Our thanks to budding young artist Caldey who sent into Everything Dinosaur her wonderful illustration of the head of an Atrociraptor dinosaur. An Atrociraptor featured in the last “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” movie to be released (summer 2022). Our thanks to Caldey for sending in her detailed dinosaur drawing.
The head and neck of Atrociraptor (Atrociraptor panthera) a dinosaur which featured in the sixth instalment of the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” movie franchise. Picture by Caldey.
Atrociraptor marshalli
Named and described in 2004 from fossilised jaws, teeth and fragmentary skull bones (Currie and Varricchio), Atrociraptor marshalli is known from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of south-western Alberta (Campanian to Maastrichtian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous). It is one of several small (less than two metres long), theropod dinosaurs known from these strata. Isolated teeth suggest that Atrociraptor (or a dromaeosaurid very like it), may have been present throughout all parts of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation from the Drumheller Member through to the youngest – the Whitemud Member.
A scale drawing of the dromaeosaurid Atrociraptor marshalli.Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Atrociraptor Dinosaur
The illustration by Caldey shows the deep, robust skull associated with this genus and the texturing around the muzzle, over the eyes and at the back of the head is exquisite. We congratulate Caldey on her most impressive Atrociraptor drawing.
The eye looks extremely realistic, and the colour scheme chosen by Caldey is striking.
Our thanks once again to Caldey for sending in her drawing to Everything Dinosaur.
Earlier this week a young fan of dinosaurs came to visit us, we challenged our visitor to send us an illustration of their favourite dinosaur and we have received a Dilophosaurus drawing by George.
What a dramatic and imaginative illustration of this Early Jurassic, carnivorous dinosaur.
A very colourful and dramatic illustration of one of George’s favourite dinosaurs. A Dilophosaurus drawing influenced by the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” franchise. Picture credit: George.
Dilophosaurus Dinosaur Drawing
George is nine (nearly ten) and he is obsessed with dinosaurs. His favourite film is “Jurassic Park” and Audra and Richard, the grown-ups who came along with George for a tour of our warehouse, explained that George watches the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” movies over and over again. The Dilophosaurus drawing that George kindly provided is heavily influenced by the depiction of Dilophosaurus as a “frilled dinosaur that spits venom” from the film franchise.
George’s Dilophosaurus is very brightly coloured and the dinosaur has been given a spiked tail, sharp claws and spikes on the posterior portion of its hind legs. It looks a very formidable and dangerous dinosaur!
He is not alone in being influenced by the cinema recreations of dinosaurs. Back in 2021, team members at Everything Dinosaur were involved in product testing and certification of a frilled Dilophosaurus display piece created by our chums at ITOY Studio.
We think George’s drawing is equally dramatic and impressive.
A view of the superb crest on the new for 2021 ITOY Studio Dilophosaurus dinosaur model.
George is a big fan of the CollectA model range and spoke at length about some of his favourite models. He likes Ceratosaurus and was fascinated to hear that when this dinosaur was first discovered the fossils of the tail (caudal vertebrae) reminded scientists of the tail of a crocodile. This led them to conclude that Ceratosaurus was aquatic.
Audra and Richard commented that they would have liked to visit Lyme Regis with George so that he could go fossil hunting. Fortunately, we happened to have some ammonite and belemnite fossils from the “Jurassic Coast” of Dorset which we were happy to give to George. He was also delighted to receive some crocodile osteoderms and some small pieces of dinosaur bone to take home.
Thank you George for your wonderful dinosaur drawing.
Our thanks to mum Kay, for giving us permission to post up George’s artwork.
Everything Dinosaur has commissioned a Sinopliosaurus drawing as they prepare for the arrival of the PNSO Sinopliosaurus dinosaur model later in the autumn. The Sinopliosaurus illustration will be used in a free fact sheet that team members intend to send out with product sales.
Everything Dinosaur’s commissioned Sinopliosaurus illustration. This drawing will feature on the Sinopliosaurus fact sheet that the company is producing. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Resolving Taxonomy and Size Issues
It is our intention to produce a scale drawing of this putative spinosaurid. This in itself is quite a challenge as the fossils ascribed to this theropod have had a long and complicated taxonomic history. In addition, the size of this Chinese member of the Spinosauridae remains unknown, such is the fragmentary nature of the fossil material. If Sinopliosaurus (S. fusuiensis) is a synonym for Siamosaurus, the first reported and formally scientifically described spinosaurid from Asia* then size estimates would range between five and in excess of nine metres in length.
PNSO are adding a second member of the Spinosauridae family to their mid-size model range. Joining Essien the Spinosaurus is Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus. This figure is due to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in the late autumn (2022). Team members are researching and writing a fact sheet for this theropod dinosaur.
Siamosaurus suteethorni was named and described in 1986 (Éric Buffetaut and Rucha Ingavat), the absence of more substantial and complete fossil material, especially skull material has made estimating the potential size of these Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaurs extremely difficult.
