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.
The new for 2024 Schleich Moros intrepidus model is in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Schleich have given their Moros figure two digits on each hand, do you think this is correct? The manus of this tyrannosauroid is unknown. No fossils of hand bones or fingers have been found, as far as we at Everything Dinosaur are aware. Did this distant relative of Tyrannosaurus rex have two fingers on each hand?
We will post up a brief video on our social media pages asking this question shortly.
Did Moros intrepidus have two digits on each hand or three? What do you think? Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Moros intrepidus – Two Digits on the Hand or Three?
This small tyrannosauroid lived around thirty million years before T. rex evolved. When it was described (Zanno et al, 2019), the illustration that accompanied the media notes showed this dinosaur with two digits per hand.
Moros intrepidus from the Late Cretaceous of central Utah.
Earlier tyrannosauroids had three digits on each hand. So, the question is how many digits on each hand did Moros have? In Everything Dinosaur’s short video, we ask our fans, followers and customers for their views.
The new for 2024 Schleich Moros intrepidus figure.
To view the range of Schleich dinosaur and prehistoric animal figures available from Everything Dinosaur: Schleich Prehistoric Animal Models.
Knowledgeable Customers
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that their customers were very knowledgeable and well-informed. The spokesperson added:
“Our customers and social media followers know a lot about prehistoric animals. We look forward to receiving their views and comments about the digits of Moros intrepidus.”
As the festive season approaches, Everything Dinosaur has put in place plans to ensure orders are packed and despatched swiftly. At this time of year, we are working harder than ever supporting customers. Arrangements have been made for early collections to ensure parcels are sent out as quickly as possible.
Team members have been liaising with couriers and Royal Mail to ensure that orders for Christmas are sent out without delay.
Everything Dinosaur team members have taken steps to help minimise disruption for customers at this busy time of year. Weekend working has been implemented to ensure parcels are despatched without delay. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Supporting Customers
Team members are doing all they can to support customers. The last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2023 for UK customers are rapidly approaching.
For second class post Monday 18th December.
For first class post Wednesday 20th December.
Please remember the dates listed above are guidelines only and they are the last recommended posting dates, as always, the best advice we can give is to post early for Christmas, in this way you are helping to ensure that parcels get there in plenty of time for the festivities.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur explained that at this time of year, shopping for gifts can be stressful. Team members were doing all they could to pack and despatch orders. Parcel deliveries were being monitored as much as possible. Customers were being informed if a parcel had failed to be delivered.
The spokesperson added:
“We continue to work weekends to ensure parcels are picked, packed and despatched as quickly as possible. In addition, we are monitoring deliveries and contacting customers if we detect a problem with a delivery. It’s all part of our customer service.”
The new Haolonggood Dilophosaurus dinosaur models will be in stock soon. A shipment with both sets of Dilophosaurus figures should arrive in the UK in early January. We hope to have these Haolonggood dinosaur models in stock later that month.
The pair of Dilophosaurus models (sitting and standing) in the blue colouration.
The sets will consist of a pair of Dilophosaurus figures. One will be sitting, the other will be standing. Two colour schemes will be offered – red and blue.
The pair are in 1:35 scale and they are beautifully painted.
The pair of Dilophosaurus models (sitting and standing) in the red colouration.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that the next shipment of Haolonggood figures will contain the following figures:
Dacentrurus – Xuning.
Dacentrurus – Lingzhen.
Otodus megalodon (Li Jun).
Carnotaurus – Li Zhong.
Carnotaurus – Zhou Tong.
Daspletosaurus torosus – Wu Song.
Daspletosaurus torosus – Lu Zhi Sheng.
Ampelosaurus – Sun Er Niang.
Ampelosaurus – Zhang Qing.
Dilophosaurus – Wang Ying/Hu San Niang.
Dilophosaurus – Sun Xin/Gu Da Sao.
Megaraptor – Shi Qian.
Megaraptor – Duan Jing Zhu.
Baryonyx – Shan Ting.
Baryonyx – Wei Ding Guo.
Visit the award-winning and user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.
Haolonggood intend to manufacture three versions of a 1:35 scale Alamosaurus. They are not sure how many to make of each version, so they have asked Everything Dinosaur to highlight this offer and make enquiries. The three versions, A and B plus C, a limited-edition, plain version will be available in the early spring of 2024. The Haolonggood Alamosaurus offer is open until December 28th (2023). If customers reserve a figure before 28th December, the Alamosaurus will be supplied with base and pterosaur figure.
Haolonggood Alamosaurus Version A
Haolonggood Alamosaurus model. Version A colour scheme.
To help customers select which figure(s) they want, Haolonggood have supplied computer generated images of the proposed colour schemes.
