Photos/Pictures of Fossils

17 07, 2021

Did Baby Tyrannosaurs Gnaw Bones?

By Mike|2024-05-27T14:38:49+01:00July 17th, 2021|Categories: Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Scientists have reported the discovery of a hadrosaur pedal ungual (the bone on the end of a toe that supported the keratin claw or hoof), that shows a series of small bite marks made by a theropod dinosaur. The toe claw seems to have been bitten repeatedly and although scrapes and scratches on fossil bones that are incidental feeding traces left by meat-eating dinosaurs have been well documented, these bite marks might represent something very different.

Did a baby tyrannosaur or possibly a dromaeosaurid gnaw on the toe bone of a dead duck-billed dinosaur?

A young tyrannosaur gnaws on a hadrosaur toe bone — A life reconstruction of a juvenile tyrannosaur biting down on the hadrosaur pedal ungual causing the bite marks that have been preserved in the fossil (TMP 2018.012.0123). Picture credit: Joshua Doyon.

Gnawing Behaviour

Gnawing behaviour is synonymous with many types of mammals, specifically members of the Carnivora and rodents (Rodentia), but it is not commonly associated with the Dinosauria. Coprolites thought to have come from tyrannosaurs contain a lot of bone fragments, tests demonstrate that large tyrannosaurids were capable of crushing bone and it had been thought that coprolite bone content came about as bones were ingested through general consumption.

However, a trio of scientists – Caleb Brown and Darren Tanke from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (Alberta) in collaboration with Dr David Hone, Senior Lecturer in Zoology at the University of London, have recently published a paper in PeerJ, that suggests that the unusual bite marks on the hadrosaur pedal ungual might represent dinosaur gnawing behaviour.

A hadrosaur pedal ungual with gnaw marks — Ammonium chloride powder coated photographs of the hadrosaurid pedal showing bite marks (viewed from the bottom – ventral/plantar view). (A) View of TMP 2018.012.0123 (A), with marks highlighted in blue (A’). Close-up of the bitten region (B), with marks highlighted in blue and numbered in Arabic numerals (B’). Note scale bars = 1 cm.

Documenting Unusual Dinosaur Behaviour

The fossil toe claw bone (specimen number TMP 2018.012.0123), comes from a bonebed (bonebed 50) that contains the disarticulated remains of several different types of duck-billed dinosaur including Corythosaurus. Although the bone came from an adult, it is not possible to confirm the dinosaur species. Thirteen, distinct and highly localised tooth marks have been identified. Their pattern suggests that a small, meat-eating dinosaur delivered up to six repeated, powerful bites to the claw bone. There would have been very little meat on this part of the hadrosaur’s body, gnawing on the pedal ungual represents an unusual and rare form of behaviour.

The researchers reviewed pedal unguals of duck-billed dinosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation. They identified tooth marks and feeding traces on four other toe claw bones, but this represents less than 1% of all the hadrosaur toe bones found and feeding traces were much more common on other bones.

Evidence of late stage carcase consumption by a dromaeosaur or young tyrannosaur on a pedal ungual of a hadrosaur. — Right articulated hadrosaurid pes in dorsal view (A), with ungual of digit three highlighted (white) and the position of the tooth marks (ventral side) indicated in black. Shaded line drawing of the ventral view of the ungual (B), showing the position of the bite marks (black). Close-up view of bite mark size (C) and (D) Close-up view of bite marks showing potential alignment of tooth row parallel with the long axes of the tooth marks. Hollow fills in C indicate potential bite marks missing from rows/columns. Note scale bars = 1 cm.

Dromaeosaur or Tyrannosaur?

The tracemaker cannot be definitively identified but the researchers rule out crocodilians, small mammal feeding traces and snake bites, leaving a theropod dinosaur as the likely tracemaker whose unusual behaviour has been recorded in the fossil. The number of theropods capable of causing such marks and known from the Dinosaur Park Formation is relatively small. The scientists considered dromaeosaurids and their close relatives the Troodontidae, as the tooth marks could have been made by a large troodontid such as Latenivenatrix. The team also considered whether the tracemaker was a young tyrannosaurid.

Given the lack of evidence of denticle spacing present on the bite marks, and that both Tyrannosauridae and Dromaeosauridae were capable of delivering bites resulting in deep furrows and pits to the bone surface, the team speculated that either a dromaeosaur (such as Dromaeosaurus or Saurornitholestes), caused the damage or perhaps the marks were made by a very young tyrannosaurid. Two genera of tyrannosaur are known from the Dinosaur Park Formation, namely Gorgosaurus and Daspletosaurus.

Perhaps, a very young Gorgosaurus, the lowest ranked animal in the pack was left to pull at and gnaw on the toe of the hadrosaur, whilst the rest pack gorged themselves on the more attractive, nutrient rich parts of the carcase.

Can Dogs Provide an Answer?

Anyone who has kept horses and dogs will tell you that when the horse’s hooves are trimmed dogs love to eat the trimmings. The hooves are made from keratin, the same protein responsible for the toe claw on the hadrosaur. Dogs can get very excited when the farrier starts to tidy up the hooves, they seem to crave the soft, recently trimmed parts of the hoof.

Many dog treats are made from horse’s hooves. Could your pet dog provide an insight into dinosaur feeding behaviour?

