Our thanks to Caldey who sent into Everything Dinosaur her illustration of the ferocious, crimson coloured Pyroraptor that featured recently in the film “Jurassic World Dominion”.
The fearsome Pyroraptor from the recent film Jurassic World Dominion which was released in the UK earlier in the summer (2022). Picture credit: Caldey.
Pyroraptor olympius
Formally named and scientifically described in 2000 (Allain and Taquet), this theropod dinosaur is known from fragmentary fossil material including teeth found in south-eastern France and eastern Spain. When described it was assigned to the Dromaeosauridae, but the limited fossil material associated with this genus makes a definitive taxonomic assessment difficult. Recent phylogenetic assessments have placed Pyroraptor within the dromaeosaurid sub-family the Unenlagiinae. However, some palaeontologists have proposed that unenlagiines with their characteristic long and slender snouts, might represent an entirely different family of theropods and therefore should not be classified within the Dromaeosauridae.
Caldey has chosen to echo the Pyroraptor as seen in the recent movie. It is depicted as a formidable predator with powerful jaws. In the film, this feathered “raptor” was revealed to be an accomplished swimmer.
Our thanks to Caldey for sending into Everything Dinosaur her Pyroraptor drawing.
CollectA have supplied Everything Dinosaur with some further images of their new for 2022 prehistoric animal figures including a life reconstruction of the CollectA Cooperoceras model. Part of the CollectA Prehistoric World “Other Prehistoric Animals” series, the replica of Cooperoceras (C. texanum) is shown against a seascape backdrop.
The new for 2022 CollectA Prehistoric Life Popular Cooperoceras model depicted in a shallow marine environment.
Cooperoceras was an early nautiloid with a shell measuring approximately 4 inches (10 cm) long and 3 inches (7.5 cm) high. Its fossils are associated with Upper Carboniferous and Permian marine strata. The type species C. texanum was collected from the Glass Mountains and Sierra Diablo areas of Texas. These deposits contain many cephalopod fossils, and they were laid down in a shallow marine environment. The presence of photosynthesising plants in background of the Cooperoceras seascape indicate that the design team at CollectA wanted to portray Cooperoceras as a shallow water genus.
Cooperoceras along with other nautiloids is regarded as an important zonal fossil by invertebrate palaeontologists. It helps scientists to correlate the relative ages of geographically distant strata based on the fossil specimens contained therein.
A Cooperoceras Fact Sheet
Everything Dinosaur commissioned an illustration of this Palaeozoic cephalopod which could be used in a fact sheet sent out with sales of this new for 2022 CollectA model.
The illustration of the Palaeozoic nautiloid Cooperoceras (C. texanum). The artwork was commissioned by Everything Dinosaur for use in the company’s Cooperoceras fact sheet.
The function of the recurvant spines on the shell remains a mystery, although they are thought to have played a role in defence or possibly denoted sexual maturity.
CollectA are to be congratulated for introducing a range of prehistoric animal replicas that represent iconic fossil invertebrates. In recent years, the company has produced a trilobite (Redlichia rex), a model of an Orthoceras, a belemnite and a replica of the extant Horseshoe crab. Furthermore, an ammonite model (Pleuroceras) and a model of the pearly nautilus have been added to the CollectA series.
With the announcement of the new PNSO spinosaurid figure Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus earlier this week (Monday, 15th August), team members at Everything Dinosaur thought it might be helpful to outline the taxonomic history of this enigmatic theropod. Fragmentary fossils that led to the establishment of the Sinopliosaurus genus were originally thought to represent a marine reptile. One that had lived in a huge freshwater lake during the Early Jurassic around 180 million years ago (Toarcian faunal stage).
Everything Dinosaur expects this dinosaur model to be in stock in the autumn.
PNSO are adding a second member of the Spinosauridae family to their mid-size model range. Joining Essien the Spinosaurus is Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus. The taxonomic history of Sinopliosaurus is somewhat complicated.
PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus – an Explanation
Fragmentary bones including three vertebrae, a tooth, elements from the hips (the ischium) and a femur (thigh bone) found in Lower Jurassic (Toarcian faunal stage) Ziliujing Formation exposures at Weiyuan (Sichuan Province, China) were thought to represent a freshwater pliosaur. Although very little of the skeleton was known, the fossil bones that were found were preserved in three-dimensions and not flattened and the pliosaur species Sinopliosaurus weiyuanensis was confidently erected (1944). The femur for example, was described as being of the “usual Plesiosaurian type”, robust, rather squat and not elongated. The ischium was noted as being reminiscent of the Late Cretaceous Canadian plesiosaur Leurospondylus ultimus, which had been erected by Barnum Brown in 1913. L. ultimus itself is a disputed taxon, classified as “incertae sedis”. This marine reptile was described based on fossil material most likely from a juvenile and the material might represent an elasmosaurid.
The taxonomic status of Leurospondylus ultimus remains unresolved.
The Elasmosaurus scale drawing commissioned by Everything Dinosaur as the company’s fact sheet was updated. When Sinopliosaurus weiyuanensis was described, the ischium was thought to closely resemble the hip bones associated with Leurospondylus (L. ultimus). This helped to confirm the diagnosis that S. weiyuanensis fossil material represented a marine reptile – a member of the Plesiosauria clade.
The genus name (Sinopliosaurus) means “Chinese more lizard”, reflecting the assumed close taxonomic relationship with pliosaurs found elsewhere in the world.
Who Named the Pliosaurus Genus?
It was the English anatomist Sir Richard Owen who first used the genus Pliosaurus (Pliosaurus brachydeirus) back in 1841. Owen mistakenly believed that Pliosaurus was “more” closely related to “saurians” (including crocodilians) than it was to Plesiosaurus.
A scale drawing of a Pliosaurus. Fossils from the Lower Jurassic Ziliujing Formation and later fossil discoveries from the geologically much younger Xinlong Formation (sometimes referred to as the Napai Formation), were originally thought to represent a freshwater pliosaur. Only later did some of these fossils become ascribed to a species of spinosaurid theropod dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The scientific description of S. weiyuanensis was published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of China in 1944 by the eminent, Chinese palaeontologist and zoologist C.C. (Chung Chien) Young. Regarded as the “Father of Chinese vertebrate palaeontology”, his diagnosis was not challenged or questioned.
Spinosaurid fossils from Asia were unknown, the only substantial research into this enigmatic family of dinosaurs had been taking place in Germany (Stromer – Spinosaurus aegyptiacus). As the fossils were similar to those fossils ascribed to pliosaurs, it was thought that these Chinese fossils too, also represented a marine reptile.
Sinopliosaurus fusuiensis (Hou et al) 1975
Five isolated teeth from the Early Cretaceous Xinlong Formation (sometimes referred to as the Napai Formation) found in Fusui County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (South China), were described by Chinese palaeontologist Hou Lian-Hai and colleagues and a second species of Sinopliosaurus was erected – S. fusuiensis (1975).
The strata associated with these fossils is difficult to date accurately, but the consensus is that these sediments were deposited around 120 to 100 million years ago (Aptian-Albian faunal stage of the Early Cretaceous). The fossils ascribed to S. fusuiensis were around sixty million years younger than the fossil material associated with S. weiyuanensis.
PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus has an articulated jaw. The genus was originally erected under the presumption that the fossil material including isolated teeth represented a pliosaur (marine reptile).
The Emergence of Asian Spinosaurs – Siamosaurus suteethorni
Fossil teeth collected from the Lower Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation (Barremian faunal stage) in north-eastern Thailand by a joint Thai/French team in the early 1980s led to the conclusion that they represented an unusual theropod dinosaur or possibly an, as yet undescribed crocodyliform. A reassessment of the fossil material in 1986 led to the establishment of the Asian spinosaurid species Siamosaurus suteethorni. Subsequently, other fossil material has been described and assigned to this genus, principally fossils excavated from the slightly geologically younger Khok Kruat Formation of Thailand.
Siamosaurus was the first Asian spinosaur to be described and following its scientific description (Buffetaut and Ingavat, 1986), teeth and other material found in Asia has been reassigned to the Spinosauridae.
In 2008, Buffetaut and colleagues published a scientific paper (Cambridge University Press), that challenged the placement of Sinopliosaurus fusuiensis as a marine reptile. It was concluded that the conical teeth assigned to S. fusuiensis were not typical of a member of the Plesiosauria. Specifically, it was noted that these teeth bear carinae (sharp edges) on the plane of the crown’s curvature, a characteristic not seen in Plesiosauria teeth. Buffetaut et al subsequently re-described the material and stated that the teeth came from a spinosaurid theropod closely allied to Siamosaurus suteethorni.