Haolonggood Alamosaurus Version B
Haolonggood Alamosaurus model version B.
The third Alamosaurus model is the limited-edition, plain version (version C).
Haolonggood Alamosaurus Version C (Limited-edition, Plain)
The limited-edition, plain version of the Haolonggood Alamosaurus model.
To reserve your model, simple contact Everything Dinosaur and let them know which model (A, B or C) you would like.
If booked before 28th December (2023), the Alamosaurus scale figure will be supplied with a base and one of two special pterosaur models.
If ordered before the cut-off date of December 28th (2023), the model will be supplied with a base and one of two white pterosaur figures.
Haolonggood Alamosaurus Model Measurements
The actual model measurements have yet to be finalised. However, each PVC figure will weigh several kilos and the proposed product packaging suggests that the 1:35 scale Alamosaurus will stand about 35 cm tall and measure around 65 cm in length.
Haolonggood supplied box dimensions: 65 cm (25.6 inches) long, width 14 cm (5.5 inches) and height 36 cm (14.1 inches).
Showing the size of the Haolonggood Alamosaurus figures.
There has been some confusion over these figures and the product offering. We can confirm that all three models are currently available. Version C will only be available for a limited time (it is a limited-edition model). It is painted in a brown colour scheme. The base and detachable tree plus the unpainted pterosaur figure (there are two pterosaur model versions), are only available for orders placed before December 28th.
It is only the pterosaur models that will require painting.
As promised, Everything Dinosaur has produced a video of the new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor model. This new 1:6 scale Velociraptor will be available in the middle of 2024. This new CollectA figure commemorates the centenary of the formal scientific description of this famous dinosaur.
In this video (duration fifteen minutes), the narrator reviews this new figure and outlines some of the anatomical features of this theropod. The suggestion of scent glands associated with the cloaca is discussed and the addition of a propatagium on the wing is highlighted.
The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor model reflects some of the very latest research into the Dinosauria.
Everything Dinosaur looks at a prototype of the new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe 1:6 scale Velociraptor model.
The CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor Figure
The Velociraptor figure measures around 32 centimetres in length. The narrator looks at the scale model and comments on its scale accuracy. In addition, the 1924 scientific paper is discussed and the relationship between Velociraptor mongoliensis and Protoceratops andrewsi explored.
The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Velociraptor Video Contents
The video review has been broken into numerous small segments. Viewers can dip in and out of this video review. There is a section that explains about the depiction of the digits. In addition, information about when this model will be in stock at Everything Dinosaur is provided.
Video Contents
0:00 – Introducing a New Velociraptor. 0:43 – Velociraptor Prototype. 1:52 – Subscribe! 2:04 – Examining the Model! 4:12 – Killer Toes and the Wings. 6:18 – Velociraptor Scent Glands! 8:27 – Discovery in 1924. 10:45 – Propatagium! 12:50 – In Stock When? 13:14 – Question of the Day! 14:00 – Follow us on Social Media. 14:45 – Where to Buy CollectA Models. 15:15 – Thank You!
The stunning Rebor Tyrannosaurus rex “Kiss” Mountain figure is back in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Team members have been able to bring in more stock of this popular tyrannosaur in time for the festive season.
The Rebor Kiss T. rex figure (Mountain), this tyrannosaur model has been given lips. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The Rebor Tyrannosaurus rex has been beautifully painted, and the figure has been given lips. The debate about lips in the Dinosauria is on-going. Many palaeontologists believe that dinosaurs did indeed have lips.
To read an article from earlier this year (2023) about lips in the Tyrannosauridae: Tyrannosaurus rex Had Lips.
The spectacular Rebor Tyrannosaurus rex “Kiss” in the mountain colour variant measures approximately 40.5 cm long and that magnificent head stands around 14 cm high. The model is in an approximate scale of 1:35.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“It is wonderful to see this popular Rebor figure back in stock. We have been busy contacting customers who wanted to be notified when this replica arrived. The Tyrannosaurus rex figure has an articulated jaw, poseable arms and a flexible tail. It is a clever piece of dinosaur design.”
Delegates at COP28 continue their discussions on how to limit and make preparations for future climate change. These discussions, their success or failure will have consequences for all of humanity. Decisions made today will have implications for all future generations too. The publication of a new book that documents the history of our planet’s climate and its connection to life on Earth provides context and delivers a fresh perspective.
“The Story of Earth’s Climate in 25 Discoveries” is written by Donald R. Prothero. He is an incredibly talented American palaeontologist and geologist with a gift for communication. As adjunct professor of geological sciences at California State Polytechnic University (Pomona, California), the author is well qualified to explain the intimate connection between climate and life on Earth. However, unlike many scientists, Donald R. Prothero’s engaging writing style permits the general reader to understand and grasp sometimes difficult concepts.
