Borealopelta markmitchelli Fact Sheet Preparations

In a few weeks’ time, the first of the 2019 CollectA prehistoric animal models will be coming into stock at Everything Dinosaur.  One of the first figures expected to arrive is the Age of Dinosaurs Borealopelta figure, a fifteen centimetre long replica of a nodosaurid that roamed north-western Alberta around 112 million years ago.  The fact sheet for this new dinosaur model is being prepared and a scale drawing of Borealopelta (B. markmitchelli) has been produced.

The Scale Drawing of Borealopelta (B. markmitchelli) Prepared for the Everything Dinosaur Fact Sheet

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Heavily Armoured with Countershading

The exquisite state of preservation has permitted palaeontologists to gain a great deal of information about the position of the osteoderms and scutes that covered the dinosaur’s body.  When the scientific paper providing the formal description of Borealopelta was published in 2017, the research team described how chemical analysis of organic compounds in the armour and skin permitted the research team to infer the armoured dinosaur’s pigmentation.

It was discovered that Borealopelta possessed countershading, with a reddish-brown top half contrasting with a much paler underside.  In extant animals, countershading helps to provide camouflage against predators, but most large animals today, such as rhinos, elephants and hippos, don’t have countershading.

The CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Borealopelta Dinosaur Model

Borealopelta markmitchelli

At more than five metres long and with such strong armour, it seems surprising that this armoured dinosaur would evolve countershading to help it avoid detection.  Such a large and powerfully built dinosaur would have presented a formidable opponent for most theropod dinosaurs, but apparently it paid Borealopelta to try to maintain a low profile.

It is not known what sort of meat-eating dinosaurs Borealopelta tried to hide from but three-toed prints, some measuring in excess of 90 cm long and ascribed to the ichnogenus Irenesauripis indicate that they may have been some 12-metre-plus carnivores in the ecosystem that were best avoided.

Everything Dinosaur’s original blog post announcing the discovery of the fossilised remains but before a formal scientific description was published can be found here: Extremely Rare Ankylosaur Fossil Turns Up in Alberta’s Oil Sands.

To read an article about the dermal armour of Borealopelta markmitchelli: The Remarkable Armour of Borealopelta.

What Sort of Giant Theropods?

As to what sort of theropods could have predated Borealopelta, we can only speculate.  However, it has been postulated that the super-sized carnivores that Borealopelta was trying to avoid were probably carcharodontosaurids or allosaurids.  This armoured dinosaur is estimated to have weighed more than 1.3 Tonnes, it is much larger than animals alive today that have evolved countershading, therefore, the assumption is that there must have been super-sized, hypercarnivores that Borealopelta was trying to avoid.

Summarising the Research into the Armoured Dinosaur Borealopelta

Picture credit: Brown et al, published in Current Biology with additional annotation from Everything Dinosaur

To view the range of  CollectA  prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models.

The scientific paper: “An Exceptionally Preserved Three-Dimensional Armored Dinosaur Reveals Insights into Coloration and Cretaceous Predator-Prey Dynamics” by Caleb M. Brown, Donald M. Henderson, Jakob Vinther, Ian Fletcher, Ainara Sistiaga, Jorsua Herrera and Roger E. Summons published in Current Biology.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Rebor Club Selection Limited-edition Baryonyx “Hurricane”

Team members at Everything Dinosaur are busy making plans for the imminent arrival of the latest figure in the Rebor Club Selection range – a hatching Baryonyx nicknamed “Hurricane”.  Only 1,000 of these highly collectable replicas have been produced and like the hatching Triceratops (Jolly) and the T. rex (Rudy), the Baryonyx replica is likely to sell out quickly.

New for 2019, the Rebor Club Selection Limited Edition Baryonyx Figure

Inspired by a Footballer – Harry Kane

Baryonyx is known from Lower Cretaceous strata from Europe, most notably the Upper Weald Clay Formation in Surrey, from which the holotype specimen was excavated in 1983.  This theropod is associated with southern England and the Isle of Wight, but isolated teeth and other material from Portugal and further afield suggest that Baryonyx (or closely related species/ancestral forms) may have had a wider distribution.

Both the Weald Clay Formation and the Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, which has also yielded Baryonyx walkeri fossil material, represent palaeoenvironments that would have been subjected to tropical storms so the moniker “Hurricane” is scientifically appropriate.  However, it was the 2018 renaissance of the English football team captained by Harry Kane that proved the inspiration for the name “Hurricane”.

Baryonyx and the World Cup

In 2018, the England football team reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia and in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, England have qualified for the semi-finals.  England’s semi-final against Holland in June 2019, will be played in Portugal, highly appropriate as fossil material ascribed to the Baryonyx genus has also been described from that country.

The Rebor Hatching Baryonyx – “Hurricane” (Harry Kane)

Baryonyx walkeri

When the field team from the British Museum (London Natural History Museum), had finished excavating the fossil remains from the Smokejacks Brickworks in Ockley (Dorking, Surrey) in 1983, some 70% of the skeleton of an individual meat-eating dinosaur had been recovered.  This makes this fossil material one of the most complete, large theropod dinosaur remains to have been found in Europe.  The Smokejacks Brickworks material represents a sub-adult animal, so estimating the size of Baryonyx walkeri is difficult.  However, most vertebrate palaeontologists estimate that this theropod reached an adult size of between 7.5 to 10 metres in length, but like all dinosaurs, this giant hatched from an egg.