The exact taxonomic position of S. fusuiensis remains unresolved, although the discovery of potential spinosaurid fossil material in Japan and the naming of the spinosaurid Ichthyovenator (I. laosensis) by Allain et al in 2012 confirms the presence of this enigmatic family of theropod dinosaurs in the Early Cretaceous of Asia.
“Fish Hunter” from Laos. A scale drawing of Ichthyovenator laosensis.
PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus
The PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus (S. fusuiensis), is expected in stock at Everything Dinosaur in the autumn of 2022.
The PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus is depicted walking close to a river. Fossils now ascribed to this theropod come from a fluvial/lacustrine palaeoenvironment (Xinlong Formation).
Team members at Everything Dinosaur are busy making preparations for the arrival of the latest PNSO model shipment including the PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model. This exciting, new Jurassic sauropod figure is expected to arrive at our UK warehouse in a few days and we have been busy finalising the Lingwulong fact sheet that will be sent out with sales of this model.
The Everything Dinosaur fact sheets include a scale drawing of the prehistoric animal. Our illustration of Lingwulong with a human figure providing the scale has been reproduced below.
A scale drawing of Lingwulong ready for the Everything Dinosaur fact sheet.
PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong
Measuring nearly forty-eight centimetres in length the PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model is one of the largest prehistoric animal figures to be added by PNSO to their Age of Dinosaurs range for some time.
Palaeontologists are uncertain as to the actual size of this dicraeosaurid, (Superfamily: Diplodocoidea/Family: Dicraeosauridae). Size estimates vary with a consensus, based on the currently known fossil material coalescing around the 17-20-metre-long mark.
Named and described back in 2018 (Xu et al), Lingwulong is the first ever member of the Diplodocoidea discovered in Asia and also the oldest known to science. Its fossils (several individuals), coming from the Yanan Formation in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China. The strata are estimated to be around 175 to 168 million years old (late Toarcian to Bajocian faunal stages of the Jurassic).
PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model.
An Eagerly Anticipated Jurassic Sauropod Figure
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Lingwulong is an eagerly anticipated Jurassic sauropod figure, it is one of the largest figures that PNSO have put into production over recent months, and we know that there are more new model announcements to come from PNSO.”
Posters and booklet for the PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model. The PNSO model will be supplied with an animal poster, a 64-page, full-colour booklet and of course, an Everything Dinosaur Lingwulong fact sheet.
The PNSO Chuanchuan the Lingwulong dinosaur model should be in stock in a few days. Team members will ensure that Everything Dinosaur customers who requested to be contacted, will be notified when this new dinosaur figure arrives.
Our thanks to talented, young artist Caldey who sent into Everything Dinosaur an illustration of a mother and baby Velociraptor inspired by the recent film “Jurassic World Dominion”. The skilfully produced drawing features Blue and her offspring Beta from the latest and potentially the last movie in the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” franchise.
The beautiful illustration of a pair of “raptors”. The drawing was inspired by the recent (June 2022) movie “Jurassic World Dominion”. The adult Velociraptor Blue and her offspring Beta. Picture credit: Caldey.
A “Raptor” Legacy
Dinosaurs, marine reptiles and pterosaurs roam freely, and human/dinosaur interactions result in inevitable fatalities. The authorities strive to monitor the movements of the genetically engineered prehistoric animals. Blue, one of the Velociraptors trained by Chris Pratt’s character Owen Grady in previous incarnations of the franchise, resides in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where Owen earns a living helping to capture and relocate stray dinosaurs. Owen discovers that Blue has a juvenile “raptor” with her, this is an asexually reproduced hatchling. The baby Velociraptor is named Beta by Maisie Lockwood (played by Isabella Sermon).
Whilst many different types of prehistoric animal have been depicted in the films, no dinosaur has had as much screen time dedicated to it as the iconic “raptors” which have featured in all the films in the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” genre.
A site safety notice at our local cinema spotted at the entrance as team members went to see “Jurassic World Dominion”.
