All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
About Mike
Mike runs Everything Dinosaur, a UK-based mail order company specialising in the sale of dinosaur and prehistoric animal models, He works alongside Sue, and between them they have become the "go to guys" for museum quality prehistoric animal models and figures. An avid fossil collector and reader of dinosaur books, Mike researchers and writes articles about palaeontology, fossil discoveries, research and of course, dinosaur and prehistoric animal models.
Hot weather can increase the risk of landslides and rockfalls, visitors to the seaside trying to avoid the extreme heat are advised to stay away from the cliffs.
For many parts of England, Monday and Tuesday (18th and 19th of July 2022), red extreme heat warnings have been issued. Such alerts have never been issued for the UK before. Temperatures could reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), although this system of alerts was only introduced last year (2021). The risk of a landslide can increase in hot weather, visitors to the beach should take care to avoid areas where there are cliffs.
A significant rock fall at Stonebarrow Hill (Dorset).Extreme heat can cause cliffs to become unstable and collapse. Visitors to the seaside in search of relief from the hot weather are advised to avoid cliffs due to the increased risk of landslides and rock falls. Picture credit: Brandon Lennon.
Rock Fall and Landslide Risk
In very hot weather, the risk of landslides and rock falls increases. The heating up and then cooling of rocks can increase the instability of the rock face and this can lead to a collapse. The risk of landslides after heavy rain has been widely documented. Saturated, unstable ground can collapse, however, extreme daytime temperatures can also increase the risk of landslides and rock falls.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We do advise visitors to places such as the “Jurassic Coast” and the north coast of Yorkshire to heed the warnings about unstable cliffs. The very hot weather is likely to lead to packed beaches and we urge everyone to stay away from dangerous areas.”
Landslides are common around some parts of the British coastline. Tragically, some incidents cause fatalities. In 2012, a woman was killed when she was caught in a massive landslide at Bridport (Dorset).
We urge seaside visitors to follow local advice and to avoid straying too close to the cliffs and the cliff edge when walking above the beach area.
The new for 2022 Papo Protoceratops dinosaur model is in stock at Everything Dinosaur. This long-awaited replica of “first horned face”, the first of the new for 2022 prehistoric animal models from Papo is now available.
The Papo Protoceratops in left lateral view. This model of an early horned dinosaur has an articulated lower jaw.
Papo Protoceratops Dinosaur Model
The Papo Protoceratops dinosaur model is around sixteen centimetres long. The model stands about eight centimetres high when measured from the top of that impressive head shield. Everything Dinosaur announced that this figure would be produced and made available this year (2022), back in the late autumn of 2021.
Papo Protoceratops in anterior view. A close-up view of the impressive head shield of the Protoceratops. There are two eyespots painted on the headshield.
Papo Protoceratops with an Articulated Jaw
The Papo Protoceratops has been provided with a prominent beak for cropping tough vegetation and the model has an articulated lower jaw. The inside of the mouth has been well painted, and the Papo design team have provided the Protoceratops with rows of small white teeth in both the upper and lower jaw.
A close-up view of the head of the Papo Protoceratops dinosaur model. The figure has been given a prominent beak and, in the mouth, the Papo design team have added some teeth to their model.
Papo Protoceratops model in lateral view. In this image the mouth is open and some of the small, white teeth can be seen.
The Protoceratops Genus
The Protoceratops genus was erected in 1923 when the first species (P. andrewsi), was formally named and described (Granger and Gregory). The first fossils of this dinosaur were collected during the famous American Museum of Natural History expedition to the Gobi Desert. Protoceratops andrewsi is associated with the Mongolian Djadokhta Formation (Upper Cretaceous), a second species, the slightly larger Protoceratops hellenikorhinus was named and described in 2001 (Lambert et al). Fossils of P. hellenikorhinus are associated with the Bayan Mandahu Formation of Inner Mongolia (China).
Both the Djadokhta Formation and the potentially contemporaneous Bayan Mandahu Formation represent arid, desert-like palaeoenvironments.
Papo Protoceratops dinosaur model. This dinosaur model is one of three new Papo prehistoric animal models expected in stock in 2022.
Three Papo Prehistoric Animal Models Expected in 2022
The Papo Protoceratops dinosaur model is one of three Papo prehistoric animal models expected in 2022. A new colour variant of the Styracosaurus is expected in stock and, towards the end of the year (quarter 4), Papo are expected to introduce a model of a Mosasaurus.
The new for 2022 Papo Protoceratops dinosaur model in posterior view.
