All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
10 05, 2024

The New CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor will be in Stock Soon

By |2024-05-10T14:18:08+01:00May 10th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

The new for 2024, CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor dinosaur model will be in stock soon.  A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that the first new for 2024 CollectA figures will be arriving shortly.  The model has been created to mark the centenary of the formal scientific description of the first Velociraptor species (Osborn, 1924.)  The first Velociraptor species was V. mongoliensis. A second species was named and described in 2008 (V. osmolskae).

A spokesperson from the UK-based mail order company confirmed that the CollectA Deluxe Dearc pterosaur figure along with the 1:100 scale Dreadnoughtus models were arriving first.  In addition, the set of mini-sauropod models will also be stocked shortly.  The new 1:6 scale Velociraptor will be available later in the year.

The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor model.

The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor figure in lateral view. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor Model

The new dromaeosaurid figure features some new anatomical features associated with this type of dinosaur.  This model has a propatagium on each forelimb. A propatagium is a fold of skin associated with the wing of volant birds. It is a soft tissue structure that unites the wrists and shoulders. It helps with the wing flapping motion. Scientists think that this structure may have first evolved to help these terrestrial animals make sharp turns yet remain balanced and stable as they ran.

To watch a short video review of the new Velociraptor figure: CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor Video Review.

A close-up view of the new CollectA Velociraptor dinosaur model.

The new Velociraptor model has an articulated lower jaw.  The propatagium can be seen on the model helping to form the leading edge of the wing.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the range of CollectA Deluxe prehistoric animal figures available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Figures.

Scent Glands

The beautiful figure has also been given a pair of scent glands, either side of the cloaca.  Velociraptor was an animal that lived in a desert environment.  It probably lived in packs and had an extensive territory.  It may have used scent marking to define territory and to delineate individual status within the pack.  Many extant birds have scent glands.  Reptiles such as crocodiles have scent glands as well.  The CollectA design team have speculated that Velociraptor used scent marking too.

With such a big tail to waft any fragrances about, it does make sense.

The CollectA Velociraptor model in dorsal view.

The shape of the figure suggests an agile pursuit predator.  The big tail with its extensive surface area could have helped to disperse scent on the desert wind.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that the CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor model would be in stock soon.

CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor dinosaur model.

The CollectA Deluxe Velociraptor model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

9 05, 2024

Tyrannosaurus rex Was Not as Clever as a Primate According to New Research

By |2024-05-07T12:48:53+01:00May 9th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils, Teaching|0 Comments

New scientific research has challenged the findings of a 2023 study that concluded T. rex may have been as clever as a primate. How smart was T. rex? That is a fascinating question, one that body and trace fossils cannot really answer. The idea that the Dinosauria were slow, lumbering, stupid giants has largely been debunked. However, scientists have continued to puzzle over their cognitive abilities.

In April 2023, Everything Dinosaur blogged about a controversial study by Dr Suzana Herculano-Houzel from the Department of Psychology at Vanderbilt University (Tennessee). Doctor Herculano-Houzel postulated that Tyrannosaurus rex had around 3 billion cerebral neurons. The Brazilian neuroscientist implied that this super-sized predator had cognitive capabilities that matched primates.

Titus the T.rex exhibit. A T. rex skeleton on display.

The spectacular Titus the T. rex exhibit at Wollaton Hall.  How smart was T. rex?  A newly published paper challenges an earlier study that postulated that this theropod was as clever as an extant primate. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The earlier paper proposed that large theropods such as Tyrannosaurus rex were long-lived, and remarkably intelligent.  It was postulated that these animals had “macaque or baboon-like cognition”.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post about this paper: How Big was a T. rex Brain?

Challenging Established Views About Dinosaur Intelligence

The research challenged established views on dinosaur biology and inferred behaviours.  In addition, the earlier paper raised questions about whether neuron count estimates could benefit research on extinct animals in general.  However, a team of international scientists, including Dr Darren Naish (University of Southampton), have refuted these claims.  In a study published in “The Anatomical Record”, the researchers conclude that Tyrannosaurus rex was probably about as smart as a modern crocodile.