Sinopliosaurus Drawing
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We congratulate PNSO for adding a replica of such an enigmatic Chinese fossil specimen to their Age of Dinosaurs mid-size model range. Whilst we welcome the introduction of some of the less well-known theropods, the addition of the Sinopliosaurus has given us a headache when it comes to researching and producing the free fact sheet on this dinosaur. However, we are confident that we will be able to rise to the challenge and anyway, we could always consult our customers and get their input on this matter.”
The PNSO Chongzuo the Sinopliosaurus is expected in stock at Everything Dinosaur later in the autumn, perhaps early to mid-November (2022).
To view the range of PNSO prehistoric animal models and figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Prehistoric Animal Figures.
Everything Dinosaur has commissioned a Patagotitan scale drawing as the company prepares for the arrive of a Patagotitan model from Safari Ltd. The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Patagotitan replica is due to arrive in stock at Everything Dinosaur in just a few days. This titanosaur figure is a new for 2022 Safari Ltd dinosaur model.
A Scale Drawing of the Huge Titanosaur Patagotitan mayorum
A scale drawing of the giant titanosaur Patagotitan mayorum commissioned by Everything Dinosaur. This huge dinosaur was estimated to have measured around 35 metres when its fossil bones were initially examined. When Patagotitan was formally named and scientifically described its body size and weight was reduced slightly. However, a reconstructed, life-size skeleton was built measuring 37.2 metres in length. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Patagotitan Model
Fortunately for Everything Dinosaur’s packing team, the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Patagotitan model is not a life-size replica. At more than thirty metres in length, this dinosaur could just about fit inside our warehouse, but it would be a tight squeeze.
The model is quite sizeable it measures a fraction over 38 cm in length, which if you consider the replica as a scale model, it would have a scale ratio of around 1:100.
Giant Dinosaur Fossils
Giant fossils of at least seven individual titanosaurs were discovered in southern Argentina in 2014. After an extensive study, this dinosaur was finally named in 2017. Perhaps one of the largest land animals to have ever lived, the binomial scientific name is Patagotitan mayorum. The name translates as “the Mayo family’s Patagonian titan”, as the fossils were found on the Mayo ranch in Patagonia.
The new for 2022 Wild Safari Prehistoric World Patagotitan model. This titanosaur model measures over 38 cm long which effectively makes this figure a 1:100 scale model.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that the new for 2022 Patagotitan model should be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in a few days.
A collection of beautiful prehistoric animal illustrations by renowned, British palaeoartist John Sibbick is to be auctioned later this month (September 2022). The pencil and gouache drawings are part of a huge art collection amassed by Anthony Beeson.
A tyrannosaur attacks a hadrosaur. Stunning artwork in the collection of the late Anthony Beeson. Picture credit: John Sibbick.
A Lifetime of Prehistoric Animal Art Collecting
Polymath Anthony Beeson was the creative driving force behind the highly successful, award-winning dinosaur and prehistoric animal figure series manufactured by CollectA. In the attic of his modest home on the outskirts of Bristol, he kept his huge collection of dinosaur books, toys and other prehistoric animal themed memorabilia. He spent nearly four decades as the Art Librarian at Bristol’s central library and his eclectic range of interests from fine art, ceramics, antique jewellery and pottery are reflected in his personal collection. He had a fascination for and a great knowledge of Roman and Greek art and archaeology and amassed an enormous number of artefacts and curios.
With Anthony’s sad passing earlier this year, an auction has been organised by the Estate executors so that some of Anthony’s treasured possessions can be passed onto other collectors to enjoy.
The original pencil drawing of a resting Albertosaurus by John Sibbick, part of the estate of the late Anthony Beeson.
The Auction
Some of this amazing collection, reflecting a lifetime of collecting is being auctioned later this month (September 2022) by the auctioneers Chorley’s, details of which can be found here: Chorley’s the Auctioneers.
The auction featuring Anthony’s collection of John Sibbick palaeoart is to take place on the 20th and 21st September (2022) and on-line bidding will be available. This is an opportunity for fans of prehistoric animal art to purchase original pencil and gouache drawings by John Sibbick.
An illustration of the hadrosaurid Mandschurosaurus by John Sibbick. Part of the estate of Anthony Beeson being auctioned by Chorley’s.
Foraging dinosaurs. Pencil artwork by John Sibbick. This illustration is part of the estate of the late Anthony Beeson.
A Rare Opportunity
Amongst the extensive lots are some original pencil and gouache dinosaur illustrations by renowned British artist, John Sibbick. Anthony often remarked to Everything Dinosaur team members how John Sibbick was his favourite palaeoartist and his work had influenced many of the prehistoric animal model designs that Anthony worked on for the CollectA range.
The auction is a rare opportunity to purchase original, signed artwork from a famous British artist, artwork that has been used to illustrate many books about prehistoric animals and dinosaurs.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of Laura Milne of Chorley’s for her assistance in the compilation of this article and permission to reproduce the images.
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”.