Our thanks to dinosaur fan and model collector William who sent into Everything Dinosaur his detailed review of the recently introduced PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur model.
William starts his review by discussing the head sculpt. He states that the head is “a thing of pure magic, a true Acrocanthosaurus”. When compared to known skull material the life reconstruction from PNSO is praised.
The reviewer goes on to add:
“Thank you both ZHAO Chuang and YANG Yang from us, we are all humbled.”
PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus has an articulated lower jaw.
No Hint of Shrink Wrapping
The superb skin texturing associated with the head sculpt is mentioned and the reviewer states that the figure shows no signs of shrink wrapping. He comments that the orbits, external ears and the lacrimal crests are perhaps the best around. The model has a fully articulated lower jaw, no lips and the jaw opens smoothly revealing lots of fine detail in the mouth.
William also highlights the placement of the eyes, giving stereoscopic vision.
The Main Body Sculpt
In William’s opinion PNSO have created the most detailed and scientifically accurate Acrocanthosaurus made to date. The cloaca is in the correct position and the neural spines, running from the base of the neck to the pelvic region are praised.
“When viewed from above you can see what makes this figure very rare and special. His massive musculature begins just behind the shoulders and travels down towards the tail. Within the folds of the model’s skin the ribs can be observed and touched these are the anchor points to which the muscles are attached.”
The PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur model.
The forelimbs are described as providing a realistic likeness to the living dinosaur. William also comments upon the hind legs stating that they look robust and powerful, not made for speed but being ideal to help this large carnivore overpower sauropods.
He explains that the tail might look a little shorter when compared to previous examples of the Carcharodontosauridae, but it only seems short due to the presence of the neural spines.
Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus model new from PNSO for 2022.
Similar to a Burmese Python
The reviewer suggests that the model’s colouration is similar to that of a Burmese python. He states that the colour scheme chosen is an inspired choice for an apex predator. The base colour of light ochre contrasts with the darker wash and the Burmese python markings.
William comments that the pink maw of the mouth has a real natural feel and look about it, with the white teeth blending into brown/white at the roots.
He adds:
“The lacrimal crest has a subtle red applied which is very pleasing to one’s eye.”
PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus in anterior view.
The Size of the PNSO Acrocanthosaurus Model
William suggests that the figure has a scale of 1:37 and provides model measurements:
The PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus model is supplied with a number of accessories.
Clear plastic support stand.
Beautiful, illustrated 64-page booklet.
Stunning A3 colour poster.
QR code to watch a short design video.
The model is supplied with a clear plastic support stand, a 64-page full colour booklet and colour poster. A QR code on the packaging links to a short video that explains how the figure was made.
Acrocanthosaurus Fossils
As is customary with William’s model reviews he concludes by providing information about this Early Cretaceous dinosaur and details of fossil discoveries.
He states that Acrocanthosaurus fossils have been found in four U.S. states (Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming and Arizona).
As hypercarnivores the Carcharodontosauridae were the ultimate big game hunters, feasting on sauropods. William suggests that these predators were probably pack hunters.
In the information supplied to Everything Dinosaur, William explained how “high spine lizard” was discovered and named and recounted the tale of the discovery of the specimen nicknamed “Fran”.
Whilst the evolution of such high neural spines in members of the Theropoda remains uncertain, William postulates that the spines could have supported a hump or perhaps played a role in visual displays or regulating body temperature.
Theropod and Sauropod Tracks from the Glen Rose Formation
The reviewer also commented upon the famous theropod and sauropod tracks, in what is now known as the Dinosaur Valley State Park (Texas). The tracks may represent a theropod dinosaur stalking a sauropod. These tracks have been attributed to dinosaurs similar to Acrocanthosaurus and Sauroposeidon respectively.
Famous dinosaur tracks – theropod and sauropod tracks. Picture credit: John Sibbick with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur.
William closes his review by stating that the PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus figure is:
“PNSO’s greatest theropod”.
Our thanks to William for providing Everything Dinosaur with such a detailed model review.
To view the PNSO Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus and the rest of the PNSO models and figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Figures.
The new for 2022 CollectA prehistoric animal models are now in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Team members have been busy contacting all those customers that requested that they be informed when the CollectA prehistoric animal model delivery arrived.
The new for 2022 CollectA prehistoric animals have arrived at Everything Dinosaur. Team members have been busy contacting all those customers who requested an email alert. There are seven figures in the photograph, can you name them all?
New Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, a Prehistoric Mammal, a Nautiloid and ?
The new figures include dinosaurs, two pterosaurs (the 1:15 scale P. longiceps figure having been held over from 2021), a stunning nautiloid and an updated Paraceratherium replica. In addition, a model of the enigmatic Late Triassic predator Smok (S. wawelski) is also in stock. This Polish carnivore is classified as an archosaur, but its exact taxonomic placement remains ambiguous.
The new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe Smok wawelski replica reflects the view that this large Late Triassic predator was not a theropod dinosaur. Classified as a member of the Archosauria, its exact taxonomy remains unknown. Fossil bones reveal anatomical characteristics associated with the Dinosauria (Theropoda), but also show traits that indicate an affinity to the Pseudosuchia – the crocodile lineage of archosaurs. To further confuse the taxonomy of this carnivore, analysis of the fossil bones also identified features associated with very primitive archosaurs.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We have been looking forward to getting these new CollectA prehistoric animal figures into our warehouse. The shipment contained over a hundred different types of models including fresh stock of the award-winning Doedicurus and the 1:15 scale Pteranodon longiceps figure that we were unable to bring into the UK last year. We know that many collectors have been patiently waiting for these figures, now their wait is over.”
The front of the CollectA Prehistoric Life Deluxe Pteranodon longiceps model. This figure is now in stock at Everything Dinosaur.
The fossils of an ancient amphibian found on the Isle of Skye (Scotland), are helping scientists to better understand the evolutionary development of salamanders. Writing in the academic journal “The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” (PNAS), the researchers suggest that the fossils represent the oldest salamander fossil found to date in Europe.
A Scottish Stem Salamander
A skeletal reconstruction of the stem salamander Marmorerpeton wakei (dorsal view). Picture credit: Jones et al.
Marmorerpeton wakei
The stem Salamander genus Marmorerpeton was named and described in 1988, but detailed analysis of the Isle of Skye fossil material, including CT scans demonstrated that this was a new species, which has been named Marmorerpeton wakei. The species name honours the late Professor David Wake, who was a world-renowned authority on early salamander evolution.
Lead author of the study, Dr Marc Jones (University College London, Cell and Developmental Biology), commented:
“The fossil is definitely a salamander but unlike anything alive today. It highlights the importance of the fossil record for preserving combinations of anatomical features that do not exist in any living animal.”
The anatomical features of the new Scottish fossils of Marmorerpeton wakei were only revealed thanks to the detailed CT scans and subsequent computer-generated models. This scanning technology provides a powerful and non-destructive tool for revealing fine details on fossil bones. One specimen, collected in 2016, was found to be part of a specimen collected in 1971 but left undescribed until now.
A three-dimensional image showing the skull bones of Marmorerpeton wakei. Following detailed CT scans of the fossil material a computer programme was used to interpret the data and reconstruct the skull. Picture credit: Jones et al.
Middle Jurassic Salamander
The fossils are thought to be around 166 million years old (Middle Jurassic) and although the Marmorerpeton genus was first described over 30 years ago, the material analysed in this new paper has permitted the researchers to build up a more complete picture of this 20-centimetre-long amphibian.
Marmorerpeton wakei had a wide but shallow frog-like head with powerful jaws and distinctive, prominent, bony projections behind its eyes. The skull roof bones show that it was ornamented like that of a crocodile or a temnospondyl, distinguishing it from extant salamanders. The limb bones and deep tail of Marmorerpeton wakei suggest this animal was aquatic, perhaps using its wide jaws to catch prey by suction feeding, similar to the lifestyle seen in the modern Hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) of North America.
The bony bumps behind the orbit are unusual and Dr Jones commented:
“The big bony projections behind the eye were a bit unexpected but smaller projections do exist in fossil salamanders from slightly younger rocks. Their purpose remains unknown.”
The early evolution of salamanders is poorly understood, their small and delicate bones are rarely preserved as fossils. This research also included a detailed survey of modern salamander anatomy which informed the subsequent analyses.
The Karaurus Genus
Several previous studies of Mesozoic salamanders have relied on fossils from the Late Jurassic, found in Kazakhstan, assigned to the genus Karaurus. As the Marmorerpeton fossils are older, they help to provide an improved understanding of how early salamanders evolved.
Even the fine gills have been preserved, a delicate salamander fossil from China. Picture credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences/Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology.
