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.
Our thanks to Caldey who sent into Everything Dinosaur and excellent, colourful and highly detailed Lambeosaurine illustration. The anterior portion of the hadrosaur is shown in lateral view. The artist has taken great care to add lots of detail to the animal’s flank and the hatchet-shaped crest has been given a pinkish hue with black highlights.
Our thanks to Caldey for sending into Everything Dinosaur a very colourful Lambeosaurine dinosaur illustration. Picture credit: Caldey.
A Lambeosaurine Illustration
The imposing dinosaur has counter shading, and the artist has taken care to depict lots of differently sized scales on the side of the body. A vivid blue strip runs from the eye down to the nostril. The throat has been coloured red. The background colours are muted, drawing the viewer’s eye to the colourful herbivorous dinosaur.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur thanked Caldey for sending in her lambeosaurine illustration and commented.
“It is a wonderful dinosaur drawing. Lambeosaurus is an enigmatic duck-billed dinosaur and Caldey has done a fantastic job recreating this Late Cretaceous herbivore.”
Everything Dinosaur team members were contacted by a customer who enquired about the soft toy trilobite. The customer was a fan of prehistoric invertebrates. They wanted a plush trilobite but also enquired about Palaeozoic invertebrate models. We were able to point them in the direction of the invertebrate models with the CollectA Prehistoric Life model range. The CollectA Redlichia trilobite figure had already been purchased, however, the recently introduced CollectA Anomalocaris model appealed.
A trilobite soft toy (top) and the CollectA Anomalocaris model (bottom). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A Soft Toy Trilobite and the CollectA Anomalocaris
Trilobites may not be regarded as cute and cuddly, but the soft toy trilobite has proved popular. Part of our Palaeozoic plush range, the trilobite soft toy measures twenty-one centimetres long. It is fourteen centimetres wide across the headshield (cephalon). Team members are not sure which genus the soft toy represents, it could be a representation of the genus Calymene.
“Mike and Sue” – examples of Calymene trilobites. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The trilobite soft toy has proved to be surprisingly popular. The cute and colourful soft toy may not represent a dinosaur, but palaeontologists know just how important the Trilobita are within the fossil record. It is wonderful to be able to offer a soft toy trilobite as part of our plush range.”
To view the range of prehistoric plush available from Everything Dinosaur: Prehistoric Soft Toys.
An Anomalocaris Model
The CollectA Anomalocaris figure is a 2023 introduction. It depicts a marine predator from the Late Cambrian. It is one of a series of invertebrate figures offered in the CollectA Prehistoric Life (Other Prehistoric Animal Models) series.
The CollectA Anomalocaris model. A fantastic replica of an early apex predator. The CollectA Anomalocaris (Other Prehistoric Animal Models).
Team members at Everything Dinosaur observed a small Common frog in the office pond this evening. It could be from the frogspawn laid in February. This year (2023), was the first year that frogspawn had been laid in the pond during the month of February. The first batch of frogspawn was produced on February 28th.
In the late evening, a small Common frog was observed in the pond. It was much larger than the froglets that had been seen recently. It could be a frog that is at least twelve months old. Perhaps, it is a well-fed adult that metamorphosed from this year’s spawn.
Can you spot the frog in the picture? The frog could be from a batch of spawn laid in February this year. The species is the Common frog (Rana temporaria). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Common Frog (Rana temporaria)
Team members have been busy helping to improve the small office pond. Native pond weed was purchased and introduced to help reduce the level of algae and to oxygenate the water. Pebbles have been added to the shallows to permit easier access for birds that want to bathe.
Two different types of pond snail (Great Ramshorn and Great Pond Snail) have been added. These snails Lymnaea stagnalis and Planorbarius corneus respectively, were removed from a local ditch that had recently been cleaned out. With little to eat in the ditch, ten Great Ramshorns were taken along with four Great Pond Snails and added to the office pond. By removing some snails from the ditch, this would help that ecosystem as well as permitting a small population of snails to assist with managing the algae in the office pond.
Invertebrate life is thriving and recently Backswimmers (Notonecta) have repopulated the pond.
All these invertebrates and the abundance of vegetation in and around the shallow pond have made an ideal habitat for frogs.
A close-up view of the frog spotted in the office pond. This could be a frog that emerged from spawn laid in February. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Spotting a Frog
We are not sure whether the small frog we spotted is from this year’s frogspawn. However, if the frogspawn was laid early in the season, then the frogs once they have emerged from the pond, would have a longer growing season. So, it is possible that this year’s frogs would have grown to the size of the one photographed. There is certainly plenty for the frogs to eat and lots of places for them to hide.
Team members will continue to work hard to keep the office pond healthy and its inhabitants happy.