Could a tyrannosaur similarly have craved the taste of the toe claw of a duck-billed dinosaur?

The scientific paper: “Rare evidence for ‘gnawing-like’ behavior in a small-bodied theropod dinosaur” by Caleb M. Brown, Darren H. Tanke and David W. E. Hone published in PeerJ.

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11 07, 2021

Heterodontosaurus Breathes Life into Dinosauria Respiratory Studies

By Mike|2024-05-27T14:04:28+01:00July 11th, 2021|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A beautifully preserved and almost complete fossil specimen of the early ornithischian Heterodontosaurus (H. tucki) has provided palaeontologists with a fresh perspective on how bird-hipped dinosaurs breathed.

An international team of scientists including Richard Butler, a professor of palaeobiology at the University of Birmingham, Jonah Choiniere, a professor of comparative palaeobiology at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, Kimberley Chapelle, a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History (New York), subjected the 200-million-year-old fossil to a series of extremely powerful X-rays courtesy of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, (France).

The data from these scans permitted the researchers to construct computer models reassembling the skeleton in unprecedented detail and to learn how this dinosaur breathed.

Heterodontosaurus breathing study. — *A life reconstruction of the early ornithischian Heterodontosaurus – its breath shows as a vapour trail in the early morning light. Picture credit: University of Witwatersrand.*

Getting to Understand the Unique Ornithischian Dinosaurs

Vertebrates like reptiles, birds and mammals all move air through their lungs in different ways. Mammals like us have a diaphragm, whilst lizards use rib movements to help them move air through their lungs. Birds have another, very different respiratory system which is more efficient than our own. Birds have thin-walled air sacs connected to their lungs. These air sacs fill a considerable portion of the body cavity. They are not involved directly in gas exchange but function as bellows to direct airflow through the lungs in one direction, from back to front. This increases lung efficiency. To read an article from 2007 that examines how non-avian dinosaurs might have breathed: Dinosaur Breathing Study.

This study showed that Heterodontosaurus was using its oddly shaped ribs connected to its sternum to breathe, but that it also showed the first steps towards a muscle attached to the hips that would inflate the lung – similar to how crocodiles breathe.

Heterodontosaurus respiration study — Each of the blocks making up the Heterodontosaurus fossil material (AM 4766) were scanned by the synchrotron and then the skeleton was digitally recreated with a focus on the trunk. Gastralia ribs are shown in blue. Picture credit: Viktor Radermacher.

Lead author of the scientific study published in the journal eLife, Viktor Radermacher (PhD student in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences), commented:

“This specimen represents a turning point in understanding how dinosaurs evolved”.

Heterodontosaurus Fossil Discovered in 2009

The specimen, representing a sub-adult Heterodontosaurus was discovered in 2009, eroding out of a riverbed. It is the most complete Heterodontosaurus fossil known to science. The surrounding matrix is very hard, so removal of the individual bones was not possible, but employing extremely powerful X-rays allows the scientists to peer inside the matrix and reconstruct the anatomy of this dinosaur.

In 2016, the fossil of the turkey-sized dinosaur was transported to the ESRF for a week-long study. Huge amounts of data on this early member of the Ornithischia were compiled: Heterodontosaurus visits the European Synchrotron.

The Distinctive and Successful Ornithischia

Described in 1962, Heterodontosaurus is thought to one of the most primitive members of the Ornithischia (bird-hipped dinosaurs), although the exact taxonomic placement of the Heterodontosauridae is still debated and their early evolution remains obscure. Ornithischian dinosaurs include the armoured dinosaurs, pachycephalosaurs, ceratopsians and the ornithopods – which encompasses such well-known dinosaurs as Iguanodon and the duck-billed dinosaurs.

Research team member Richard Butler (Birmingham University), explained the importance of this study:

“We’ve long known that the skeletons of ornithischian dinosaurs were radically different from those of other dinosaurs. This amazing new fossil helps us understand why ornithischians were so distinctive and successful”.

Not All Dinosaurs Breathed in the Same Way

The research revealed that Heterodontosaurus possessed numerous gastralia (belly ribs), the first time this anatomical feature has been found in an ornithischian and several other, unique autapomorphies (characteristics), that are unknown in other bird-hipped dinosaurs. For example, it had paddle-shaped sternal ribs and a forward projecting sternum. The team concluded that this suite of anatomical features enabled Heterodontosaurus to breathe in a different way when compared to other members of the Dinosauria. Heterodontosaurus forced air into its lungs by expanding both its belly and chest.

Lead author Viktor Radermacher stated:

“We have actually never known how these ornithischians breathed. The interesting thing is that Heterodontosaurus is the ancestor of this group and it has these [newly discovered] pieces of anatomy, but its descendants don’t. What that means is that Heterodontosaurus is a missing link between the ancestors of dinosaurs and the bigger, charismatic species we know. This gives us a whole bunch of information and fills in some pretty glaring gaps in our knowledge of the biology of these dinosaurs.”

Lead author of the research, University of Minnesota PhD student Viktor Radermacher, poses next to some skull casts and dinosaur models that represent suborders of the Ornithischia. Picture credit: Sebastian Alfonzo.