Their work reaffirms older theories about the intelligence of large theropods. Soft tissue structures like dinosaur brains rarely survive as fossils. Scientists can use endocasts, moulds made of the brain cavity to estimate brain size and structure. This is imperfect. For example, in extant crocodilians the brain only occupies about a third of the cranial cavity. In mammals and birds nearly 100% of this cavity is occupied by the brain.  By revisiting Herculano-Houzel’s (2023) work, the researchers identified several crucial discrepancies regarding interpretation and analysis of data.

Dr Herculano-Houzel probably overestimated the size of the brain of T. rex. It was assumed that the brain filled the whole of the endocranial cavity. In essence, the brain size of T. rex was modelled on mammals and birds, but this new study suggests crocodilians are a better analogy.

How smart was T. rex?

Blue: olfactory bulb and tracts, Green: pallium (homologous to the mammalian cerebral cortex), Orange: cerebellum, Yellow: diencephalon and optic tectum, Violet: brain stem. Olfactory structures, pallium and subpallium comprise the telencephalon. The overlay in grey indicates extinct taxa, the brain morphologies of which are estimated. The brain morphology of extinct ornithodirans is similar when compared to living reptiles. Picture credit: Caspar et al.

How Smart was T. rex?

The data used by Dr Herculano-Houzel was found to be inconsistent. For instance, brain size estimates had included other structures that are located in the cranium, but not part of the brain, the olfactory bulb for example. In addition, the earlier study had used a mixture of both juvenile and adult tyrannosaurs.  The use of not fully mature animals in the study could have led to inaccurate results.

The team revised the estimates of encephalisation and telencephalic neuron counts in the Dinosauria.  For large-bodied theropods in particular, this study estimated significantly lower neuron counts than previously proposed.  Their phylogenetic modelling indicated a neuron count for T. rex at between 250 million and 1.7 billion neurons.  Although the data spread was substantial, the results modelled reflect the neuron counts found in extant crocodilians.  This dataset did not produce neuron counts approaching those found in primates.

A close-up view of the Rebor T. rex Tusk figure.

A close-up view of the detail on the head of the Rebor T. rex Tusk dinosaur model.  Although this theropod was a formidable predator, its intelligence may have been overestimated. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

 

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) shows a close-up view of a 1:35 scale model of a Rebor Tyrannosaurus rex.

To view the Rebor range of prehistoric animals available from Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Figures.

Brain Size May Not Represent the Best Measure of Cognitive Abilities

Furthermore, the researchers reviewed the suitability of neurological variables such as neuron numbers and relative brain size to predict cognitive complexity, metabolic rate and life history traits in dinosaurs.  They concluded that these measures are not helpful when trying to assess the cognition of extinct creatures.

The team stated that trying to gauge the cognitive abilities of dinosaurs without close living analogues is extremely challenging.  Neuron numbers might be considered a minor component in an assessment of intelligence and much more work is required to build a robust framework to better understand the level of cognition in extinct animals.  In addition, the team concluded that given the depiction of dinosaurs in the popular media, researchers should acknowledge the limitations of the presented inferences to allow their audience to delineate between reasoned conclusions and speculation.

So, when it comes to calculating how smart was T. rex?  Scientists have yet to devise robust models to explore dinosaur intelligence.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of the open-source paper (Caspar et al) published in the journal The Anatomical Record in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research” by Kai R. Caspar, Cristián Gutiérrez-Ibáñez, Ornella C. Bertrand, Thomas Carr, Jennifer A. D. Colbourne, Arthur Erb, Hady George, Thomas R. Holtz Jr, Darren Naish, Douglas R. Wylie and Grant R. Hurlburt published in The Anatomical Record.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Models and Toys.

8 05, 2024

Happy Birthday Sir David Attenborough Ninety-Eight Years Young!