Senior-author Professor Susan Evans (University College London Cell and Developmental Biology), who first described Marmorerpeton in 1988 explained:
“The origin and early history of modern amphibian groups remains mysterious and new fossils like this one are key to developing a better understanding of amphibian evolution. In theory, the Skye salamander should give us a clue as to what the ancestors of modern salamanders looked like. However, it could be that they are a highly specialised off-shoot.”
The scientific paper: “Middle Jurassic fossils document an early stage in salamander evolution” by Marc E. H. Jones, Roger B. J. Benson, Pavel Skutschas, Lucy Hill, Elsa Panciroli, Armin D. Schmitt, Stig A. Walsh and Susan E. Evans published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
New PNSO models, the Torosaurus pair, Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus and Xinchuan the Sinraptor all feature in the latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter. In addition, fresh stocks of the PNSO Olorotitan, Tsintaosaurus and Harvey the Iguanodon have arrived, and these ornithischians also feature in the latest customer newsletter.
The Torosaurus adult and juvenile pair (Aubrey and Dabei) are featured in Everything Dinosaur’s latest customer newsletter.
Torosaurus Pair and a Pair of Theropod Dinosaurs
The new for 2022 Torosaurus adult and juvenile (Aubrey and Dabei) have arrived in stock. A pair of Torosaurus dinosaur models in 1:35 scale complete with posters and a full-colour information booklet.
Two new PNSO theropods also feature, namely Xinchuan the Sinraptor and the eagerly awaited Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur model.
Two theropod dinosaurs, the PNSO Xinchuan the Sinraptor and Fergus the Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur models feature in Everything Dinosaur’s latest customer newsletter.
PNSO Dinosaurs
Not to be outdone, there are some plant-eating dinosaurs too showcased amongst the theropod duo. The Everything Dinosaur newsletter also features the 1:35 scale PNSO Xiaoqin the Tsintaosaurus which comes complete with full-colour booklet and posters. The newsletter also highlights Harvey the Iguanodon, another splendid plant-eating dinosaur model in 1/35th scale.
The stunning PNSO Xiaoqin the Tsintaosaurus and the amazing PNSO Harvey the Iguanodon are back in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Both these members of the Ornithischia feature in Everything Dinosaur’s latest customer newsletter.
Olorotitan and Celebrating Everything Dinosaur’s Blog
The latest issue of the newsletter also features the return into stock of the greatly admired PNSO Ivan the Olorotitan model. This plant-eating dinosaur figure was introduced in late 2021, it has been a top-seller ever since. The PNSO Ivan the Olorotitan is a beautifully detailed scale model.
The PNSO Ivan the Olorotitan is back in stock, and we celebrate posting up our 6,000th blog article.
The newsletter also included a short section on Everything Dinosaur’s free to access blog. The company recently celebrated posting up their 6,000th blog post. For the last fifteen years a new post has been uploaded every day! The Everything Dinosaur blog contains news about dinosaurs, the latest research, articles about model collecting, updates on fossil finds and lots and lots of helpful information and dinosaur facts.
The Everything Dinosaur newsletter is sent out periodically to subscribers, it contains updates on new products, competitions, exclusive information and support.
On July 7th (2022), a new scientific paper providing a review of the Early Cretaceous Eotyrannus lengi was published. Everything Dinosaur helped to fund the publication of this research. The authors, Dr Darren Naish (School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton) and Andrea Cau (Parma, Italy) concluded that E. lengi was a valid tyrannosauroid taxon from the Barremian Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight.
In order to make a new study into the dinosaur Eotyrannus open access, so that everyone could view this research, the authors set up a GoFundMe campaign. Everything Dinosaur helped to fund this study. We are happy to support this excellent paper and we are helping to make such studies possible. Your purchases from Everything Dinosaur genuinely help science.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur were happy to assist with funding a newly published paper on the early tyrannosauroid Eotyrannus lengi.
The publication costs of this manuscript were supported by a successful gofundme campaign (July 2018). The fund target was reached in less than 24-hours and Everything Dinosaur was happy to make a substantial contribution to ensure that this research could be published allowing free access.
Our congratulations to all the other funders, who helped make this possible.
We hope to produce an article on this excellent scientific paper in the very near future, after all, it sheds light on an amazing dinosaur dominated ecosystem. The researchers conclude that Eotyrannus was a mid-size predator with much larger megalosauroid or allosauroid apex predators present. There were certainly many different types of theropod in the environment including carcharodontosaurian allosauroids, baryonychine spinosaurids as well as probable compsognathids and members of the Maniraptora.