The fulfilment work for the Beasts of the Mesozoic Wave 2 tyrannosaurs has been completed by Everything Dinosaur. The last of the parcels for UK and European customers who participated in the “Kickstarter” scheme have been despatched.
Stacks of UK and European parcels ready for despatch as the fulfilment of the Beasts of the Mesozoic wave 2 tyrannosaurs is completed. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
UK customers will have started to receive their parcels. European customers will have to wait a few days more to receive their models. The figures have further to travel but all tracking information for European fulfilment orders has been emailed to customers.
Wave 2 Tyrannosaurs (Beasts of the Mesozoic)
The shipment of Beasts of the Mesozoic tyrannosaur figures arrived late on the afternoon of August 2nd. Although prior commitments meant that team members could not spend the weekend sorting out the fulfilment orders, time was scheduled to complete the packing and despatching by the 11th of August.
The work was completed 24-hours ahead of schedule.
Three of the wave 2 tyrannosaur figures. Dryptosaurus (top), Lythronax (middle) and bottom the Bistahieversor articulated figure. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
“We were attending a book launch last Sunday so we could not work over the weekend. However, we worked late into the evening on several days to catch up. All the UK and European parcels have been despatched.”
Articulated Tyrannosaurs
There are seven figures in the Wave 2 tyrannosaur series. The models are Suskityrannus hazelae, Proceratosaurus bradleyi, Qianzhousaurus sinensis and Teratophoneus curriei. The three largest figures in wave 2 are Dryptosaurus aquilunguis, Bistahieversor sealeyi and Lythronax argestes.
The biggest tyrannosaur figures have twenty-two different points of articulation.
Visit the award-winning and user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.
Nile crocodiles react to the sound of hominid babies crying. In a newly published study, the researchers state that crocodiles can detect elevated levels of distress in the cry of babies better than us (Homo sapiens). Their ability to distinguish between different types of cries might be a behaviour that helps support their predatory instincts. Crocodiles able to react to hominid baby sounds might be a preconditioned response associated with targeting prey.
Writing in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society B”, the researchers from the University of Saint-Etienne and Lyon University (France), claim that crocodiles are more responsive to higher-intensity cries.
A model of a crocodile with an articulated lower jaw.
The picture (above) shows a crocodile model from the Mojo Fun range.
The scientists exposed Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in a zoo to cries from human, chimpanzee and bonobo infants. The researchers observed the reaction of the crocodiles. Some turned their heads, others moved towards the speakers. It was noted that some crocodiles in the study submerged themselves. Hiding in the water might be interpreted as predatory behaviour, as these reptiles tend to ambush prey from a submerged position.
The study used two types of baby human cries, during bath time at home with the parents and the cries of babies being vaccinated. The vaccination cries were interpreted as being higher intensity crying, the babies having elevated stress levels. Some of the more intense baby cries caused a much higher percentage of the crocodiles to react. To see if there were specific qualities of those sounds that made the crocodiles respond, the researchers also examined some of the acoustic properties of the cries being tested.
It was discovered that the crocodilians were more responsive to crying sounds with more energy in the higher sound frequencies. They also reacted to crying sounds with irregularities in the sound wave patterns. These cries are associated with higher levels of distress.
Sensitive Crocodiles or Simply Curious Crocodilians
Distress vocalisations alert a variety of terrestrial vertebrates. There are shared acoustic features that alert parents and conspecifics and cause them to react to the sounds. This study suggests that acoustic traits used to decode distress may vary between species. This research suggests that crocodiles are sensitive to the degree of distress encoded in the vocalisations of phylogenetically very distant vertebrates. It could be a predatory response, or perhaps the responses reflect a level of curiosity within crocodilians.
Curiosity is not a trait readily associated with these ancient reptiles.
A comparison of these results with those obtained with human subjects confronted with the same sounds further indicates that crocodiles and humans use different acoustic criteria to assess the cries of infants. Interestingly, the acoustic features driving crocodile reactions are likely to be more reliable markers of distress than those used by humans.
The scientific paper “Crocodile perception of distress in hominid baby cries” by Julie Thévenet, Léo Papet, Gérard Coureaud, Nicolas Boyer, Florence Levréro, Nicolas Grimault and Nicolas Mathevon published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The enormous Patagotitan arm bones are on display at the London Natural History Museum. These immense fossils are part of the “Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur” exhibition. This popular exhibition is open until January 2024. Team members at Everything Dinosaur have been fortunate to have visited the museum earlier in the year. This helped them to avoid the inevitable congestion at the peak of the summer tourist season.
The fossilised bones from the right arm of Patagotitan in approximate anatomical position. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Patagotitan Arm Bones
The display shows the right arm bones of Patagotitan in approximate anatomical position. The enormous scapula leads to the immense humerus with the ulna (left) and the radius (right) directly underneath it. The exhibition organisers have provided a helpful information panel to explain the layout of the arm bones.
