On a visit to the Manchester Museum a team member overheard a grandmother challenging her grandchildren. Her young charges were tasked with counting the fossils in a display cabinet. The cabinet contained various ichthyosaur fossil specimens. Part of the exhibit included marine reptile fossil dung (coprolite). The grandmother asked the children to have a go at counting ichthyosaur coprolites.
Counting ichthyosaur coprolites. A grandmother visiting the Manchester Museum played a counting came with her grandchildren. It involved counting ichthyosaur coprolites. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The children were enjoying their visit to the Manchester Museum. After the photographs in front of the Tyrannosaurus rex cast (Stan), the grandmother set the counting challenge. We are not sure whether she knew that the display cases contained fossils of marine reptile poo, but the children were undeterred. They eagerly accepted the counting challenge.
Counting games can help young children become more confident. Counting games can help them to develop confidence with numeracy.
The Tyrannosaurus rex cast on display at the Manchester Museum. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“There is lots to see and lots to do at the Manchester Museum. Staff hand out worksheets and encourage children to take part in various activities themed around the exhibits. We have not come across an activity that involved counting ichthyosaur coprolites before. We congratulate the family for their innovation.”
A model of an ichthyosaur. The Ichthyosaurus model (Wild Safari Prehistoric World) ready to take its turn on the Everything Dinosaur turntable. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The image (above) shows a typical replica of an ichthyosaur. This is the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Ichthyosaurus model.
“There is an extensive display of ichthyosaur and other marine reptile fossil material on display. Several of the fossils of ichthyosaurs come from the Dorset coast. We have found some ichthyosaur fossils on the Dorset coast too. We do have ichthyosaur coprolite fossils in our collection. However, we have never played a counting coprolite game unlike the grandchildren.”
A joint Canadian and Chinese team of scientists have described a remarkable fossil that preserves a dramatic moment in time when a carnivorous mammal attacked a bigger herbivorous dinosaur. Repenomamus attacks Psittacosaurus, a stunning fossil specimen from the Lower Cretaceous from the Lujiatun fossil beds.
Entangled Psittacosaurus and Repenomamus skeletons showing details of their interaction. Scale bar equals 10 cm. Picture credit: Gang Han.
Mammal Attacks a Dinosaur
Dr Jordan Mallon (Canadian Museum of Nature), a co-author of the study published in the journal “Scientific Reports” commented:
“The two animals are locked in mortal combat, intimately intertwined, and it’s among the first evidence to show actual predatory behaviour by a mammal on a dinosaur.”
Life reconstruction showing Psittacosaurus being attacked by Repenomamus 125 million years ago. Picture credit: Michael W. Skrepnick/courtesy of Canadian Museum of Nature.
A Fossil from “China’s Dinosaur Pompeii”
The fossil’s discovery challenges the perception that dinosaurs had few threats from their mammal contemporaries during the Cretaceous. It is true to comment that in most terrestrial ecosystems the dinosaurs dominated. However, this exceptionally rare fossil demonstrates that some mammals may have attacked members of the Dinosauria.
The fossil was collected in China’s Liaoning Province in 2012, and both skeletons are nearly complete. Their completeness is due to the fact that they come from an area known as the Lujiatun fossil beds, which have been dubbed “China’s Dinosaur Pompeii”.
The fossil specimen is now in the collections of the Weihai Ziguang Shi Yan School Museum in China’s Shandong Province.
Entangled Psittacosaurus and Repenomamus skeletons showing details of their interaction. Scale bar equals 10 cm. Picture credit: Gang Han.
Repenomamus Attacks Psittacosaurus
The dinosaur victim has been identified as Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis. It was about the size of a large dog. It is being attacked by a Repenomamus robustus. Repenomamus is not closely related to placental mammals. It was a triconodont, larger and more powerfully built compared to most Mesozoic mammals. The taxonomic position of the Triconodonta within the stem mammals and the Mammalia remains controversial. With a body length of approximately one metre, R. robustus was smaller and lighter than Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis. However, this fossil provides evidence that this mammal attacked dinosaurs that were larger than itself.