Two new species of spinosaurids described from the Isle of Wight Ceratosuchops inferodios (foreground) challenges a Riparovenator milnerae (background) over the carcase of an iguanodont. Picture credit: Anthony Hutchings
The scientific paper: “The osteology and affinities of Eotyrannus lengi, a tyrannosauroid theropod from the Wealden Supergroup of southern England” by Darren Naish and Andrea Cau published in PeerJ.
PNSO have announced that their next dinosaur model will be a sauropod. The PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in just a few weeks.
Chuanchuan the Lingwulong. This exciting new for 2022 dinosaur model is a replica of a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of China.
PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong
Named and described in 2018 (Xu et al), from numerous fossils representing several individuals collected from Yanan Formation deposits in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China, Lingwulong (L. shenqi), is the earliest known diplodocoid sauropod. Its discovery suggests that the Sauropoda dispersed and diversified much earlier than palaeontologists had previously thought. Lingwulong demonstrates that diplodocoids were present in eastern Asia and it is wonderful to see PNSO adding a model of such a significant Chinese dinosaur to their model range.
The PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong model measures around 47.5 cm in length and has a head height of 13.5 cm. PNSO have not declared a scale for this dinosaur model, but this dinosaur is thought to have reached lengths in excess of 17 metres, perhaps as much as 20 metres. Based on these measurements, team members at Everything Dinosaur propose a scale of around 1:36 to 1:42.
The PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong model measurements.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We have known about Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model for some time. It is already on the water and heading into the UK on our next shipment of PNSO models and figures. We are looking forward to receiving this sauropod figure, one of the largest models that PNSO have made for some time.”
PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong in lateral view. This sauropod model is one of the largest figures that PNSO intend to produce this year (2022).
Posters and Full-colour Booklet
Continuing the trend to add value to the figures that the company produces, Chuanchuan the Lingwulong will be supplied with a sci-art poster inspired by the work of the famous Chinese artist Zhao Chuang and a 64-page, full-colour booklet. A QR code, which once scanned, provides access to a short video that explains how the figure was created.
Posters and booklet for the PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model.
The PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model is expected in stock at Everything Dinosaur in a few weeks. To view the current range of PNSO dinosaur and prehistoric animal models in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models and Figures.
A reviewer of dinosaur models praises Everything Dinosaur for their customer service and quality of products.
As part of two recent PNSO dinosaur reviews sent into Everything Dinosaur by model collector William. The reviewer praised Everything Dinosaur commenting that without Everything Dinosaur there would not be great model collections.
Everything Dinosaur is a Trusted Service Awards winner! A model reviewer praises the award-winning Everything Dinosaur.
Dinosaur Fan Praises Everything Dinosaur
William emailed Everything Dinosaur and commented that for the legion of palaeo-figure collectors Everything Dinosaur is truly valued for all it does for model collectors and dinosaur fans especially during a challenging global pandemic.
He wrote:
“From searching the leading brands to all the tireless efforts to get the stock from suppliers to your warehouse to the front doors of customers. They offer a very good range for children as well as catering for the adult collector.”
Everything Dinosaur’s certificate confirming the Platinum Trusted Service Award.The company is praised by a model collector and dinosaur fan.
Everything Dinosaur on YouTube, Blogs and Social Media Platforms
William added that he appreciated the time and effort that team members put in to making YouTube videos, as well as blogging about the latest dinosaur discoveries and new fossil finds.
When commenting on the delivery of orders, he added:
“The level and quality of packaging and the dedication to deliveries byyour company is what the big guys of the web and the high street should be aspiring to. Parcels are well protected, strong and secure with clear address labelling and the models are protected with plenty of bubble wrap.”
A Great Range of Delivery Options
The customer commented that Everything Dinosaur offers a great range of delivery options all of them are fairly priced, with many parcels being delivered within 24-hours.
Our work in helping to educate the next generation of palaeontologists was also praised and William commented: “Who knows, one day we could see a new Mikeceratops or a Sueposeidonsaurus all due to your primary school visits.”
Our thanks to William for his most generous and kind words.
A new giant, Late Cretaceous predatory dinosaur has been named based on fossils found in Argentina. The dinosaur, assigned to the Carcharodontosauridae has been named Meraxes gigas and its fossilised remains represent the most complete carcharodontosaurid specimen found to date in the Southern Hemisphere.
