosauropteryx within the Compsognathidae confirmed that this dinosaur was not closely related to birds. However, it does represent the first dinosaur taxon outside of the Avialae clade to show definitive evidence for feathers.
Sinosauropteryx on display – the first feathered dinosaur described. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
PNSO of China did produce a range of smaller prehistoric animal figures including several feathered models. These figures were beautifully painted and highlighted many feathered dinosaurs and primitive birds.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We come across lots of life reconstructions on display in museum cabinets. Whilst this Sinosauropteryx is perhaps, a little outdated, it still provides visitors with information about this small dinosaur. It is quite an endearing model of a tiny theropod. By having a model in the display this helps visitors to better interpret the fossils within the exhibit”