Detail of fossil showing Repenomamus biting the ribs of Psittacosaurus. Picture credit: Gang Han.
Repenomamus Ate Psittacosaurus
It was already known that Repenomamus ate dinosaurs. A scientific paper was published in 2005 that documented the discovery of a large Repenomamus fossil specimen with the preserved remains of a juvenile Psittacosaurus in what would have been the animal’s digestive tract.
Dr Mallon explained:
“The co-existence of these two animals is not new, but what’s new to science through this amazing fossil is the predatory behaviour it shows.”
Detail of the fossil showing the left hand of Repenomamus wrapped around the lower jaw of Psittacosaurus. Picture credit: Gang Han.
The Lujiatun Member (Yixian Formation)
The Lujiatun Member of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China is famous for its extensive vertebrate fossil remains. Animals were buried by mudslides and debris following volcanic eruptions. These pyroclastic flows entombed these unfortunate creatures preserving their last moments of life more than 125 million years ago.
Hillside where the fossil was collected from the Lujiatun Member of the Yixian Formation of north-eastern China in 2012. Picture credit: Gang Han.
The Psittacosaurus-Repenomamus fossil was in the care of study co-author Dr Gang Han in China, who brought it to the attention of Canadian Museum of Nature palaeobiologist Xiao-Chun Wu. Whilst fossil forgeries are known from the Jehol Group of China, the research team excavated more of the matrix and confirmed that this was an authentic specimen, most likely preserving predatory behaviour.
Repenomamus the Aggressor
A detailed examination of the fossil pair shows that the Psittacosaurus is lying prone, with its hindlimbs folded on either side of its body. The body of the Repenomamus coils to the right and sits atop its prey, with the mammal gripping the jaw of the larger dinosaur. The mammal is also biting into some of the ribs, and the back foot of Repenomamus is gripping onto the dino’s hind leg. These animals are locked in mortal combat.
Dr Mallon postulated that the weight of evidence suggested that an attack from the Repenomamus was underway when the pyroclastic flow killed both animals.
Detail of fossil showing the left hind foot of Repenomamus gripping the left lower leg of Psittacosaurus. Picture credit: Gang Han.
Not Scavenging a Carcase
The research team have ruled out the possibility that the Repenomamus was scavenging a Psittacosaurus corpse. Tooth marks on the dinosaur bones are absent, suggesting that this fossil represents evidence of a mammal attacking a dinosaur.
It is unlikely the two animals would have become so entangled if the dinosaur had been dead before the mammal encountered it. The position of the Repenomamus on top of the Psittacosaurus suggests it was also the aggressor.
Attacks on herbivores by smaller carnivores are seen today. Mallon and Wu note that some lone wolverines are known to hunt larger animals, including caribou and domestic sheep. On the African savanna, wild dogs, jackals and hyenas will attack prey that are still alive, with the prey collapsing, often in a state of shock.
Dr Mallon stated:
“This might be the case of what’s depicted in the fossil, with the Repenomamus actually eating the Psittacosaurus while it was still alive—before both were killed in the roily aftermath.”
Repenomamus robustus attacks Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis moments before a volcanic debris flow buries them both circa 125 million years ago. Picture credit: Michael W. Skrepnick/courtesy of Canadian Museum of Nature.
The research team speculates in their research paper that further amazing fossils await discovery. The volcanically derived deposits from the Lujiatun fossil beds will continue to yield new evidence of interactions among species.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Canadian Museum of Nature in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “An extraordinary fossil captures the struggle for existence during the Mesozoic” by Gang Han, Jordan C. Mallon, Aaron J. Lussier, Xiao-Chun Wu, Robert Mitchell and Ling-Ji Li published in Scientific Reports.