Different Solutions to the Need to Breathe

Viktor Radermacher explained that this research demonstrates that there is still a lot to learn about the Dinosauria and that many different types of tetrapod evolved different solutions when it came to getting oxygen to their muscles.

He added:

“The takeaway message is that there are many ways to breathe. The really interesting thing about life on Earth is that we all have different strategies to do the same thing, and we’ve just identified a new strategy of breathing. This shows that utilising dinosaurs and palaeontology, we can learn more about the diversity of animals on Earth and how they breathe.”

The scientific paper: “A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs” by Viktor J Radermacher, Vincent Fernandez, Emma R Schachner, Richard J Butler, Emese M Bordy, Michael Naylor Hudgins, William J de Klerk, Kimberley E J Chapelle and Jonah N Choiniere published in eLife.

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7 07, 2021

New Dinosaur Described from Spain

By Mike|2024-05-27T13:45:06+01:00July 7th, 2021|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A new species of dinosaur has been named and described from a jawbone found in Castellón, Spain. The dinosaur has been named Portellsaurus sosbaynati and it has been classified as a member of the Ornithopoda subgroup Styracosterna. Its discovery could help shed light on the evolution of the Hadrosauroidea – the duck-billed dinosaurs, from other large-bodied dinosaurs more closely related to the iguanodontids.

Portellsaurus sosbaynati

The fossil material, consisting of a right dentary (lower jawbone), specimen number MQ98-II-1, comes from Mirambell Formation exposures at a site near Mas de Curolles, Portell, Castellón (Spain). The fossil is around 129-130 million years old (Barremian faunal stage of the Early Cretaceous). The strata represent a shallow lagoon and although no other fossil material has been described, unique characteristics associated with the dentary combined with the fossil’s geological age, permitted the research team to erect a new genus of herbivorous dinosaur.

Views of the right dentary of Portellsaurus — View of the right dentary (MQ98-II-1) of Portellsaurus sosbaynati. Labial (A), lingual (B), and occlusal (C) views. (D) Enlargement (2x) of a dental crown fragment at the tooth row. Note scale bar = 10 cm. A new dinosaur described from a fossil jawbone. Picture credit: Santos-Cubedo et al.

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Writing in the on-line academic journal PLoS One, the researchers from Universitat Jaume I, Grup Guix and Valencia University, conclude that Portellsaurus is closely related to Ouranosaurus (O. nigeriensis) from Africa and Bolong (B. yixianensis) from north-eastern China.

Based on comparisons with other fossil material from other better-known iguanodontids and hadrosauroids, the scientists estimate that Portellsaurus could have been up to 8 metres long. The genus name for this new Spanish dinosaur honours the town of Portell, whilst the trivial name honours Vicente Sos Baynat, a Spanish geologist born in Castelló de la Plana and the first scientist to be awarded the accolade of honorary doctorate by the Universitat Jaume I.

Time-calibrated phylogeny of Portellsaurus sosbaynati. This analysis suggests that this Spanish styracosternan hadrosauroid was closely related to Ouranosaurus from Africa and Bolong from China. Picture credit: Santos-Cubedo et al.

Not Closely Related to Other Large-bodied Iberian Ornithopods

In addition, the scientists including corresponding author Andrés Santos-Cubedo (Universitat Jaume I), conclude that Portellsaurus sosbaynati is less closely related to other Iberian taxa such as Iguanodon bernissartensis and Proa valdearinnoensis than it is to the other Early Cretaceous Iberian styracosternans Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis and Morelladon beltrani, although Portellsaurus is geologically several million years older than both Mantellisaurus and Morelladon.

The scientific paper: “A new styracosternan hadrosauroid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Early Cretaceous of Portell, Spain” by Andrés Santos-Cubedo, Carlos de Santisteban, Begoña Poza and Sergi Meseguer published in PLoS One.

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3 07, 2021

Dinosaurs Nested in the High Arctic

By Mike|2024-05-27T13:36:43+01:00July 3rd, 2021|Categories: Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Analysis of sediments taken from the famous Prince Creek Formation of northern Alaska has revealed tiny, fossilised bones and teeth representing perinatal dinosaurs – either embryonic (just about to hatch) or dinosaurs that have recently hatched. Several different types of dinosaurs are represented, which means that high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere were probably the dinosaur’s permanent home and that they nested there.

High Arctic was a Nursery for some dinosaurs — The discovery of tiny teeth and bones from perinatal dinosaurs provides strong evidence for dinosaurs nesting in the Arctic. This in turn suggests that many different dinosaurs were year-round residents and supports the hypothesis that most theropod and ornithischian dinosaurs were endothermic (warm-blooded). Picture credit: James Havens.

A Dinosaur Nursery

Researchers from the University of Alaska Museum, the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Florida State University and the University of Colorado writing in the academic journal “Current Biology”, report the discovery of tiny teeth — some less than 2 mm in length along with bones from seven species of perinatal dinosaurs. These tiny fossils were found after conducting a microscopic analysis of sediments from the bluffs that can be found along the shores of the Coleville River. These sediments are from the Prince Creek Formation and represent deposition that took place around 70 million years ago,

The field season is very short at such a high latitude. In the three weeks of field work that are possible, the team removed hundreds of kilograms of sediment from the face of the bluffs. The buckets of sediment are hauled down to the river’s edge, where team members wash the material through smaller and smaller screens until they have removed any large rocks and soil.