By |2024-05-07T15:14:31+01:00May 8th, 2024|Dinosaur Fans, Famous Figures, Main Page|0 Comments

Today, May the 8th is the ninety-eighth birthday of Sir David Attenborough.  Sir David can be described as a “national treasure”.  Naturalist, biologist, campaigner and broadcaster his work has spanned eight decades.  Back in 2023, we experimented with artificial intelligence (AI) to compose a birthday message.  Chat GPT was employed to compose a suitable piece for our blog.

To read last year’s birthday message: Happy 97th Birthday Sir David Attenborough.

Twelve months on, and AI continues to develop at a remarkable pace.  For this year’s birthday message, we have utilised the AI chatbot aggregator Poe (poe.com) which provides users with access to a variety of AI tools and chatbots.

The AI Birthday Message

Happy 98th Birthday! Today, we celebrate not only another year of your remarkable life but also the immeasurable contributions you have made to our understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Your unwavering commitment to conservation and your extraordinary storytelling have touched the hearts of millions, leaving an indelible mark on the collective consciousness.

Sir David Attenborough.

Still enthusing about the natural world, the remarkable Sir David Attenborough.

Through your captivating documentaries, you have taken us on awe-inspiring journeys, unravelling the wonders of our planet and shedding light on the urgent need to protect its fragile ecosystems. Your voice, filled with passion and knowledge, has served as a beacon of hope, reminding us of our responsibility as stewards of this magnificent Earth.

Your tireless efforts to raise awareness about climate change, biodiversity loss, and the importance of sustainable living have inspired a global movement. You have sparked conversations, ignited curiosity, and empowered countless individuals to take action, making a real difference in the fight to preserve our planet for future generations.

As we celebrate your 98th birthday, we are grateful for the wisdom and inspiration you continue to impart. Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering love for nature are a testament to a life well-lived. May this day be filled with joy, surrounded by loved ones, and may the year ahead bring you good health, happiness, and many more opportunities to share your invaluable knowledge with the world.

Happy birthday, Sir David Attenborough! Thank you for being a shining light in our quest to protect and cherish the beauty of our natural world.

ENDS

We added a media image, a signed photograph of Sir David that we received some years ago.

Many Happy Returns Sir David Attenborough

These are changing times, our world is changing, and technology is changing too.  The genie is well and truly out of the bottle and AI is here to stay.  It will continue to have an enormous impact on our lives and on our planet.  Let us hope that technologies like artificial intelligence can help us develop strategies to combat climate change and to devise robust conservation strategies.

In the meantime, we continue to adopt processes and systems that increase the use of recycled materials in our business.  Furthermore, we have embarked on several projects exploring the adoption of more sustainable product packaging.  In addition, we are continuing to explore ways of reducing single use plastic within the model making industry.

We are sure Sir David would approve.

On that note, we wish you Sir, many happy returns.

Contact Everything Dinosaur to enquire about our environmental policy: Email Everything Dinosaur Team Members.

7 05, 2024

New Haolonggood Baryonyx Model (Wei Ding Guo) Reviewed

By |2024-05-02T15:17:40+01:00May 7th, 2024|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Product Reviews|0 Comments

Our thanks to dinosaur fan William who sent in a review of the Haolonggood Baryonyx model.  William chose to review Wei Ding Guo, the brown coloured Baryonyx.  William suggested that this model represented a female.  The blue colour variant (Shan Ting) probably represented a male.  Haolonggood have chosen to depict Baryonyx as a lithe and agile animal.  Both Haolonggood Baryonyx models have articulated lower jaws.

William praised the design team and suggested that these figures had been inspired by Dr Scott Hartman’s interpretation of Baryonyx walkeri.

Haolonggood Baryonyx Wei Ding Guo model.

A stunning image of the new for 2024 Haolonggood Baryonyx model Wei Ding Guo wading through some water.

The reviewer stated:

“I really like the brown colouration with the admixture of mottling. It is all very natural and the heavy claw on both hands is expertly done.”