The giant, South American predatory dinosaur Giganotosaurus which featured in the latest instalment of the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” movie franchise is just one of a poorly known group of theropod dinosaurs that were the apex predators in many terrestrial environments during the Cretaceous. Although, most dinosaur fans can name many carcharodontosaurids, these meat-eaters remain enigmatic and most genera have been described based on fragmentary remains. All that has changed with the publication of a scientific paper describing Meraxes gigas from the Upper Cretaceous Huincul Formation of northern Patagonia (Argentina).
A life reconstruction of the giant carcharodontosaurid from Patagonia Meraxes gigas. Picture credit: Carlos Papolio.
A Giant Predator with Short Arms
Writing in the scientific journal “Current Biology” the researchers who include Juan Canale (Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Argentina), suggest that M. gigas was around eleven metres long and weighed around four tonnes (estimated 4.26 tonnes). The skull bones, which represent one of the most complete large theropod skulls ever found, indicate a skull length of 1.27 metres, but its arms were disproportionately small. Like other Cretaceous apex predators, the tyrannosaurs and the abelisaurids, this dinosaur had very short arms. Arms so short that they could not reach its own mouth.
Lead author Juan Canale commented:
“I’m convinced that those proportionally tiny arms had some sort of function. The skeleton shows large muscle insertions and fully developed pectoral girdles, so the arm had strong muscles. They may have used the arms for reproductive behaviour such as holding the female during mating or support themselves to stand back up after a break or a fall.”
Meraxes gigas MMCh-PV 65 and skeleton reconstruction. The white materials represent known bones. Meraxes is the most complete carcharodontosaurid yet from the Southern Hemisphere. Picture credit: Canale et al.
The fossils found in Huincul Formation exposures (late Cenomanian to Turonian) in Las Campanas Canyon some 14 miles southwest of Villa El Chocón, (Neuquén Province, Argentina), also include an almost complete right arm (j, in the image above). This limb, one of the most complete of any derived carcharodontosaurid described to date, is comparatively short and provides evidence to support the idea that many carcharodontosaurids had reduced forelimbs similar to those observed in abelisaurids such as Carnotaurus and most famously in Tyrannosaurus rex.
The researchers propose that forelimb reduction among three lineages of large-bodied predators is an example of convergent evolution, whereby not closely related organisms evolve the same traits. The fossils of Meraxes gigas show a remarkable degree of parallelism between latest-diverging tyrannosaurids and carcharodontosaurids.
Articulated right arm in medial view (I to III, hand digits first to third) top right and left foot in medial view (I to IV, pedal digits first to fourth) bottom Scale bars = 10 cm. Picture credit: Canale et al.
Helping to Define the Size of Giganotosaurus (G. carolinii)
Meraxes has the most complete cranium of any Carcharodontosaurinae, with a total skull length estimated at 1.27 metres which is comparable to the most complete specimen of Acrocanthosaurus (A. atokensis) with a skull size of 1.23 metres. Giganotosaurus has the next most complete skull among carcharodontosaurids, but it is missing part of the maxilla and several other bones, so estimating its total length has been problematical. Although the head of Meraxes was not as wide as the head of Giganotosaurus, the cranium of Meraxes is sufficiently similar to G. carolinii to permit an estimate for the length of the Giganotosaurus skull to be made. Based on this comparison, the skull of the largest Giganotosaurus specimen would have been around 1.62 metres long, making it one of the longest theropod skulls known to science.
Cladogram depicting the temporal and geographical distribution of the Carcharodontosauridae family of theropod dinosaurs. At the time of their extinction these meat-eating dinosaurs seem to have been at their peak diversity. Picture credit: Canale et al.
The discovery of yet another super-sized carcharodontosaurid from Argentina demonstrates the high diversity of these theropods shortly before their extinction. Parallels can be drawn between the diversity of South American carcharodontosaurids and tyrannosaurs known from the Campanian faunal stage in western North America.
There are no reliable records of carcharodontosaurids in South America beyond the end of the Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous, this great clade of theropods are believed to have become extinct around 90 million years ago.
The genus name (Meraxes) is named after a female dragon from the Song of Ice and Fire series of books by George R. R. Martin, upon which the hugely successful television series “Game of Thrones” was based. The species name (gigas) comes from the Greek meaning giant.
The scientific paper: “New giant carnivorous dinosaur reveals convergent evolutionary trends in theropod arm reduction” by Juan I. Canale, Sebastián Apesteguía, Pablo A. Gallina, Jonathan Mitchell, Nathan D. Smith, Thomas M. Cullen, Akiko Shinya, Alejandro Haluza, Federico A. Gianechini and Peter J. Makovicky published in Current Biology.
