A Late Cretaceous Dinosaur Diorama

Prehistoric animal model collector Robert Townsend very kindly sent some photographs into Everything Dinosaur featuring his Late Cretaceous dinosaur diorama.  Robert has created for himself, his very own super-sized model prehistoric landscape, featuring authentic vegetation, artificial rocks and a dinosaur watering hole complete with dinosaur tracks and footprints.

His latest project involved creating typical prehistoric scenes reflecting the fauna of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian faunal stages), of North America.  We can expect to see a landscape dominated by duck-billed dinosaurs, ornithomimids, pachycephalosaurs with the apex predatory positions occupied by tyrannosaurids.

The Late Cretaceous Prehistoric Scene

Picture credit: R. Townsend

North America in the Late Cretaceous

Using Robert’s large collection of prehistoric animal models, the majority of which have been purchased from Everything Dinosaur, he has created a series of mini dramas within his super-sized landscape and his focus has been to use prehistoric animal figures representing animals from the famous Hell Creek and the slightly older Dinosaur Provincial Park Formations of North America.

Admittedly, the addition of the Bullyland Pteranodon sternbergi model (Geosternbergia sternbergi), which is associated with the Smoky Hill Chalk Member of the Niobrara Formation (Kansas) is interesting, after all, this animal is associated with marine and not terrestrial deposits.  However, these large pterosaurs were accomplished fliers and they may have frequently flown inland, perhaps to find fresh water.

The Rare Bullyland Pteranodon sternbergi (Geosternbergia sternbergi) Features in the Diorama

Picture credit: R. Townsend

The Bullyland Pteranodon sternbergi figure has been out of production for a long time, but Everything Dinosaur was able to acquire some of these extremely rare figures.

Not All Horned Dinosaurs and Hadrosauridae in the Dinosaur Diorama

Although, North American herbivorous populations were dominated by the horned dinosaurs and the duck-billed dinosaurs, there were many other types of dinosaur resident too.  Robert has skilfully added a range of different prehistoric animals to his landscape.  For example, ornithomimids and pachycephalosaurs feature as well.

A Struthiomimus Bumps into a Dracorex

Picture credit: R. Townsend

The fleet-footed ornithomimid had better watch out, a recent scientific paper which involved the analysis of the front of the jaw of a pachycephalosaur proposed that these bone-headed dinosaurs may have been partially carnivorous.  To read more about this hypothesis: Pachycephalosaurus – Was it Carnivorous?

Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops

No North American Late Cretaceous dinosaur diorama would be complete without the appearance of Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops.  Creator Robert does not disappoint, he depicts a T. rex feeding on the corpse of “three-horned face” and within the prehistoric scene the tyrannosaurid Albertosaurus can be found along with a horned dinosaur very distantly related to Triceratops – Styracosaurus.

The “Tyrant Lizard King” Feasts on an Unfortunate Triceratops

Picture credit: R. Townsend

A spokesperson for the UK-based Everything Dinosaur praised the prehistoric landscape and stated:

“We congratulate Robert for his creative use of the prehistoric animal figures and the beautiful details of the diorama.  It is always a pleasure to receive photographs of prehistoric scenes which have been choreographed by our customers.”

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Dimetrodons Battle for Dominance

Today, we feature another of those wonderful prehistoric scenes created by Safari Ltd.  Safari Ltd have produced some superb images illustrating various models within their excellent Wild Safari Prehistoric World range and today, the sail-backed, pelycosaur Dimetrodon steps into the spotlight.

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon Diorama

Picture credit: Safari Ltd

In the illustration (above), a pair of Dimetrodons confront each other.  Such intraspecific conflicts may have been relatively common as animals fought for dominance, mates and territory.

Dimetrodon A Predator of the Permian

Known from North America, Europe and Russia, several species of Dimetrodon have been named.  One of the largest (D. grandis) is estimated to have weighed around two hundred kilograms and measured in excess of three metres in length.  Dimetrodon grandis would have been an apex predator within its ecosystem and it is quite probable that these reptiles (distantly related to modern mammals), would have battled each other to win mates and to gain territory in which to hunt.

In the illustration created by Safari Ltd, we see a pair of Dimetrodons confronting each other against a backdrop of a conifer forest.  It is possible, that these large reptiles may have competed with each other for the best basking sites, an example of intraspecific competition.  After all, if that large sail played a role in thermoregulation, the best places to warm up in the morning would have been at a premium for these large animals.

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon Model

Picture credit: Safari Ltd

Evolving Dimetrodon Models

The latest incarnation of Dimetrodon by Safari Ltd was introduced into their model range in 2018.  It ostensibly replaced an earlier figure that had been part of the Carnegie Collectibles model series.  When the Carnegie relationship ended and this part of the Safari Ltd model portfolio was retired, the company had the opportunity to introduce several new figures in subsequent years.  For example, in 2018 the new Dimetrodon replica was one of fourteen new prehistoric animal figures launched.

To view a range of pelycosaur figures and models, visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

The Earlier Carnegie Collection Dimetrodon Figure

Picture credit: Safari Ltd

Wild Safari Prehistoric World Replicas

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon figure is approximately the same size as the earlier Carnegie Dimetrodon (approximately 19 cm long), but there are subtle differences between the two models.  The sails are different shapes, the supporting struts (elongated spines from the vertebrae), are more prominent in the most recently introduced version and the limbs in the 2018 model look more powerful and robust.  These changes reflect the changing interpretation of the fossil material associated with this genus.

To view the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Dimetrodon model and the rest of the figures and replicas in this range stocked by Everything Dinosaur: Safari Ltd/Wild Safari Prehistoric World Figures and Replicas.

Our congratulations once again to the design team at Safari Ltd.  Not only has this company produced some excellent prehistoric animal figures, including monsters from the Palaeozoic like Dimetrodon, they have also produced fantastic promotional images of their creations.