The Haolonggood Baryonyx Model (Wei Ding Guo)

William had been on a special quest to obtain accurate models of Baryonyx. He suggested that the late William Walker, who discovered the holotype fossils, would have been proud to own these Haolonggood figures.  Both models measure twenty-six centimetres in length and stand nine centimetres high.  Haolonggood have proposed a scale of 1:35 for their Baryonyx dinosaur models.

This Haolonggood Baryonyx model was described:

“A most excellent and accurate example of the species to add to one’s collection.”

 

Haolonggood Baryonyx dinosaur model (Shan Ting).

The Haolonggood Baryonyx dinosaur model in the blue colour scheme (Shan Ting).

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the range of Haolonggood prehistoric animal models in stock: Dinosaur Models from Haolonggood.

Praising Everything Dinosaur

William very kindly praised Everything Dinosaur team members.

He stated:

“Now let me take the final moments of my review to give praise where praise is due to Everything Dinosaur.”

He thanked the team for their efforts sourcing such a huge variety of prehistoric animal figures and models.

Our thanks to William for his kind words and for his comments praising Everything Dinosaur.

Visit the award-winning and easy to use Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Models, Figures and Toys.

6 05, 2024

Researchers Discover World’s First Tapeworm Body Fossil

By |2024-05-06T15:02:47+01:00May 6th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

International researchers including scientists from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (China) have found a tapeworm fossil preserved in amber.  The amber was mined in Myanmar and is believed to date from approximately 99 million years ago.  The three-dimensionally preserved fossil displays unique external and internal features.  These features most closely resemble the tentacles of the trypanorhynch tapeworms that parasitise marine elasmobranchs (sharks and rays).

It is a mystery as to how the marine parasite ended up preserved in tree resin.  One theory is that the carcase of an elasmobranch was scavenged by a theropod dinosaur. The dinosaur fed on the carcase close to where a pine tree was exuding resin.  As the dinosaur tore the carcase apart part of the parasite was flung at the tree and entombed in the resin as it seeped from the bark.

How as a marine tapeworm preserved in tree resin?

A hypothetical ecological reconstruction of the fossil trypanorhynch tapeworm (drawn by YANG Dinghua). The fossil tapeworm was lodged in the intestine of an elasmobranch and the dead host was possibly scavenged by a dinosaur on a strandline with pine resin extruding nearby. Picture credit: Cihang Luo.

Studying a Tapeworm Fossil

Tapeworms are a type of parasitic flatworm (Class Cestoda). Many have complex life cycles, with larvae developing in one host before invading a secondary host in which they grow to adults and produce eggs.  Some six thousand species are known, and they infect all major groups of vertebrates including mammals and ourselves.  Their fossil record is extremely sparse.  However, there is a record of possible tapeworm eggs having been preserved in the coprolite of a Permian shark.

Researcher Wang Bo (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology), commented that the fossil is the first ever tapeworm body fossil found. The specimen provides direct evidence of the evolution of the Cestoda.

Fossil tapeworm compared to an extant tapeworm.

The fossil tapeworm from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (circa 99 million years ago) and the comparison with the tentacle of an extant trypanorhynch tapeworm. (A) Microscopic image of fossil tapeworm. (B) Micro-CT image of fossil tapeworm. (C) Scanning electron microscopy image of an extant trypanorhynch tapeworm. Picture credit: Cihang Luo.

The discovery demonstrates the remarkable preservation properties of amber.

How Did the Marine Tapeworm Become Trapped in Tree Resin?

PhD student Luo Cihang (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology), suggested how a marine tapeworm became trapped in tree resin.

He proposed:

“It may have parasitised the intestines of a ray. The ray’s body was washed ashore and was preyed upon by a dinosaur.  As the dinosaur consumed the internal organs of the ray, the worm fell out and become enveloped in nearby resin.”