The oldest spider ever found in Germany has been scientifically described. Named Arthrolycosa wolterbeeki this ancient creepy-crawly roamed northern Germany more than 300 million years ago (Carboniferous).
The fossils of this arachnid come from the Piesberg quarry near Osnabrück in Lower Saxony. They represent the first Palaeozoic spider found in Germany.
Arthrolycosa wolterbeeki fossils (top) and interpretative line drawing (bottom). Picture credit: Jason Dunlop, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.
Arthrolycosa wolterbeeki
In a recent article published in the international journal Paläontologische Zeitschrift, Dr Jason Dunlop from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin described this ancient arthropod. The spider is between 310 and 315 million years old and was named after its discoverer, Tim Wolterbeek, who generously donated the fossil to the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.
The spider had a body length of about one centimetre and a leg span of about four centimetres. It was about the same size as a common Wolf spider (Lycosidae). It belonged to a primitive group of arachnids known as the mesotheles, which, in contrast to most spiders today, still have a segmented abdomen. Its living relatives are found only in eastern Asia.
The fossil reveals stunning details. The silk-producing spinnerets and even hair and claws on the legs have been identified.
An Arthrolycosa wolterbeeki life reconstruction. Picture credit: Jason Dunlop, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.
One of Nature’s Big Success Stories
The Arachnida are one of nature’s great success stories. More than 50,000 species of spider have been described worldwide. About a thousand species live in Germany. Spiders are also preserved as fossils. More than 1,400 extinct species are known. It is thought the first spider-like, terrestrial arthropods evolved in the Devonian. These creatures rapidly diversified and thrived in the swamps of the Carboniferous. They became important predators of insects and other small invertebrates. Some giant forms evolved, although the classification of some specimens remains controversial. For example, Megarachne servinei from the Late Carboniferous of Argentina had a leg span in excess of fifty centimetres. Once thought to be a giant spider, it has been reclassified as a bizarre eurypterid.
To read an article from 2018 about the discovery of a Cretaceous-aged spider with a whip-like tail: A Tale of a Spider with a Tail.
The Piesberg quarry is an important fossil site and was declared a National Geotope in 2019. The location has yielded numerous fossils of plants, insects and other animals, including arachnids such as scorpions. This new fossil shows that Late Carboniferous spiders also lived in the Piesberg coal forests. Spiders of this age are still extremely rare. Only twelve Carboniferous species worldwide can be positively identified as spiders, with previous records coming from France, the Czech Republic, Poland and the United States (Mazon Creek).
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “The first Palaeozoic spider (Arachnida: Araneae) from Germany” by Jason A. Dunlop published in Paläontologische Zeitschrift.
A newly published study suggests that the Cambrian predator Anomalocaris canadensis had grasping appendages that were too weak to crack trilobite exoskeletons.
The research examined the mechanical properties of the claw-like appendages of the Late Cambrian predator Anomalocaris canadensis. The study concluded that this marine carnivore was built for speed but was not strong enough to crack the exoskeletons of trilobites.
An Anomalocaris life reconstruction. Picture credit: Katrina Kenny.
A Nektonic, Agile Hunter
Writing in the academic journal the Proceedings of the Royal Society Biology, the researchers led by Russell Bicknell (American Museum of Natural History), show that A. canadensis was weaker than previously thought. They postulate that Anomalocaris was a fast and agile swimmer. It was nektonic, catching soft prey such as jelly fish and early vertebrates in open water. The study further refutes the idea that this large predator hunted trilobites.
The fossilised head of an Anomalocaris canadensis showing a contracted grasping appendage. Picture credit: Greg Edgecombe.
This Study Supports the Conclusions of Earlier Research
Earlier research (Christopher Nedin, 1999) focused on the ring-shaped mouthparts of Anomalocaris (the oral cone). Anomalocaris mouthparts were at first misidentified. The oral cone was once thought to represent a jellyfish and named Peytoia. The lack of wear on the mouthparts was highlighted suggesting that they did not they did not come into regular contact with mineralised trilobite exoskeletons. It was proposed these radiodonts probably fed on soft-bodied organisms.
