Gastonia burgei – Related to Polacanthus

Discovered in the same quarry as fossils of the fearsome theropod Utahraptor (Grand County, Utah), the heavily armoured Gastonia is believed to be a close relative of the English polacanthid called Polacanthus (P. foxii and P. rudgwickensis).  More fossil material has been ascribed to the Gastonia genus from this one location, believed to represent a substantial bone bed than from any other member of the polacanthid clade.  Unfortunately, such is the wealth of isolated and fragmentary dermal armour found at the fossil dig site, that palaeontologists remain uncertain as to the layout and orientation of this dinosaur’s defensive armour.  This makes reconstructions of this plant-eating dinosaur very difficult.

Measuring up to five metres in length, this dinosaur is reputed to be the most heavily armoured of all the dinosaurs known to science.  It had a sacral shield of thick armour over the hips and pairs of spines that ran down the body from the neck and shoulders.  These probably stuck out sideways and upwards to afford this creature maximum protection.  The tail was long and narrow and it probably had sharp spikes sticking out of the side which would have have made the tail a formidable defensive weapon.  Examination of the hip bones and femur indicate that the tail could be swung in a horizontal arc with considerable force, easily enough force to knock an attacking Utahraptor off its feet.

An Illustration of Gastonia (G. burgei)

A drawing of the heavily armoured Gastonia.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Gastonia

Named in 1998, after Robert Gaston, this dinosaur with its heavy body and spiky armour would have been a formidable opponent for any hungry theropod brave enough to attack.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a range of armoured dinosaur models and replicas: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

Sauroposeidon The Tallest Known Dinosaur

Originally described from four cervical vertebrae (neck bones), discovered in Oklahoma (Antlers Rock Formation), Sauroposeidon is classified as a member of the Macronaria clade of sauropods and it might have been the tallest terrestrial animal ever.  When the neck bones of Sauroposeidon were first found, it was thought that they represented petrified wood as they were so big.  A number of other fossil specimens from Early Cretaceous strata have now been assigned to Sauroposeidon (Late Aptian to Early Albian faunal stages), intriguingly, the number of long-necked dinosaurs known from North America at this time in the Cretaceous is very low.  Sauroposeidon may be the last known sauropod from North America until the evolution of Alamosaurus which is known from Upper Cretaceous strata nearly forty million years younger.

Sauroposeidon

Based on scaled up versions of the brachiosaurid Giraffatitan (G. brancai), it has been estimated that the height of the head of a fully grown Sauroposeidon (S. proteles) would have been around the twenty metres mark.

The actual size of this dinosaur is difficult to estimate, it may have been much more gracile than other members of the Macronaria.  Some palaeontologists have speculated that Sauroposeidon weighed as much as sixty metric tonnes and measured over thirty-two metres in length.

A Giant Sauropod Exhibit in a Museum

A sauropod (diplodocid) skeleton exhibit on display at the Frankfurt Natural History Museum (Naturmuseum Senckenberg). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The species name “proteles” is derived from the Greek and it means “perfect before the end”.  This refers to Sauroposeidon’s status as one of the last sauropods known from Lower Cretaceous strata of North America. Sauroposeidon was probably a specialist, in terms of its feeding behaviour.  If indeed, it was a super-sized brachiosaurid it would have specialised in feeding on the tops of trees.  It was probably invulnerable to attack as an adult but young dinosaurs and juveniles were probably hunted by the large theropod Acrocanthosaurus (A. atokensis).  Some palaeontologists have speculated that the famous “dinosaur chase” footprint fossils from the bed of the Paluxy River, Texas, represent a Sauroposeidon being stalked by an Acrocanthosaurus.

“Lizard of Poseidon”

The genus name is from the Greek meaning “lizard of Poseidon”, the Greek deity whose domain was the sea and who was thought to be responsible for earthquakes.  In 1999, when press releases were sent out announcing the discovery of a huge dinosaur from the United States, “Earthquake lizard” seemed a highly appropriate name.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a range of sauropod figures, including the large models in the PNSO range: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Figures and Models.

Pronouncing “Hollow Form” The Agile Coelophysis

The Late Triassic theropod whose fossils have been famously found at the Ghost Ranch quarry (New Mexico, United States) causes one or two problems for young dinosaur fans when it comes to pronunciation.  Coelophysis is pronounced “See-low-fy-sis”, it might be spelt with a “C” but in reality, the “C sound” is soft and “See-low-fy-sis” is how this dinosaur should be pronounced.

One of the most successful dinosaurs of the Late Triassic, the brain of this dinosaur was larger than its reptilian ancestors and it had keen senses, making this three metre long theropod a formidable hunter.  As for its diet, it would have been capable of catching and eating a range of small animals including insects, small reptiles, amphibians and fish.  It was very probably a generalist carnivore eating a wide range of prey items.

An Illustration of Coelophysis (C. bauri)

Coelophysis of the Late Triassic.

Picture credit: Mike Fredericks

Coelophysis

The name means “Hollow Form”, a reference to this dinosaur’s hollow and light limb bones.  Note the needle-like teeth in the long, narrow jaws.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a large range of prehistoric animal models including Safari Ltd which includes a replica of Coelophysis: Safari Ltd. Wild Safari Prehistoric World.

Vicious Velociraptors

Although much smaller than the “Velociraptors” depicted in the Jurassic Park trilogy, this little theropod dinosaur was armed with a seven centimetre long, strongly curved second toe claw and it possessed about eighty sharp teeth in its jaws.  Described by some palaeontologists as being “poodle-sized”, it may have been one of the smaller “raptors”, but its vicious reputation as so successfully portrayed in the cinema was strongly deserved.

An Illustration of Velociraptor

Vicious Velociraptor.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Vicious Velociraptor

Like all members of the Dromaeosauridae (swift lizards), this dinosaur had a long, stiff tail.  The tail could not be raised very high, but it could be moved from side to side.  It has been speculated that the tail functioned like a rudder to help the animal to balance as it ran.  It probably fed on small lizards, mammals, baby dinosaurs and even dinosaur eggs, but in a pack it would have been capable of mobbing and bringing down much larger prey.

As for its vicious reputation, this is well deserved.  It was probably a cannibal too.  A baby Velociraptor skull has been discovered with two little holes in the top.  The teeth of an adult Velociraptor fit perfectly into these holes – nasty critter that Velociraptor (Velociraptor mongoliensis).

The Beasts of the Mesozoic model range contains lots of articulated replicas including V. mongoliensis. To view this excellent range: Beasts of the Mesozoic Models and Figures.