The research, conducted by scientists from multiple countries including China, Germany, the United Kingdom and Myanmar, was recently published in the academic journal Geology.

Internal structure of fossil tapeworm compared to an extant tapeworm.

The comparison of the internal structure of the fossil (A) with the tentacle of an extant trypanorhynch tapeworm (B). Abbreviation: ivt—invaginated tentacle. Picture credit: Cihang Luo.

A Remarkable Fossil Find

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that this was a remarkable and unique fossil discovery.  To find a tapeworm fossil preserved in amber is astonishing.  Furthermore, it added to the growing body of evidence that amber from Myanmar was produced from Cretaceous trees growing close to the coast.  Amber from Myanmar has yielded some amazing fossils, including the shell of an ammonite.  The ammonite shell preserved in the tree resin is further evidence that this Cretaceous forest was close to a marine environment.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s early blog post about the ammonite shell preserved in amber: Ammonite Shell Preserved in Amber from Myanmar.

The scientists conclude that the exquisite preservation provides and exceptional example of a marine endoparasite.  The study provides, arguably the most convincing body fossil of a flatworm discovered to date.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release requested from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Exceptional preservation of a marine tapeworm tentacle in Cretaceous amber” by Cihang Luo, Harry W. Palm, Yuhui Zhuang, Edmund A. Jarzembowski, Thet Tin Nyunt and Bo Wang published in Geology.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Prehistoric Animal Models and Fossil Replicas.

4 05, 2024

Spotting Jurassic Fossils During a Trip to London

By |2024-05-04T13:02:05+01:00May 4th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Geology, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Team members at Everything Dinosaur spotted some Jurassic fossils whilst on a recent trip to London.  It might be surprising to learn that you can see fossils in our capital city, but you can if you know where to look.  You do not have to visit a museum to see fossilised remains of prehistoric animals.  Many of the buildings in London are made from Portland stone.  This limestone, famed for its quality is quarried in Dorset. Dorset is famous of having much of the “Jurassic Coast” within it.  Other famous buildings are also constructed from limestone. These rocks too, also contain lots of fossils of marine invertebrates.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, also known as the V&A is built from limestone.  The front facade and the low walls surrounding the building are full of Jurassic fossils.  They are easy to spot.

Jurassic fossils preserved in Portland stone.

The stones used to build the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A Museum) in London contain fossils. The stone is probably similar to Portland stone from Dorset (southern England). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Jurassic Fossils in London

The Museum was founded in 1852. Like many Victorian buildings in Britain, it was constructed from Jurassic limestone.  It is located in South Kensington, a short distance from the London Natural History Museum.

To read an article from Everything Dinosaur about fossil hunting in London: Fossil Hunting in London A Guide to Finding Fossils in the Capital.

These stones contain the fossilised remains of thousands of marine gastropods, brachiopods and bivalves.  These stones preserve a record of a devastating event.  An immense natural disaster such as a tropical storm or tsunami smashed a shallow marine habitat.  The shallow seascape took the full force of this natural disaster. The jumbled remains of the invertebrates can be clearly seen in the building stones.

The stones may also contain fragmentary remains of Jurassic ammonites.

Ammonite fossils (Dactylioceras).

A selection of ammonite fossils fragments of ammonites and other marine invertebrates can be found in stones used for building materials.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visitors to London can find evidence of the destruction of an ancient marine ecosystem preserved in the buildings.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Models and Prehistoric Animal Toys.

3 05, 2024

Popular Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus and Feefo Reviews

By |2024-05-01T13:29:45+01:00May 3rd, 2024|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur team members came across a post on Facebook enquiring about the Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus model.  A request had been made for views and opinions on this articulated dinosaur figure.  The UK-based mail order company had received several customer reviews regarding this tyrannosaur.  We were happy to share these reviews and to post them up onto the Facebook thread.

Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus reviewed.

The Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus is an exceptionally popular articulated tyrannosaur figure. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Popular Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus

The Gorgosaurus figure has proved to be extremely popular amongst collectors since its launch.  The two customer reviews we shared on the Facebook thread had been collated by Feefo.  Feefo provides genuine customer reviews.  Both reviewers gave the figure five stars (top marks).

The first reviewer stated:

“Gorgeous colours, fine details, love how big this figure is.”

The Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus model is in 1:18 scale.  It measures more than fifty centimetres long.

Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus figure.

The Beasts of the Mesozoic Gorgosaurus libratus articulated figure inspired the illustration. The Gorgosaurus figures is scheduled to be part of the third wave of these tyrannosaur figures (September 2023).

To view the Beasts of the Mesozoic range of prehistoric animal figures: Beasts of the Mesozoic Dinosaur Models.

The second Feefo review that Everything Dinosaur added to the Facebook post stated:

“Five stars for the model for the paint application. Five stars for the sculpt work and style of the model. Size is nice. My only minor thing is the joints on mine are slightly too stiff but always recommend to heat gently with a hairdryer before doing too much posing to stop you breaking the joints. I definitely will be getting more from the range and would recommend them to collectors.”

It is always a pleasure to provide information to fellow dinosaur model fans.  We hope that the two Feefo reviews we posted were useful to the Facebook group members.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Toys.

2 05, 2024

Providing Helpful and Important Information for European Customers

By |2024-05-04T09:40:14+01:00May 2nd, 2024|Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Last month (April 2024), Everything Dinosaur reported upon some difficulties in the European Customs network.  Problems with a software upgrade had caused some parcels to be delayed.  Team members regularly monitor the progress of customer deliveries. We do this as we can quickly identify any issues or delays in the delivery network. We became aware of parcel delays due to difficulties in Ireland and sent out a media release on the 13th April.

It was stressed that we would like to be kept informed and we requested further information from the Irish Tax and Customs authority and our partners in Ireland SimplyVAT.  Further media releases were sent out on the 18th and the 24th of April.  These posts were intended to keep our customers informed of developments.  In addition, we set about emailing all those customers whose parcels had been held up.

We have been informed that the problem has been resolved and parcels are now moving normally.

Everything Dinosaur apologises to all those customers who have been inconvenienced.  We stress that this problem had nothing to do with our systems and processes.  However, we do appreciate how frustrating delivery delays can be.

Today, we have released the following statement as part of our on-going steps to reassure customers.

Everything Dinosaur IOSS media release (May 2024).

Everything Dinosaur IOSS media release (May 2024).

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To contact a member of the Everything Dinosaur team for further information: Email Everything Dinosaur.

1 05, 2024

New Haolonggood Baryonyx Dinosaur Model Reviewed (Shan Ting)

By |2024-05-02T13:58:02+01:00May 1st, 2024|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Product Reviews|0 Comments

Our thanks to William for sending into Everything Dinosaur a review of a Haolonggood dinosaur model.  William chose to review one of his recent acquisitions.  The review concerns the Haolonggood Baryonyx dinosaur model (Shan Ting).  This is the blue coloured Haolonggood Baryonyx.

Haolonggood Baryonyx dinosaur model (Shan Ting).

The Haolonggood Baryonyx dinosaur model in the blue colour scheme (Shan Ting).

The Haolonggood Baryonyx model is shown in lateral view in the image above.  This was one of a pair of Baryonyx figures introduced recently by this Chinese manufacturer.  The second figure is known as Wei Ding Guo.  Our reviewer considered the blue colour variant to represent a male.

The Haolonggood Baryonyx Dinosaur Model (Shan Ting)

William explained that he really liked this dinosaur model, and he admired the figure’s details.  He added:

“The Haolonggood Baryonyx walkeri (Shan Ting) is a superb sculpt from the articulated jaw to the legs with their well-executed skin texture. I really like the blue colouration used to display to his mate.”

Dinosaur model fans and collectors have been praising the Haolonggood range.  The Baryonyx figures are popular, and it is great to see a new version of this spinosaurid.  Both Haolonggood models have articulated lower jaws.