Revising the Behaviour of Anomalocaris canadensis
It had been thought that Anomalocaris was responsible for some of the scarred and crushed trilobite specimens preserved in the fossil record.
Postdoctoral researcher Russell Bicknell commented:
“That didn’t sit right with me because trilobites have a very strong exoskeleton, which they essentially make out of rock, while this animal would have been mostly soft and squishy.”
This study set out to investigate whether the pair of grasping appendages located on the head were capable of ripping apart a trilobite. Burgess Shale fossil material was used to create an accurate three-dimensional model of Anomalocaris canadensis.
Natural History Museum researcher and co-author of the paper, Greg Edgecombe explained:
“Having access to specimens with the entire body preserved in the fossils allowed us to understand the anatomy of the appendages in the context of the rest of the head and the trunk. We were able to get a better picture of Anomalocaris as a living organism.”
A new biomechanical study using techniques applied in engineering projects suggests that the spiked, grasping appendages of Anomalocaris canadensis were not strong enough to break the exoskeleton of a trilobite. Picture credit: Greg Edgecombe.
Compared to Extant Whip Scorpions and Whip Spiders
The scientists used modern predatory whip spiders and whip scorpions as analogues. The team demonstrated that the predator’s segmented appendages were able to grab prey and could both stretch and flex. Finite element analysis, a modelling technique used in engineering, was used to identify stresses and points where the appendage would have been under strain.
The team calculated that the appendages would have been damaged while grasping hard prey such as trilobites. The researchers also used computational fluid dynamics to place the three-dimensional model of Anomalocaris in a virtual current to predict the body position it would use while swimming.
Dr Imran Rahman (London Natural History Museum) stated:
“This study emphasises the great potential of modern computer modelling methods in palaeontology. By employing techniques more commonly used in other disciplines like engineering, we can test ideas about long-extinct animals like Anomalocaris.”
This is the first time this combination of biomechanical modelling techniques has been used together in a single study. A different view of Anomalocaris canadensis has emerged. The animal was probably nektonic. A speedy swimmer, chasing soft-bodied prey in the water column with its front appendages outstretched and forward-facing.
Bicknell remarked:
“Previous conceptions were that these animals would have seen the Burgess Shale fauna as a smorgasbord, going after anything they wanted to, but we are finding that the dynamics of the Cambrian food webs were probably much more complex that we once thought.”
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the London Natural History Museum in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “Raptorial appendages of the Cambrian apex predator Anomalocaris canadensis are built for soft prey and speed” by Russell D. C. Bicknell, Michel Schmidt, Imran A. Rahman, Gregory D. Edgecombe, Susana Gutarra, Allison C. Daley, Roland R. Melzer, Stephen Wroe and John R. Paterson published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The oldest fossil “stomach stone” has been discovered at Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset on the famous “Jurassic Coast”. The baseball-sized fossil was found by the eminent palaeontologist Dr Steve Etches MBE. It is thought to be around 150 million years old. The fossil is at least 59 million years older than the previous oldest known fossilised stomach stone.
The world’s oldest fossil “stomach stone” also known as a calculus. This exceptionally rare fossil was found at Kimmeridge Bay. It is estimated to be approximately 150 million years old (Late Jurassic). Picture credit: Ivan Sansom.
Fossil “Stomach Stone” – A Calculus
Dr Etches sought the opinions of other palaeontologists to see if he could learn more about this mystery object. It was initially dismissed as not being organic in nature. The consensus was that it had formed through geological processes. The stone was passed on to experienced fossil preparator Nigel Larkin who compared it to material in the collections of the Royal College of Surgeons, England, and the University College London (UCL) pathology collections.