Researchers pose next to buckets of sediments that will be sieved for microfossils. — *Field team members pose for a photograph next to buckets of sediment that they will sift through to search for tiny mammalian teeth end evidence of perinatal dinosaurs. Picture credit: Jaelyn Eberle.*

Once back at the lab, researchers run the material through more screens to remove all the clay, until all that’s left is sandy particles. Then, teaspoon by teaspoon, the team, including graduate and undergraduate students examine the sand under microscopes to find the tiny bones and teeth. This work has revealed tiny teeth of mammals, but in addition, tiny teeth and bones of dinosaurs have been discovered.

dinosaurs nested in the Arctic — A map of Laramidia in the Late Cretaceous showing the position of the Prince Creek Formation in relation to other deposits where Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils have been found. At this latitude, around 120 days each year were in total darkness. The scientists have found perinatal bones and teeth representing a wide variety of dinosaurs. Picture credit: Druckenmiller et al

Endothermic Dinosaurs

Although not as cold as today, conditions in this part of northern Laramidia during the Late Cretaceous were extremely challenging. For around 120 days each year there was total darkness and it has been calculated that the mean average temperature was just 6.3°C ± 2.2°C (43.3°F ± 4.0°F). The Eumeralla and Wonthaggi Formations of Australia at a palaeolatitude of about 70° south, have also provided evidence of recently hatched dinosaurs and yearlings.

However, the Prince Creek Formation at a latitude of 80°– 85° north represents the most extreme environment yet described for the Dinosauria. Intriguingly, whilst dinosaurs living in southern Gondwana (Eumeralla and Wonthaggi Formation fossil remains), would have experienced around 45 days of total darkness each year, this palaeoenvironment was still warm enough for ectothermic animals such as crocodilians and amphibians to thrive. However, no such “cold-blooded” animals are found in association with Prince Creek Formation sediments.

To survive such harsh conditions, the researchers conclude that the dinosaurs of Prince Creek Formation were endothermic, just like modern mammals and birds.

Evidence of perinatal dinosaurs from the Prince Creek Formation. — Perinatal skeletal elements of Prince Creek Formation dinosaurs. Insert (A) medial and distal views of distal femur(?), Ornithischia indet. (UAMES 41721). (B) Lateral, articular, and ventral views of caudal centrum, Ornithischia indet. (UAMES 41633). (C) Lateral, ventral, and articular views of caudal centrum, Theropoda indet. (UAMES 51934). (D) Transverse thin section of Ornithischia indet. long bone (UAMES 52384) showing the extreme porosity attributable to large, irregularly shaped vascular canals and the incompletely formed primary vascular canals on both the endosteal and periosteal surfaces. (E) Extensor, distal, and flexor views of distal tarsometatarsus, Avialae indet. (UAMES 41722). bol, bulbous osteocyte lacunae; end, endosteal surface; ipvc, incipient primary vascular canals; per, periosteal surface.

Lead author of the research Patrick Druckenmiller (University of Alaska Museum) commented:

“Recovering these tiny fossils is like panning for gold. It requires a great amount of time and effort to sort through tonnes of sediment grain-by-grain under a microscope. The fossils we found are rare but are scientifically rich in information”.

Dinosaurs were Year-round Residents of Northern Alaska

The presence of such young dinosaurs, who were not capable of making long, seasonal migrations is strong evidence to suggest that the dinosaur biota was present all year. The palaeoenvironment was extreme but numerous different types of dinosaur were able to thrive in this harsh habitat.

Tiny teeth suggest dinosaurs nested in the Arctic — Comparative sizes of immature and mature teeth from Prince Creek Formation dinosaurs. A) Troodontidae indet. (UAMES 52268, UAMES 51652). (B) Saurornitholestinae indet. (UAMES 52292, UAMES 29574). (C) Thescelosauridae indet. cheek teeth (UAMES 52230, UAMES 52272) (D) Leptoceratopsidae indet. (UAMES 42720, UAMES 39298). (E) Hadrosauridae (cf. Ugrunaaluk) (UAMES 42739, UAMES 12491). (F) Ceratopsidae (cf. Pachyrhinosaurus) (UAMES 52467, UAMES 29413). (G), Tyrannosauridae (cf. Nanuqsaurus) premaxillary teeth, Picture credit: Druckenmiller et al.

This discovery demonstrates just how adaptable members of the Dinosauria were and hints at a diverse and rich dinosaur dominated ecosystem hundreds of miles inside the Palaeo-Arctic Circle.

The scientific paper: “Nesting at extreme polar latitudes by non-avian dinosaurs” by Patrick S. Druckenmiller, Gregory M. Erickson, Donald Brinkman, Caleb M. Brown and Jaelyn J. Eberle published in Current Biology.

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2 07, 2021

Triassic Beetle Described from Fossil Poo by Researchers

By Mike|2024-05-27T13:35:19+01:00July 2nd, 2021|Categories: Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A new species of ancient beetle has been named and described based on preserved remains found in the poo (coprolite) of an ancestor of the dinosaurs. The beetle named Triamyxa coprolithica, is the first insect to be scientifically described from coprolite and this research, suggests that coprolite remains could become as important as insects preserved in amber when it comes to identifying new species.