To view the range of Haolonggood figures available from Everything Dinosaur: Haolonggood Prehistoric Animal Models.

William highlighted the thumb claw on the figure and commented that the design team at Haolonggood had done an excellent job. He explained that it had been a quest for him to find the most accurate representation of “Walker’s heavy claw”. Haolonggood seem to have favoured Dr Scott Hartman’s gracile restoration.

In summing up his recent purchase William stated he thought these Baryonyx models were worthy of being given to the late William Walker who discovered the Baryonyx holotype.

Our thanks to William for sending into Everything Dinosaur a review of the Haolonggood Baryonyx dinosaur model (Shan Ting).

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Toys and Models.

30 04, 2024

How to Find a Lost Dinosaur Soft Toy

By |2024-04-30T22:32:52+01:00April 30th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos|0 Comments

At Everything Dinosaur, we try and help people.  We have been contacted in the past by parents, guardians and grandparents trying to trace lost dinosaur toys.  Over the weekend we were contacted via our Facebook page and asked for assistance in trying to find a lost dinosaur soft toy.  We appreciate how traumatic this can be for a child, to lose their favourite dinosaur teddy.  Whilst we ourselves may not be able to identify this particular piece of dinosaur plush, sometimes our many followers on social media can help out.

A Lost Dinosaur Soft Toy

We received the following Facebook message:

“Hi, please can you help? I’m trying to assist a lady who is desperately trying to find her daughter’s lost dinosaur soft toy.  He was lost a couple of months ago (in Kent UK).  He had been bought at a car boot fair and had no tags or labels so it has made our search hard as we have no background information to go on.  We have searched the local area where he was lost, posted on local, national and international Facebook groups, trawled through thousands of dinosaurs on-line in the hope of finding an exact replacement.”

 

A lost dinosaur soft toy.

Can you help to find this lost dinosaur soft toy? Picture credit: M. Martin.

The hand in the photograph helps to provide a scale.  This item of dinosaur plush would measure around thirty centimetres in length (twelve inches).  Examining the bead for an eye suggests that this is a manufactured item and not something created as a craft kit.  The seams indicate that this dinosaur soft toy has been machine stitched.

The Facebook message went onto state:

“The closest we’ve found is the “wild planet all about nature Velociraptor” which is out of stock everywhere and no luck on Ebay or Vinted etc.  I’ve only discovered tonight that your group exists but what better place to ask than a group of dinosaur experts and enthusiasts.  I don’t seem to be able to attach a photo in this message, but this poor little girl is still so sad and missing her lost friend so any help you could give us would be so gratefully appreciated. Thank you.”

A lost dinosaur soft toy.

A prized piece of prehistoric plush has been lost. Can you help identify this lost dinosaur soft toy. Picture credit: M. Martin.

Everything Dinosaur Team Members Try to Help

We have gone through our image database, but we could not identify the soft toy.  In addition, we have searched through all our catalogues and brochures that we have picked up at trade fairs.  However, we have not been able to identify this soft toy dinosaur.  It has no trademark or any other label.  Unfortunately, it resembles a generic theropod dinosaur so we can’t really define a species.  Furthermore, we have no idea of the age of this lost dinosaur soft toy.  Soft toy dinosaur ranges do change every few years.  Most ranges are replaced between three to five years.  However, some popular ranges can persist for longer.

Team members have helped reunite children with their lost dinosaur toys.  For instance, a few years ago we helped a little boy to find a red Spinosaurus soft toy that had been lost.

Large Spinosaurus Soft Toy

Large dinosaur soft toy, now retired but wanted by a little boy for Christmas.  Team members were able to assist with this problem.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We do appreciate the stress that a lost dinosaur soft toy can cause.  We have posted up an appeal on Facebook and we will utilise our other social media platforms.  Whilst the dinosaur looks quite generic, perhaps one of our customers will know it.”

To view the range of prehistoric plush currently in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Prehistoric Plush.

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