A diagram showing the position of the fossilised bones on the skeleton of Patagotitan. The position of the scapula, the humerus and the lower arm bones (ulna and radius). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Visit the Everything Dinosaur website for models and replicas of titanosaurs and other prehistoric creatures: Everything Dinosaur.
Patagotitan mayorum
Patagotitan was formally named and scientifically described in 2017 (Carballido et al). However, the huge fossil bones had attracted considerable media interest since the discovery of a giant portion of thigh bone in 2010. Numerous news reports occurred in 2014 and in January 2016 the BBC broadcast a special programme that tracked the fossil excavation and preservation. The programme was presented by Sir David Attenborough, and it was entitled “Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur”.
In 2022, Safari Ltd added a replica of Patagotitan to their product range.
The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Patagotitan model has arrived at Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Several other titanosaur models have been introduced since the naming of Patagotitan. With the interest in titanosaurs fuelled by the giant arm bones on display, collectors can expect more titanosaur figures to be introduced.”
The wave 2 Beasts of the Mesozoic tyrannosaurs feature in the latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter. Seven new articulated tyrannosaur figures to collect in this amazing, colourful series.
The new for 2023 Beasts of the Mesozoic Bistahieversor sealeyi features in the latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Beasts of the Mesozoic Tyrannosaurs
Everything Dinosaur team members prepared a newsletter about the arrival of these new theropod figures. The newsletter was despatched to subscribers late last week.
The customer newsletter is free. It is emailed to subscribers periodically. There are approximately fifteen newsletters sent out to customers each year.
To be added to the subscriber’s list simply email Everything Dinosaur: Contact Us.
The Beasts of the Mesozoic Qianzhousaurus sinensis (right) and the Beasts of the Mesozoic Teratophoneus curriei tyrannosaur model (left). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Qianzhousaurus and Teratophoneus
A spokesperson from the UK-based mail order company explained:
“These figures are all in the second batch of new models in the tyrannosaur series to be released. Collectively, they are entitled “wave 2″. We have been busy contacting all those customers who requested these models as well as starting the European fulfilment. A newsletter was also emailed to our customer database. These new articulated, theropod figures are extremely popular amongst model collectors.”
These new models feature different members of the Tyrannosauroidea. For example, there is a Teratophoneus figure, representing a tyrannosaur from Utah. Also in this series is a Qianzhousaurus sinensis, a member of the Tyrannosauridae from southern China.
Two other Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurs feature in the latest Everything Dinosaur customer newsletter. Lythronax (left) and Dryptosaurus (right). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Beasts of the Mesozoic Proceratosaurus and Suskityrannus
A tyrannosauroid from Britain is also included in this new set of figures. Proceratosaurus bradleyi is known from the Middle Jurassic of England. Its fossils were found in Gloucestershire. The temporal and geographic range represented by these seven models is vast. For example, a figure of Suskityrannus (S.hazelae) is also included. Fossils of this dinosaur were found in Upper Cretaceous deposits in New Mexico.
Two smaller tyrannosauroid figures have been introduced as part of the new wave 2 Beasts of the Mesozoic tyrannosaurs. Proceratosaurus bradleyi (left) and Suskityrannus hazelae (right). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A pleasant trip out to Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire for Everything Dinosaur team members today. This spectacular Elizabethan mansion was the venue for an event celebrating the publication of a marvellous dinosaur book for children featuring Tyrannosaurus rex. Entitled “The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers”.
The front cover of “The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers” written by Dr Adam Smith and Jonathan Emmett. UCLan Publishing/Stieven Van der Poorten.
“The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers”
Published by UCLan publishing and illustrated by the very talented Stieven Van der Poorten, “The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers” explains how our knowledge about T. rex has changed. Time for this famous, iconic dinosaur to get a makeover.
How our perceptions regarding Tyrannosaurus rex have changed. A model from the 1970s compared to a Safari Ltd feathered Tyrannosaurus rex (2015). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A friendly Velociraptor explains to T. rex that palaeontologists have learned a great deal about the Dinosauria. Under the guidance of a fellow theropod the T. rex is gradually transformed over the course of the book into a feathered, two-fingered, predator with lips, a tail lifted off the ground and correctly positioned arms. The authors provided a read through, even dealing with the difficulties of tyrannosaur nostrils and the dinosaur’s colouration.
Authors Dr Adam Smith (left) and Jonathan Emmett (right) with the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton on display at Wollaton Hall in the background. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Celebrating the Book Launch
As part of the event to celebrate the book launch the authors conducted a special T. rex themed quiz. The budding young palaeontologists that attended did really well and it was surprising how much information the children had picked up from the read through and the scientific explanations offered by Dr Smith. A helpful tyrannosaur research timeline aided the quiz participants.