The Limited-edition Rebor Hatching Baryonyx Dinosaur Figure “Hurricane”

A Hand-painted Rebor Replica

The hand-painted, highly detailed figure has  been beautifully sculpted and the dinosaur can be displayed with or without the football accessory.  Note also the care taken to sculpt that enlarged, curved thumb claw, an anatomical feature that first drew the attention of the world’s media to the fossil discovery back in 1983.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We are excited and can’t wait to take delivery of this limited-edition dinosaur figure. The stock is due to arrive at our warehouse in the next few days and then we shall be emailing all those collectors who have asked us to reserve a Club Selection replica hatching Baryonyx for them.  We suspect that when “Hurricane” arrives it will create a bit of storm amongst fans of dinosaur models.”

To view the range of Rebor prehistoric animal replicas in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

Beasts of the Mesozoic Velociraptor osmolskae Figure (Limited Edition)

Plans are progressing well at Everything Dinosaur with regards to new additions to the very popular Beasts of the Mesozoic collectable “raptor” figures.  New lines will be coming into stock in the spring and we have featured the new additions in a previous blog post and a customer e-newsletter.  Today, we focus on one of these new replicas, the limited-edition Beasts of the Mesozoic Velociraptor osmolskae figure, that will only be available for sale in Europe from Everything Dinosaur.

New for 2019 – A Limited Edition Beast of the Mesozoic Velociraptor osmolskae Figure

Beasts of the Mesozoic

To read our previous article that provides details on all the new Beasts of the Mesozoic “raptor” releases for 2019: New Beasts of the Mesozoic Figures for 2019.

The first batch of Beasts of the Mesozoic figures will focus on the “raptors”. However, there are plans to launch articulated ceratopsians and tyrannosaurs.

Superb Quality Articulated Figures

The Beasts of the Mesozoic range consist of superb quality, articulated figures.  They are the brainchild of the highly talented and respected artist David Silva.  Everything Dinosaur team members are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the new “raptors” including the limited-edition Velociraptor osmolskae figure, the second species to be named in the Velociraptor genus (named in 2008, whereas V. mongoliensis was formally named and described back in 1924).

The Limited-edition Beasts of the Mesozoic Velociraptor osmolskae Box Contents

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“It is fitting to see a Velociraptor named after a Polish scientist – Halszka Osmólska, and one first described by researchers led by a Belgian palaeontologist – Pascal Godefroit, coming to Europe.  It has been eleven years since this ground dwelling carnivore was formally named and described and more than ninety years since the genus Velociraptor was erected, it is great to see a Velociraptor osmolskae figure added to our inventory.”

To view the range of Beasts of the Mesozoic articulated figures offered by Everything Dinosaur: Beasts of the Mesozoic Figures.

Beautiful Artwork

One of the features of this highly collectable range of prehistoric animals is the beautiful box art.  The Velociraptor osmolskae illustration on the box is from renowned artist Raul Ramos.  Raul will be the package illustrator for the ceratopsian themed articulated figure series which will be the next range of models to be launched.

The Stunning Velociraptor osmolskae Package Art

Picture credit: Raul Ramos

In the beautiful illustration by Raul Ramos, the Velociraptor is depicted in a dry, arid environment.  The type fossil specimen for this species comes from the Bayan Mandahu Formation of China, strata that represents a desert habitat, so the backdrop chosen by the artist is entirely appropriate.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

The Carnegie Collection Acrocanthosaurus Model Discovered During a Stocktake

Team members at Everything Dinosaur recently started the company’s annual stocktake.  Whilst tidying up, a handful of rare dinosaur models were discovered.  Some Safari Ltd Carnegie Collection Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur models, complete with original packaging and labels.  This dinosaur model went out of production many years ago and is highly-prized by collectors.

A Surprising Discovery in the Warehouse

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The End of the Line Back in Early 2015

The Carnegie Collection range of prehistoric animal models was retired in early 2015.  The last of the dinosaur models to be added to this range was a Velociraptor.  The Carnegie Collection range is regarded as a set of “classic” figures, they may not be anatomically accurate, not by the standards set these days, but the hand-painted models are highly sought after by discerning collectors.  To find some Carnegie Collection Acrocanthosaurus models is a real coup.

Two of the Hand-painted Carnegie Collection Acrocanthosaurus Models

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To read about the ending of the Safari Ltd range of Carnegie Collectable prehistoric animal figures: The End of the Line for the Carnegie Collection Range of Models.

A spokesperson for the UK-based dinosaur company stated:

“The models were found at the start of our annual company inventory review.  Just a handful of these rare models are available, we expect that once we publicise this, the remaining figures that we have will be snapped up by dinosaur fans and model collectors.  These figures come complete with their original labels and plastic bases – we never thought that we would see the likes of them again.”

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Carnegie Collection Model Number 403901 – Acrocanthosaurus

The Carnegie Collection Acrocanthosaurus (model number 403901), was first produced back in 2001, like the rest of this popular range, it was thought to be long gone.  However, a handful have been discovered, all in pristine condition in Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse.

For a chance to purchase one of these extremely rare dinosaur models and to view the rest of the prehistoric animal models in the Safari Ltd range that is in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Safari Ltd Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

We wonder what other little treasures our annual stocktake might turn up!