Velociraptor Mother and Baby
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur thanked Caldey for her drawing and commented:
“Caldey’s choice of the Velociraptor pair for her illustration is fitting. These dinosaurs have featured in all six of the movies associated with this franchise. It is a wonderful drawing of Blue and Beta”.
Our thanks to dinosaur fan and model collector Nick from Greece, who is so excited about the forthcoming Beasts of the Mesozoic tyrannosaur series that he sent in an illustration of Gorgosaurus inspired by one of the models.
A Gorgosaurus confrontation. Inspired by the forthcoming Beasts of the Mesozoic tyrannosaur series (wave 1), Nick from Greece has chosen to illustrate Gorgosaurus. The Gorgosaurus figure will be in the third wave of model introductions scheduled for quarter 3 of 2023. Picture credit: Nick.
Beasts of the Mesozoic Tyrannosaurs
The tyrannosaur series is the third line of articulated prehistoric animal models, following the highly successful “raptors” and the ceratopsians. A total of twenty-four replicas of dinosaurs from within the Tyrannosauroidea superfamily will be featured, including a Gorgosaurus, which inspired Nick’s superb illustration.
The Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus libratus articulated figure inspired the illustration. The Gorgosaurus figure is scheduled to be part of the third wave of these tyrannosaur figures (September 2023).
Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus libratus
The Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus libratus figure will have twenty-two points of articulation and it will measure around 50 cm in length (1:18 scale model). The Gorgosaurus model is part of wave three of this series and it is expected to be introduced around quarter three of 2023.
In his email to Everything Dinosaur, the artist wrote:
“I am very grateful for your services, without your dedicated work it would be too difficult and expensive for us to purchase many of the dinosaur figures that you’re retailing. In my case the Beasts of the Mesozoic line. I am sending you this illustration as a gift for your contribution to our joyful hobby! It’s an illustration I’ve done last November (for the Dinovember art challenge) and it is inspired by the upcoming Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus figure. I hope you like it!”
Responding to Customer’s Requests
We do our best to respond to all our customer’s requests, questions and queries. Building up a relationship with your customer base is very important. Sometimes we get sent little gifts in appreciation of our efforts. Our thanks to Nick from Greece who sent us a wonderful dinosaur (Gorgosaurus libratus) illustration he had created.
Glad to know we are doing something right in these tough times.
To view the range of Beasts of the Mesozoic figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Beasts of the Mesozoic.
The recently aired television documentary series “Prehistoric Planet” has drawn praise for the way it depicted long extinct creatures as real animals and not movie monsters. This five-part series aimed to show animals such as marine reptiles, pterosaurs and of course dinosaurs doing more than just fighting, hunting and killing.
The stunning episodes have inspired a whole new generation of dinosaur fans and we have received an illustration of the female Velociraptor that featured in episode three (Freshwater), from young artist Caldey.
The female Velociraptor from the television documentary series “Prehistoric Planet”. The programmes were praised as they depicted prehistoric animals as living creatures rather than fearsome movie monsters. Picture credit: Caldey.
Hunting Roosting Pterosaurs
Our thanks to Caldey for sending into Everything Dinosaur her wonderful illustration of the female Velociraptor. This dinosaur was one of a trio of Velociraptors (a female and two males), in a segment showing these agile predators hunting roosting pterosaurs. Co-operative hunting behaviour was demonstrated and these clever theropods, after some drama, did manage to get a meal.
The female Velociraptor from episode 3 of the television series “Prehistoric Planet”. In this episode entitled “Freshwater” a trio of Velociraptors were shown co-operating in a successful hunt on a pterosaur nesting colony. Picture credit: Apple TV+.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Caldey has sent into Everything Dinosaur several dromaeosaurid drawings, but the female Velociraptor illustration is the first that was inspired by a television programme. Her inspiration for earlier dromaeosaur illustrations has come from prehistoric animal models, for example, the limited-edition Beasts of the Mesozoic Velociraptor osmolskae figure called Alpha.”
An illustration of Velociraptor osmolskae inspired by the limited-edition Beasts of the Mesozoic model called “Alpha”. Picture credit: Caldey.
In response to requests from dinosaur fans and aficionados of the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” movie franchise, team members at Everything Dinosaur have produced a dinosaur site safety sign and it is available absolutely free.