Images of the Triassic beetle Triamyxa coprolithica — *Images of the newly described Triassic beetle Triamyxa coprolithica, the first insect to be named and described from a coprolite. Picture credit: Qvarnström et al.*

Published in Current Biology

The researchers from Uppsala University (Sweden), in collaboration with entomologists from Sun Yat-sen National University (Taiwan), Jena University (Germany) and Guadalajara University in Mexico used synchrotron microtomography to examine the coprolite’s contents and sophisticated computer software to rebuild the tiny insects so that they could be studied. The coprolite contained numerous insect remains preserved in three-dimensions. Most insect fossils are squashed so flat that deciphering them is extremely difficult.

The researchers conclude that coprolites may prove to be an important source of information for exploring insect evolution. Their paper is published this week in “Current Biology”.

*Using synchrotron microtomography, the beetle fossil was virtually reconstructed while still remaining in the coprolite. Picture credit: Qvarnström et al*

Silesaurus opolensis

Although the scientists cannot be certain, they speculate that the coprolite represents the scat from a relative of the dinosaurs called Silesaurus opolensis, which is known from the same Polish deposits associated with the coprolite. An animal (probably S. opolensis), swallowed a large number of these tiny insects 230 million years ago, the greedy reptile inadvertently giving palaeontologists a rare opportunity to study a beetle, at a time (the Triassic), when many different types of insect were evolving and diversifying.

Phylogenetic analysis suggests that T. coprolithica is a member of Myxophaga (fungal beetles), a small suborder of beetles with a sparse fossil record whose extant representatives are small and often associated with wet environments.

An illustration of the Triassic dinosauriform Silesaurus. — *An illustration of the Triassic dinosauriform Silesaurus opolensis, the coprolite has been putatively assigned to this reptile. Picture credit: Małgorzata Czaja*

Complete Specimens Preserved

Some of the beetles were almost complete with even their antennae and thin legs intact and attached to the body.

Commenting on the significance of this research, lead author of the scientific paper, Martin Qvarnström, (Uppsala University), remarked:

“We were very positively surprised by how many beetle remains there were in the coprolite and above all how well preserved they were. We really have to thank Silesaurus, who was probably the animal that helped us collect and preserve the beetles”.

The labrador-sized Silesaurus did not usually dine on such small insects, it probably was a generalist eating a wide variety of prey. It had a beak that was possibly used to bite insects just like today’s living dinosaurs – the birds. Despite the fact that Silesaurus ingested lots of individuals of Triamyxa coprolithica, these small beetles probably did not constitute its main food. Triamyxa lived in the same environments as larger insects and it was these insects as well as small vertebrates that probably made up the majority of the diet of this fast running, agile reptile.

Silesaurus body plan — *A skeletal reconstruction of the Late Triassic dinosauriform Silesaurus.*

The beetle fossils are reminiscent of other beetle remains associated with amber. Both coprolites and amber are capable of preserving insects in three-dimensions and this study suggests coprolites can be extremely valuable for studying early insect evolution and extinct animal food chains at the same time.

The scientific paper: “Exceptionally preserved beetles in a Triassic coprolite of putative dinosauriform origin” by
Martin Qvarnström, Martin Fikáček, Joel Vikberg Wernström, Emmanuel Arriaga-Varela, Per E. Ahlberg and Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki published in Current Biology.

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1 07, 2021

The Amazing Titus the T. rex Roars into View

By Mike|2024-05-27T13:32:38+01:00July 1st, 2021|Categories: Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils, Press Releases|0 Comments

Team members from Everything Dinosaur were lucky enough to get a preview of the new “Titus T. rex is King” exhibition at Wollaton Hall (Nottinghamshire), the first time that actual Tyrannosaurus rex fossils have been exhibited in England for more than a century.

Titus the T.rex exhibit — *The spectacular Titus the T. rex exhibit at Wollaton Hall. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The exhibition entitled “Titus: T. rex is King” opens on Sunday 4th July 2021 and will run until August 2022, giving visitors the opportunity to view a real Tyrannosaurus rex specimen, the actual fossilised bones and teeth of arguably, the most famous dinosaur of all.

Titus the T. rex Exhibition

The stunning T. rex mount has been created by talented conservator Nigel Larkin who has over 30 years’ experience of conservation and curation. His expertise in skeletal reconstruction enabled this Late Cretaceous apex predator to be exhibited, the actual fossil bones of a T. rex combined with casts from a second specimen and then skilfully painted and mounted to provide a stunning display.

Nigel Larkin next to the Titus T. rex specimen — Conservator Nigel Larkin who was tasked with creating the Titus the T. rex specimen combining the actual T. rex fossil bones with casts from “Stan” the T. rex specimen STAN-BHI3033. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Titan from the Hell Creek Formation

This T. rex specimen comes from Montana (Hell Creek Formation). In September 2014 palaeontologist Craig Pfister found a handful of fragmentary T. rex bones. Working in the extremely harsh conditions of the “Badlands”, Craig was able to recover around 20% of the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex. Skilled conservator Nigel Larkin was given the task of combining these real fossil bones with casts from another similar sized T. rex specimen to create this spectacular display which is over 12 metres in length.