The story of our planet’s climate in twenty-five discoveries by Donald R. Prothero.
Picture credit: Columbia University Press
Climate Change from a Deep Time Perspective
Our planet has undergone radical climate change throughout its history. Climate has changed dramatically from a “Snowball Earth” that led to a mass extinction event to sweltering jungles that stretched across the globe. Over deep geological time, climate has shaped the evolution of life on our planet. Furthermore, living organisms have shaped the Earth’s climate. We are not the first inhabitants to dramatically influence our planet’s climate. This new book documents these changes. It highlights how our climate has never changed so radically as it is changing now.
“The Story of Earth’s Climate in 25 Discoveries”
“The Story of Earth’s Climate in 25 Discoveries” takes the reader on a journey through Earth’s history. In this highly entertaining book, the author addresses questions such as Why do we have phytoplankton to thank for the air we breathe? What kind of climate was necessary for the rise of the dinosaurs, or the mammals, their successors? When and how have climatic changes caused mass extinctions?
Team members at Everything Dinosaur have enjoyed reading other books written by Donald R. Prothero. For example, we reviewed “The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries”.
The author concludes this most informative publication with an examination of the Ice Ages and the Holocene Epoch. Our role in climate change is outlined and the perils we now face are explained.
Understanding why the climate has changed in the past, this timely book shows, is essential to grasping the gravity of how radically human activity is altering the climate today.
The Book Details
The Book: “The Story of Earth’s Climate in 25 Discoveries”
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published February 2024 | Price: £32.00/$38.00 USD (hardback) | Pages: 472
ISBN: 9780231203586
Visit the website of Columbia University Press: Columbia University Press. Search on the website for the author or title to find the book.
Many prehistoric animal models are photographed in lateral view. Everything Dinosaur explains the differences between right and left lateral views. It can be a little confusing for model collectors when photographs of a new prehistoric animal figure are released. Often the images include lateral views, these are images of the figure seen from the side.
The new for 2023 PNSO Megalosaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The image (above) shows a view of the recently introduced PNSO Edward the Megalosaurus dinosaur model. The left side of the model can be seen. This photograph shows the left lateral view of the figure. That is, in a left lateral view the object faces to the left as you look at the image.
Determining whether a prehistoric animal figure is in left lateral or right lateral view is made easier if the whole of the model is shown in the image.
Left lateral view – the head of the figure faces to the left as you look at the image.
Right lateral view – the head of the figure faces to the right as you look at the image.
The Papo Kronosaurus marine reptile photographed in right lateral view. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
In the image (above) the recently introduced Papo Kronosaurus model is facing to the right. Therefore, this model is being shown in the right lateral view.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Our blog often features details of scientific papers. Some of them can be quite technical and we try to summarise the findings and provide simplified explanations for the general reader. Interpreting scientific drawings can be a challenge. It can also be difficult to understand the details shown on a photograph of a prehistoric animal model if the orientation is not known.”
The partial skull of the lizard shown in right lateral view. Picture credit: David Whiteside, Sophie Chambi-Trowell, Mike Benton and the Natural History Museum UK
The photograph (above) shows the skull of the stem lizard Cryptovaranoides microlanius in right lateral view. Computerised tomography (CT) was used to help the researchers to construct the left side of the skull of C. microlanius. This enabled the team to construct a left lateral view of the skull.
Although left lateral and right lateral are terms that are not often used in scientific disciplines, it is helpful to have an understanding of their meaning. It is important to have standard anatomical terms and scientific papers have been published that examine the use of such terms when describing fossils.
The next time you see a photograph of a prehistoric animal model, we hope our short explanation will help you to understand whether the view is left or right lateral.
It is another hectic day at Everything Dinosaur. Team members have been busy picking and packing orders for customers. However, there was time to take a quick photograph of three Horseshoe crab soft toys. These cute and cuddly invertebrates will soon be on their way to customers.
The horseshoe crab soft toys look quite happy at the prospect of leaving our warehouse.
A trio of horseshoe crab soft toys photographed in the Everything Dinosaur warehouse. These cute and cuddly animals will soon be on their way to customers. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Prehistoric Plush
Everything Dinosaur stocks a wide range of dinosaur soft toys and prehistoric plush. We have T. rex soft toys, Triceratops and even Woolly Mammoths. We also like to stock some of the more unusual soft toys. Horseshoe crabs are still around today, but they first evolved nearly five hundred million years ago.