It soon became clear the stone was a “calculus”. A “calculus” is a concretion, a collection of minerals that form in the body. These objects are found in many parts of the body, the kidneys, the bladder, the stomach the urinary tract and they have a very specific internal structure.
Dr Steve Etches MBE holding the world’s oldest calculus. One of the UK’s rarest fossils. Found by Steve at Kimmeridge on the Jurassic Coast. Picture credit: The Etches Collection.
An Exceptional Fossil Discovery
Only a handful of calculi have been discovered in the fossil record. It is thought that more exist, but they have not been formally identified.
Nigel Larkin commented:
“I was fascinated by this very curious mystery object and was determined to discover what it was. Unless stomach stones are actually found preserved within a skeleton it is almost impossible to tell what sort of animal it might have formed inside.”
The size of the stomach stone and the location of its discovery (marine deposits) suggests that this object formed inside the body of a large marine reptile. The calculus could have come from a plesiosaur, an ichthyosaur, a pliosaur or perhaps a marine crocodile.
Dr Ivan Sansom, Senior Lecturer in Palaeobiology at the University of Birmingham, carried out microscopic analyses of the stone to determine the exact structure of the specimen and its mineral composition. Based on this analysis Dr Sansom concluded that this stone had formed in the gastro-intestinal tract. It was a fossil “stomach stone”.
The Only Calculus from the UK Fossil Record
The fossil “stomach stone” is estimated to be around 150 million years old (Late Jurassic). This discovery extends the range of known calculi in the fossil record by approximately 59 million years. It is the only fossil of its kind to have been found in the UK. It also confirms their occurrence in marine palaeoenvironments rather than just terrestrial deposits.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Reading in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “The fossil record’s oldest known calculus (an enterolith of the gastrointestinal tract), from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Upper Jurassic), UK” by Nigel R. Larkin, Thomas Henton, Steve Etches, Adrian J. Wright, Tzu-Yu Chen, Laura L. Driscoll, Richard M. Shelton and Ivan J. Sansom published in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.
Amongst the many exhibits at the “Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur” exhibition is a theropod replica skull. Team members visited the exhibition and marvelled at the dinosaur’s model skull. If we recall correctly, it was a replica of a Mapusaurus fossil skull. The “Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur” exhibition is currently at the London Natural History Museum.
A view of the Mapusaurus replica skull on display at the London Natural History Museum (Patagotitan exhibition). In this view the skull looks narrow and elongated. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Mapusaurus roseae
Mapusaurus (M. roseae), has been classified as a member of the Carcharodontosauridae family. More specifically, this huge theropod is regarded by many palaeontologists as a sister taxon to Giganotosaurus. As such, it has been classified in the tribe Giganotosaurini alongside Giganotosaurus carolinii.
The changing Mapusaurus models 2012 – 2020 (CollectA).
The picture (above) shows how Mapusaurus models have changed over the last few years as more carcharodontosaurid fossils have been found. These models are all CollectA replicas.
Palaeontologists know that large carcharodontosaurids coexisted with titanosaurs like Patagotitan (P. mayorum). It has been postulated that theropods did hunt titanosaurs. Perhaps carnivores mobbed sick, old or juvenile members of the herd. It is hard to imagine a single 13-metre-long carnivore being able to subdue an adult Patagotitan that measured more than 30 metres in length.
A carcharodontosaurid skull is included in the exhibit. We think this is a replica of the skull of Mapusaurus roseae. Mapusaurus is geologically younger than Patagotitan. The dating of volcanic ash layers associated with the Patagotitan deposits suggest that this dinosaur lived approximately 100 million years ago.
The Mapusaurus skull replica looks shorter and broader when viewed from 90 degrees. Compare this view with the Mapusaurus skull photograph at the top of the article. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
M. roseae fossils are associated with the Huincul Formation, these are younger strata than the rocks associated with Patagotitan fossil material. Mapusaurus lived approximately 96-94 million years ago.