When entering the room in which this dinosaur is exhibited, visitors immediately get a sense of just how big and powerful this dinosaur was. The jaws of this huge predator loom over you as if you are about to become a snack for this formidable monster. Nigel Larkin was able to utilise his three decades of experience of working with dinosaur fossils to design and build the metal armature that enables Titus to be shown in such a dynamic pose.

Titus the T. rex Skull and Jaws — *The skull of the T. rex exhibit on display at Wollaton Hall until August 2022. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Interactive Virtual Media Displays

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the life and habitat of Tyrannosaurus rex using digital and interactive virtual media displays that tell the tale of the dinosaur’s discovery, the excavation work, the painstaking and time-consuming process of piecing together the life story of an enormous predator.

Team members at Everything Dinosaur were fortunate to meet Simon Wallett of Hot Knife Digital Media, who was responsible for creating the interactive digital displays. Those lucky enough to get tickets for the exhibition will be able to excavate key bones from the dig site, identify where they fit on the skeleton and to discover some of the secrets that the bones reveal. In addition, visitors will be able to reconstruct their own Tyrannosaurus rex decide whether to add feathers or scales and to transport their digital creation back to a Cretaceous landscape.

Remarkably, all the displays designed by Hot Knife Digital Media operate without the need to be touched. Clever software interprets the movements of your fingers enabling you to try your hand at palaeontology without the need to touch anything. A very smart solution, permitting participation at an event where COVID-19 safety precautions are meticulously complied with.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Telling the Tale of a Tyrant

Prominent and informative display panels help visitors to understand what these fossilised bones of T. rex have revealed. They help to tell the tale of a tyrant that had a tough life. For example, disease identified in a toe bone represents the first time this specific pathology has been found in a dinosaur.

A deep puncture in the underside of a bone in the tail, suggests that Titus battled other tyrannosaurs. The wound in the tail shows signs of healing, so this traumatic injury is unlikely to have been the cause of this titan’s ultimate demise.

Damaged tail bone of a T. rex — *The single tail bone of the T. rex showing the deep puncture mark which was probably inflicted during intraspecific combat (a fight with another T. rex).*

Sue Judd from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“Visitors to the Titus T. rex is King exhibition will be able to view real Tyrannosaurus rex fossils, the first time in more than a century fossils like these have been on display in England. We are sure this magnificent dinosaur will feel very much at home at the majestic Wollaton Hall. This wonderful building surrounded by fantastic parkland houses an amazing natural history collection – a fitting home for the king of the tyrant lizards.”

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Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire — *The majestic Wollaton Hall, home to real T. rex fossils until August 2022. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Please note, this exhibition has now closed.

27 06, 2021

“Dragon Man” from North-eastern China

By Mike|2024-05-27T09:14:24+01:00June 27th, 2021|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|1 Comment

No sooner have we praised the remarkable artist Zhao Chuang for his work illustrating the mammaliamorph biota associated with Early Cretaceous China, then he produces another stunning piece of palaeoart – this time illustrating the newly described “Dragon Man” or to give the proposed formal scientific name Homo longi.

Dragon Man life reconstruction. — *A life reconstruction of “Dragon Man”. Picture credit: Zhao Chuang.*

A Completely New Species of Human

Researchers including Professor Chris Stringer from the London Natural History Museum have published a paper in the journal “Innovation” that describes and dates a remarkable and very complete fossil skull from Heilongjiang Province. The team have concluded that the ancient skull believed to be at least 146,000 years old represents a completely new species of human. They postulate that the skull could be from our closest evolutionary relative among known species of hominin such as Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis.

Harbin hominin skull. — *The skull of the archaic hominin from the Harbin region of China. It could represent a new species of human. Picture credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences.*

“Dragon Man”

The skull was reportedly discovered in 1933 by a construction worker helping to build a bridge over the Songhua river running through the city of Harbin. The river means “Black Dragon River” in the local language which explains why this skull representing a male was nicknamed “Dragon Man”.

The province was occupied by imperial Japanese forces at the time, so the construction worker hid the skull at the bottom of his family’s well to prevent it falling into the hands of the Japanese. According to media reports he only told relatives about the fossil find shortly before his death. The specimen was handed over to scientists so that a full examination of this extraordinary fossil could be carried out.

Where the fossil was found remains a mystery, but geochemical analysis suggests it came from lakebed sediments (lacustrine sediments). The research which involved non-destructive X-ray fluorescence, the analysis of rare earth elements and strontium isotope degradation, placed the date of this fossil between 138 to 309 thousand years old.

Uranium isotope analysis indicated that the fossil was at least 146,000 years old.

The face of "Dragon Man" — *Views of the face of “Dragon Man”. Picture credit: Kai Geng*

Commenting on the significance of this discovery, Professor Chris Stringer stated:

“The skull has a large brain capacity, fully within the range of modern humans and Neanderthals. It also shows features resembling our species, including flat and low cheekbones with a shallow canine fossa, and the face looks reduced and tucked under the braincase. It’s widely believed that the Neanderthals form the sister group of the Homo sapiens lineage. But our analyses suggest that this skull, and some other Middle Pleistocene human fossils from China, form a third East Asian lineage, which is actually closer to sapiens than the Neanderthals are”.

Is “Dragon Man” a Denisovan?