Whilst at our local cinema waiting to watch “Jurassic World Dominion”, team members spotted a joke site safety sign declaring three days since the last Tyrannosaurus rex attack. In response to requests received from our posts on social media we have created our own version of this safety sign and it is available as a pdf.
Having received requests from dinosaur fans wanting their own site safety sign we have created one especially for them.
An A4-sized PDF
The Everything Dinosaur site safety sign is available as a pdf document. It can be requested and emailed. The sign has been designed as an A4-sized document measuring 297 mm x 210 mm, once dinosaur fans have received the email, it can be printed off and if required laminated. A non-permanent marker pen can be used to write into the white box the number of days “without a dinosaur incident”. It is just a bit of fun, but would look good on a bedroom wall or on the door to a room.
A site safety notice at our local cinema spotted at the entrance as team members went to see “Jurassic World Dominion”. Inspired by this joke sign, Everything Dinosaur has designed its own dinosaur site safety sign.
The recent documentary series “Prehistoric Planet” has inspired many young artists to produce prehistoric animal drawings and illustrations depicting scenes from this highly acclaimed five-part television series.
Everything Dinosaur team members have observed an increased level of interest in dinosaurs and prehistoric animals after the programmes were aired on Apple TV+ last month (May 2022). Produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit and with Dr Darren Naish acting as lead scientific consultant, each programme looked at a specific dinosaur-dominated ecosystem that existed during the Late Cretaceous.
Young artist Caldey, was inspired by one scene in the first episode (Coasts), sending into Everything Dinosaur her illustration of a T. rex adult and juvenile.
Inspired by the first episode of the highly praised documentary television series “Prehistoric Planet”, Caldey has drawn an adult Tyrannosaurus rex and young. In the first episode of this five-part series, a male T. rex took its family to an off-shore island to feed on turtle remains and turtle hatchlings. Caldey shows T. rex not as a fearsome predator but as an attentive father. Picture credit: Caldey.
Depicting Prehistoric Animals as Living Creatures Not Movie Monsters
“Prehistoric Planet” has been praised for its depiction of dinosaurs and other long extinct creatures, not as terrifying, bloodthirsty movie monsters but as living animals capable of demonstrating complex social behaviours.
In Caldey’s illustration, the T. rex is depicted as an attentive parent. In contrast, when the film “Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom” was released in 2018, Caldey sent into Everything Dinosaur a drawing featuring Tyrannosaurus rex in an iconic scene from the movie.
In the Universal Studios production, T. rex is depicted as attacking a Carnotaurus. Once the abelisaurid had been subdued the Tyrannosaurus emits an ear-piercing roar.
Caldey illustrates an iconic scene from “Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom” when the T. rex attacks a Carnotaurus. Picture credit: Caldey.
Prehistoric Planet
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The Apple TV plus television series has inspired a whole new generation of dinosaur fans and we have received numerous drawings depicting prehistoric animals from the documentary series. Our thanks to Caldey for sending into Everything Dinosaur her illustration of the male T. rex with its offspring.”
Everything Dinosaur sells a wide range of dinosaur and prehistoric animal models including many theropod dinosaurs.
Everything Dinosaur has thousands of customers and ships dinosaur models and prehistoric animal merchandise to over a hundred countries. We have a 5-star service rating and award-winning customer service and as part of website updates and improvements we will be emphasising this on the home page.
Team members have been busy creating a small logo to emphasis our trusted delivery service and here is one of the designs that we have come up with.
Trust Everything Dinosaur to deliver. Team members have been busy creating a new icon for the website to emphasis our fine record of shipping dinosaur and prehistoric animal merchandise overseas.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:
“We can use the “e” from our logo and trademark to create the wheels for our delivery vehicle and we designed a dinosaur driver in keeping with the theme of our website. It was just for a bit of fun, but we do take our award-winning customer service and our excellent record for shipping overseas, extremely seriously.”
The updated and improved Everything Dinosaur website is currently undergoing testing and it is hoped to go live later in the summer (2022).
Everything Dinosaur specialises in the sale of dinosaur and prehistoric animal models and figures. Working in association with museums and other related educational bodies the UK-based company aims to create a marketplace for accurate, exciting, imaginative and educational products.
To visit the Everything Dinosaur website, click this link here: Everything Dinosaur.