Our Horseshoe crab soft toys represent “living fossils”. However, these marine animals are under threat. Habitat destruction that accompanies coastal development presents a danger and the animals are used as bait in the fishing industry. Their unusual metabolism and their blue-coloured blood has been extensively studied. The blood has clotting agents (amebocytes), which are of great benefit to medical science.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that they thought the horseshoe crabs were cute and cuddly.
The spokesperson added:
“These are beautiful soft toys and very unusual. The horseshoe crab soft toys looked like they were smiling at us as they awaited their turn to be packed. We took a quick photograph before returning to our packing duties.”
Visit the award-winning and user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.
A newly published scientific paper has highlighted the diet of juvenile tyrannosaurs. Writing in the academic journal “Science Advances” the research team report that a young Gorgosaurus consumed the hind limbs from a pair of caenagnathid dinosaurs (Citipes elegans). This is the first time that stomach contents have been found in association with a tyrannosaur specimen.
A superb, well-preserved Gorgosaurus libratus specimen was found by Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology staff in the Dinosaur Provincial Park in 2009. The specimen is a juvenile, thought to be between five and seven years of age. When it died this dinosaur weighed around 335 kilograms, only about 13% of the mass of an adult Gorgosaurus.
Dr François Therrien (Curator of Dinosaur Palaeoecology at the Royal Tyrrell Museum) and Dr Darla Zelenitsky (Assistant Professor at University of Calgary) stand next to the young Gorgosaurus specimen. Picture credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.
Stomach Contents Preserved in a Young Gorgosaurus
Whilst being cleaned and prepared at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (Alberta, Canada), the partial remains of two small theropods were discovered inside the stomach cavity. The research team determined that this juvenile tyrannosaur ate the hind limbs of two caenagnathids. Rather than consuming the whole animal, the young tyrannosaur only ate the hind limbs (the meatiest parts of the body).
The red square highlights where the preserved gut contents found in the Gorgosaurus libratus can be found. Picture credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.
Analysis of the Citipes remains demonstrated that they were young animals, perhaps twelve months old. Alongside the Citipes limb bones caudal vertebrae were discovered. This suggests that there was preferential consumption of the Citipes hind quarters.
The stomach contents preserved inside Gorgosaurus libratus. The light and dark blue elements show the right and left hindlimbs of one Citipes individual. The light and dark green bones represent the other Citipes specimen consumed. Picture credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.
The elements highlighted in green in the illustration (above) are the remains of the first Citipes individual the gorgosaur consumed. The elements highlighted in blue are fossilised bones from the second Citipes individual eaten.
The Same Meal but Consumed at Different Times
As the elements of the two Citipes individuals are at different stages of digestion, the researchers were able to conclude that the gorgosaur’s stomach contents represent two different meals. These two juvenile Citipes could have been ingested hours or days apart. The presence of two dinosaurs of the same species and age in the stomach contents, ingested at different times, suggests that young caenagnathids may have been among the preferred prey of juvenile gorgosaurs.
This specimen is the first to provide direct evidence that young gorgosaurs had different diets than their adult counterparts. When fully grown Gorgosaurus would have been an apex predator. Feeding traces preserved on fossil bones indicate that Gorgosaurus fed on ceratopsians and duck-billed dinosaurs.
This evidence suggests that tyrannosaurs occupied different ecological niches over their lifetime. As young tyrannosaurs grew and matured, they would have transitioned from hunting small and young dinosaurs to preying on large herbivores. This dietary shift likely began around the age of eleven, when their skulls and teeth started becoming more robust.
The recently introduced PNSO Tristan the Gorgosaurus dinosaur model in lateral view. A replica of an adult Gorgosaurus libratus. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The picture (above) shows a replica of an adult Gorgosaurus. The skull is much more robust and powerful and the teeth proportionately larger. The model is from the PNSO Age of Dinosaurs range.
Dietary differences are seen in animals at different ontogenic stages in modern ecosystems. These differences in diet provide a competitive advantage by lessening intraspecific competition for resources. Therefore, such a shift may have allowed juvenile and adult tyrannosaurs to coexist in the same environment with reduced conflict.
Being able to occupy different ecological niches during their lifespan was probably a key to the evolutionary success of the Tyrannosauridae.
An illustration of Gorgosaurus libratus eating Citipes elegans. Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology/Julius Csotonyi.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “Exceptionally preserved stomach contents of a young tyrannosaurid reveal an ontogenetic dietary shift in an iconic extinct predator” by Francois Therrien, Darla K. Zelenitsky, Jared T. Voris, Gregory M. Erickson, Philip J. Currie, Christopher L. Debuhr and Yoshitsugu Kobayashi published in Science Advances.