Other researchers have suggested that the skull might represent an example of the ancient human known as a Denisovan. Where “Dragon Man” fits on the human family tree remains uncertain, but it is true that the evolution of hominins during the Pleistocene Epoch has yet to be fully explained. There may have been a number of human lineages inhabiting our planet and the exact taxonomic relationships between them will continue to attract controversy and lively debate.

The scientific paper: “Geochemical provenancing and direct dating of the Harbin archaic human cranium” by Qinqfeng Shao, Junyi Ge, Qiang Ji, Rainer Grün and Chris Stringer published in the journal Innovation.

For the article featuring the mammaliamorph illustration by Zhao Chuang: The Jehol Biota and a Wonderful Illustration.

The artist Zhao Chuang is associated with the remarkable PNSO range of prehistoric animal figures.

To view the PNSO prehistoric animal model range: PNSO Scientific Art Figures.

26 06, 2021

Tickets Snapped Up at Special T. rex Premiere

By Mike|2024-05-27T09:10:52+01:00June 26th, 2021|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|4 Comments

Excitement is mounting as we approach the start of the “Titus: T. rex is King” exhibition at Wollaton Hall Natural History Museum in Nottingham which officially opens to the public on Sunday 4th July (2021). Tickets for the Exclusive Premiere Event are also being snapped up as dinosaur fans grab the chance to be the first people to see a real Tyrannosaurus rex fossil skeleton in England for 100 years. This is going to be a special T. rex premiere.

Titus the T. rex bones from the jaw. — *The fearsome upper jaws (premaxilla and maxilla) of the T. rex known as Titus going on display at Wollaton Hall Natural History Museum in Nottingham.*

Tickets for Exclusive Premiere Selling Fast

Organisers have revealed that the T. rex has safely arrived in Nottingham and this precious cargo is currently being unpacked and made ready for the grand opening of the exhibition. The organisers have also revealed that a third of the tickets for the Exclusive Premiere Event to be held on Saturday 3rd July have already gone.

Just 100 tickets were available for this unique event on Saturday 3rd July, the day before the exhibition officially opens to the public. For those eager to claim that they were the very first to meet Titus, they are being urged to purchase tickets now via the Wollaton Hall website, before, just like a T. rex they are gone forever!

To find out more about ticket sales including the Exclusive Premiere Event: Wollaton Hall Website.

The tail bones of Titus the T. rex. — *The articulated caudal vertebrae of Titus the T. rex ready to be unpacked for display.*

T. rex Proving to be an Irresistible Attraction

Ever since tickets went on general sale, the chance to view a real Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton and to visit this exciting exhibition has proved irresistible. Interest in “Titus: T. rex is King” has been so high that virtually all the weekend tickets for the whole of July have gone already.

In response to the huge demand the organisers decided to launch the special one-off premiere event on Saturday 3rd July to mark the century since a real T. rex was last exhibited in the country.

The exhibition will officially open its doors to the general public on Sunday 4th July at Wollaton Hall Natural History Museum – an appropriate date, revealing an iconic North American dinosaur on U.S. Independence Day!

Visitors will be able to get up close to the skeleton Titus and enjoy an immersive experience of digital and interactive media displays that takes them from his discovery in the Montana Badlands in the USA, through the journey of excavation and curation.

The ticket price of £53 (inc. booking fee) includes a conversation with renowned palaeontologist Dr. David Hone and an exhibition Goody Bag of Titus merchandise worth over £30.

The famous clawed hand of a T. rex — *Unpacking the famous limbs of the Tyrannosaurus rex exhibit (Titus the T. rex).*

Palaeontologist Dr David Hone, Senior Lecturer in Zoology at the University of London has played a key role in the story of Titus and has helped set up the Exclusive Premiere Event. Dr Hone will be the host for the premiere event, taking guests on a “A Walk with Titus”. What a fantastic opportunity to learn from the UK’s top expert about the biology and behaviour of the most famous of all the dinosaurs.

Event Details

To comply with Covid-19 regulations in place, arrival times will be staggered with 11.00a.m., 12.00p.m. and 1.00p.m. slots available to purchase. Visitors will be required to wear face masks throughout, unless exempt.

Details

Titus: T. rex is King Premiere Event
Saturday July 3rd, 11.00a.m., 12.00p.m. and 1.00p.m.
Ticket Price is £50.00 (plus £3.00 booking fee), to include a specialist talk by Dr David Hone and exhibition Goody Bag of merchandise to the value of £30.00.

Please note this exhibition has now closed.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

25 06, 2021

New Type of Ancient Human Unearthed in Israel

By Mike|2024-05-27T09:08:45+01:00June 25th, 2021|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A scientific paper has been published this week in the journal “Science” that suggests that interactions between different species of human during the Middle and Late Pleistocene Epoch were much more complex than previously thought.

Researchers working in Israel have identified a previously unknown type of ancient human that lived alongside our own species (H. sapiens) more than 100,000 years ago. The remains consisting of a fragment from the top of the skull (parietal bones), the mandible and a lower second molar tooth discovered near the city of Ramla in the Central District of Israel, have been dated to around 140,000 – 120,000 years ago and these fossils represent one of the very last members of an ancient human group that may have been the ancestors of the Neanderthals.