To read Everything Dinosaur’s earlier blog post looking at a trio of carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs: A Trio of Carcharodontosaurids.
There is a carcharodontosaurid that comes from the same Member of the Cerro Barcino Formation as Patagotitan. This dinosaur is Tyrannotitan chubutensis, another giant member of the Giganotosaurini tribe. Tyrannotitan may have hunted and attacked Patagotitan.
Cladogram depicting the temporal and geographical distribution of the Carcharodontosauridae family of theropod dinosaurs. At the time of their extinction these meat-eating dinosaurs seem to have been at their peak diversity. Picture credit: Canale et al.
The cladogram (above) shows the estimated temporal range for several theropod dinosaurs associated with the carcharodontosaurid lineage. Tyrannotitan was not contemporaneous with Mapusaurus.
What is Everything Dinosaur’s favourite dinosaur? This question was asked recently and although we are fascinated with lots of prehistoric animals, a quick discussion revealed that our favourite dinosaur is Protoceratops.
Palaeontologists can study Protoceratops (there are now two recognised species) at various growth stages from embryos in eggs to extremely old, mature adults.
The “sheep of the Cretaceous”. Protoceratops replica fossil skeleton (top) and (bottom) a life reconstruction of this small ceratopsid. Picture credit (top): Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit (bottom): Zhao Chuang.
The “Sheep of the Cretaceous”
Nicknamed the “sheep of the Cretaceous” due to the relatively abundant fossil material. This dinosaur, distantly related to Triceratops and Styracosaurus was formally described 100 years ago (Granger and Gregory,1923). Two species are recognised Protoceratops andrewsi and P. hellenikorhinus (Lambert et al 2001).
The Wild Past Protoceratops (P. andrewsi) next to a geology ruler to show scale. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The picture (above) shows the Wild Past Protoceratops dinosaur model. It is a small figure, but it does come supplied with a nest and an Everything Dinosaur fact sheet.
We have learned a lot about dinosaurs thanks to Protoceratops. It may not be the biggest dinosaur, but this herbivore has played a significant role in helping us to understand more about the Dinosauria and as such we will always regard this animal as something special.
If you visit a Natural History Museum, chances are that somewhere in the dinosaur gallery you will find Protoceratops. It is usually tucked away and it’s never going to attract the visitors like a T. rex, or a Triceratops (distantly related to Protoceratops), but go take a look, as I promise, you will probably learn something new about dinosaurs that you didn’t know before.
Whilst on a short visit to the London Natural History Museum team members at Everything Dinosaur took the opportunity to visit the dinosaur gallery. Amongst the dinosaur bones and exhibits of fossil teeth, a trace fossil was spotted. It was a fossil dinosaur footprint, a specimen from the famous Lark Quarry site (Australia).
A fossil dinosaur footprint photographed at the London Natural History Museum. The exhibit features a three-toed print from the famous Lark Quarry track site in Australia. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Fossil Dinosaur Footprint
The Lark Quarry site is regarded as one of the most remarkable non-avian trace fossils in the world. The site, near the town of Winton (Queensland, Australia) preserves the fossilised footprints of at least three different types of dinosaur. When first extensively studied, it was thought the tracks represented a large theropod disturbing smaller dinosaurs and causing a stampede.
It had been suggested that the big tridactyl prints were made by an ornithopod and not a carnivorous theropod.
Other scientists have suggested that the larger tracks were made by Australovenator. Australovenator (A. wintonensis) was named and described in 2009 (Hocknull et al). It has been classified as a member of the Megaraptoridae family. Australovenator may have been a sister taxon of Fukuiraptor, which is known from Japan.
The CollectA Australovenator replica.
The picture (above) shows a CollectA Australovenator model from the CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular range.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The Lark Quarry site is extremely important for ichnologists. The site preserves around 3,300 dinosaur tracks. The tracks have been interpreted in several ways. For example, the largest tridactyl prints could represent an ornithopod, or perhaps they were made by a theropod like Australovenator.”