The authors had created a helpful timeline that explained how our knowledge regarding T. rex has changed. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Wollaton Hall with its spectacular T. rex exhibit was an excellent venue choice to celebrate the publication of this wonderful book for children. Our hosts even laid on gingerbread biscuits in the shape of a Tyrannosaurus rex. We wish UCLan publishing and everyone involved with “The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers” success.”
“The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers” – Book Details
Publisher: UClan Publishing
Published August 2023 | Price: £7.99 | Pages: 32 6 plus| Paperback | ISBN: 9781915235596
Visit the website of UCLan Publishing: UCLan Publishing. Search on the website for “Tyrannosaur” to find the book.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur took the opportunity to photograph a cast of a Baryonyx fossil jaw on display at the London Natural History Museum. The cast is a replica of the original specimen number BMNH R9951. The holotype material was re-catalogued as NHMUK VP R9951. The British Museum was renamed the Natural History Museum in 1992. The fossils represent one of the most complete dinosaur skeletons found in the UK.
A cast showing the premaxilla and maxilla of Baryonyx based on the fossil specimen number BMNH R9951. The holotype fossil material was later re-catalogued as NHMUK VP R9951. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Fossils of this famous theropod dinosaur were excavated from a clay pit near Ockley in Surrey in 1983. The field team was led by palaeontologists from the British Museum (Natural History Museum). There is a cast of the Baryonyx skeleton on display in the dinosaur gallery at the museum.
Baryonyx walkeri
Named and formally described in 1986, Baryonyx changed perceptions regarding spinosaurids. The scientific paper was published in “Nature”. It was entitled “Baryonyx, a remarkable new theropod dinosaur”. The authors of the paper were Alan Charig and Angela Milner. Both palaeontologists had distinguished careers. Alan Charig helped to popularise the science of vertebrate palaeontology when he wrote and presented the BBC television series “Before the Ark”. However, it is probably for their work on Baryonyx walkeri that they will be best remembered.
Taking its turn on the Everything Dinosaur turntable. The new for 2020 Mojo Fun Baryonyx with an articulated jaw. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The picture (above) shows a typical Baryonyx dinosaur model. The figure is from the Mojo Fun Prehistoric and Extinct collection.
The Baryonyx fossil jaw cast shows the premaxilla and the anterior portion of the maxilla. The holotype specimen includes a significant amount of skull and jaw material including both dentaries. Thanks to the skull and jaw fossils, scientists were able to reconstruct the skull of other spinosaurids such as Spinosaurus aegyptiacus.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented.
“When we visit the London Natural History Museum, we like to view the Baryonyx exhibit. The fossils helped improve our understanding regarding theropod dinosaurs. The Baryonyx material representing about 65% of the entire skeleton still represents one of the most complete large theropod skeletons found in Europe.”
Our thanks to William who sent into Everything Dinosaur his review of the PNSO Cameron the T. rex figure.
In the review, William explains that this model is one of the most accurate tyrannosaur figures available. It is much more realistic than the movie model versions.
The PNSO Cameron the Tyrannosaurus rex replica in lateral view.
PNSO Cameron the T. rex
William comments that the majority of the reconstruction of “Cameron” is based on a T. rex specimen known as “Sue”. This tyrannosaur fossil specimen is on display at the Chicago Field Museum (specimen number FMNH PR 2081). The lacrimal crests bear a resemblance to another T. rex specimen nicknamed “Stan”. The “Stan” specimen is formally referred to as BHI 3033.
The PNSO Cameron the T. rex figure has an articulated lower jaw.
A Tyrannosaurus rex Figure is Praised
The model reviewer stated that from tip to tail the PNSO T. rex was perfection. The colour of the skin and its texture was praised. This was an apex predator.
William commented:
“He is no upgrade. He is 100% his own tyrant in every way.”
It was noted that as with other PNSO figures the box contained posters, a full-colour booklet and a transparent support stand.
The reviewer added:
“We deserve to treat ourselves by adding him to our collections.”
PNSO Cameron the Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur model.
Praise for Everything Dinosaur
The reviewer praised the team members at Everything Dinosaur.
William explained that the legion of paleo-figure collectors truly value all that Everything Dinosaur have done.
He added:
“Purchasing from Everything Dinosaur is fast safe and secure with no nonsense. Within a few minutes of placing an order an email is sent confirming the purchase. Parcels are extremely well packed and despatched rapidly.”
As part of the review, reference was made to the large amount of time Everything Dinosaur spent keeping collectors informed with social media posts. The company’s YouTube videos were highlighted.
William concluded by describing the company as the premier global on-line store, stating that without the presence of Everything Dinosaur collectors would struggle to build up their great model collections.
Our thanks to William for his kind words and for his PNSO T. rex model review.