Nesher Ramla hominin. — *The skull fragment (right) and the jawbone complete with some teeth (left). Picture credit: Avi Levin and Ilan Theiler, Sackler Faculty of Medicine.*

Human Remains Found Amongst Stone Tools and Other Fossil Bones

Yossi Zaidner from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found the fossils during excavations to salvage Middle Pleistocene material and fossils that had been uncovered during construction work. Thousands of fossil bones depicting a rich and varied fauna including aurochs, horses and deer were also recovered. Stone tools were also found, analysis of these tools suggest they were constructed in the same manner that modern humans of the time also made their implements.

The researchers made virtual reconstructions of the fossils to permit their analysis using sophisticated computer software and to compare them with other hominin fossils from Europe, Asia and Africa. The results suggest that the Nesher Ramla hominin fossils represent late survivors of a population of humans who lived in the Middle East during the Middle Pleistocene period.

Rolf Quam, one of the co-authors of the scientific paper commented:

“The oldest fossils that show Neanderthal features are found in Western Europe, so researchers generally believe the Neanderthals originated there. However, migrations of different species from the Middle East into Europe may have provided genetic contributions to the Neanderthal gene pool during the course of their evolution.”

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a press release from Binghamton University State University of New York in the compilation of this article.

The study, “A Middle Pleistocene Homo from Nesher Ramla, Israel,” was published in Science, along with a companion paper discussing the culture, way of life and behaviour of the Nesher Ramla hominin.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

21 06, 2021

Researchers Find The Last Record of Dinosaurs in Britain

By Mike|2024-05-27T08:56:19+01:00June 21st, 2021|Categories: Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Geology, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Researchers writing in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association have reported tracks from at least six different species of dinosaur found in Lower Cretaceous rocks at Folkestone in Kent. The tracks and trackways from the Lower Greensand Group date to around 112-110 million years ago (Albian faunal stage of the Cretaceous). As such, these rare trace fossils represent evidence of the last known dinosaurs to walk on the UK landmass.

An artist's interpretation of the Folkestone dinosaur tracks. — An artist’s interpretation of the Folkestone dinosaur tracks. In the foreground a solitary ankylosaurid wanders up the beach passing a small herd of iguanodonts. In the background three titanosaurs are spooked by an approaching theropod. Picture credit: Megan Jacobs.

Evidence of Dinosaurs in Britain

The footprints were discovered in the cliffs and on the foreshore in Folkestone, Kent (southern England). Storms affect the cliffs and wash away sediments occasionally exposing fossils and in very rare cases, evidence of dinosaurs. Isolated vertebrae thought to represent an armoured dinosaur had been found previously and there have been reports of dinosaur tracks being discovered, but the paper published in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association is the first, formal, scientific assessment of these remarkable trace fossils.

A Challenge to Find a Dinosaur Footprint

Philip Hadland, a curator at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, an expert on the fossils of Folkestone, found a dinosaur track, believed to represent an ornithopod on the 13th September 2017. After showing his find to Steve Friedrich, a local fossil hunter with decades of experience, Steve thought that he too might try his luck to see if he could spot one. Remarkably, within ten minutes Steve found a beautiful, three-toed print, most likely representing a theropod.

Ornithopod track from Folkestone (Kent) — A large ornithopod track found at Folkestone in Kent. The fossil footprint, probably representing an iguanodontid, was found by Philip Hadland on 13th September 2017. Picture credit: University of Portsmouth/PA Media.

Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Portsmouth and co-author of the scientific paper, David Martill, commented:

“It is quite an extraordinary discovery because these dinosaurs would have been the last to roam in this country before becoming extinct.”

Folkestone theropod track — *A single theropod track from Folkestone (Kent). The tridactyl print found by Steve Friedrich. Picture credit: University of Portsmouth/PA Media.*

Many of these remarkable specimens are on display at the Folkestone Museum.

These trace fossils have forced palaeontologists to rethink the Early Cretaceous depositional environment of this part of the Kent coast. Dinosaur footprints, together with fossil wood and oysters in a matrix of well-rounded quartz grains indicates a coastal depositional environment of an extremely shallow depth, perhaps with short periods of exposure as dry land.

Everything Dinosaur Comments

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that an exposed beach may have provided an easier route for dinosaurs to use to travel from one food source to another. It was probably more convenient for these large animals to navigate a sandy beach than to try moving through dense undergrowth that would have been found further inland. Some of the dinosaurs could have been beachcombing, it is possible that the theropods may have visited the beach looking for any corpses that may have been washed up by the tide.

One of the authors of the scientific paper, Philip Hadland, has produced a really helpful guide to fossil hunting in the Folkestone area. Entitled “Fossils of Folkestone, Kent” it is available from Siri Scientific Press here: Siri Scientific Press.

Fossil collecting guide to the Folkestone area. — *Fossils of Folkestone, Kent by Philip Hadland.* *Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To read Everything Dinosaur’s review of “Fossils of Folkestone, Kent”: Everything Dinosaur reviews “Fossils of Folkestone, Kent”.

The scientific paper: “The youngest dinosaur footprints from England and their palaeoenvironmental implications” by Philip T. Hadland, Steve Friedrich, Abdelouahed Lagnaoui and David M. Martill published in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Toys and Models.