Everything Dinosaur team members recently visited the Natural History Museum in London to see the enormous Patagotitan skeleton on display. This is the first time this titanosaur exhibition has visited Europe. The huge replica skeleton of Patagotitan (P. mayorum) is twelve metres longer than the skeleton of the blue whale (Hope) on display above the Hintze Hall. The exhibition is entitled “Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur”. Patagotitan mayorum may not be the biggest dinosaur described to date, but it does have one of the most complete fossil records of any member of the Titanosauria.
Sue from Everything Dinosaur poses in front of the colossal Patagotitan skeleton which is being exhibited at the Natural History Museum (London). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Patagotitan mayorum
Named and described in 2017. Patagotitan fossils were excavated from the Cerro Barcino Formation in Chubut Province, Patagonia in southern Argentina. Size estimates vary for this enormous animal. When first studied, the length of the largest specimen known from the fossil quarry was estimated to be around 37 metres.
Last year (2022) Safari Ltd introduced a beautiful replica of this titanosaur.
The new for 2022 Wild Safari Prehistoric World Patagotitan model. This titanosaur model measures over 38 cm long which effectively makes this figure a 1:100 scale model.
“Enormosaurus”
The first fossils were found (2010) and field excavations were undertaken (2012 to 2015). As the fossil material was excavate, the bones were so big the dinosaur was nicknamed “Enormosaurus”.
The enormous body of the titanosaur towers over visitors. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The exhibition will remain open until January 2024.
The fossils representing the first, non-avian dinosaur with feather-like structures found in South America has been returned to Brazil. The Ubirajara fossil specimen has been repatriated from Germany. This prized but controversial fossil, was named and described in 2020 (Ubirajara jubatus).
Since the scientific publication, campaigners, including many prominent Brazilian scientists, had requested that this dinosaur be returned home. One of the leading advocates for the repatriation was Professor Aline Ghilardi of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN).
Professor Aline Ghilardi, right, next to Professor Juan Cisnero (UFPI) and the minister of MCTI, Luciana Santos (centre). The Ubirajara fossil specimen is returned to Brazil. Picture credit: Luara Baggi – Ascom/MCTI.
The excitement in Brazil sparked by the scientific publication turned to dismay when it was realised that the fossil had been removed from the country. The materials and methods section of the paper stated that the specimen had been taken out of Brazil in 1995.
The first Brazilian law dealing with the protection of fossils was created in 1942. The legislation permitted fossils to leave the country, but authorisation was required. Subsequently, the law was strengthened, and it outlined how fossils should be collected, exported and insisted that Brazilian scientists should be involved in the study of such artifacts.
Ubirajara jubatus life reconstruction by the very talented palaeoartist Bob Nicholls.
Following a campaign, the paper describing U. jubatus, the first non-avian dinosaur to be found in the Southern Hemisphere with feather-like filaments was withdrawn.
After the allegations of illegal smuggling, it was agreed to return the specimen to Brazil. The scientific name Ubirajara jubatus was removed from the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) registry. The dinosaur’s name currently is regarded as invalid. Whether the scientific name for this little theropod is to be retained has yet to be decided.
UbirajaraBelongstoBR
The repatriation was assisted by a highly successful social media campaign using the hashtag UbirajaraBelongstoBR.
An investigation was launched in Germany. This culminated in the recognition of the misconduct and unethical behaviour of the researchers involved. With that, finally, it was decided to return the dinosaur home in July 2022.
The controversy surrounding Ubirajara highlights a growing trend within palaeontology for assessing the impact of colonialism and the removal of fossil material from countries to America and Europe.
Professor Aline explained:
“Colonialist attitudes influence our science and make it a worse science and the results biased.”
Taking photographs of the Ubirajara fossil (counter slab). Picture credit: Juan Cisneros.
The Return of the Ubirajara Fossil Specimen
The social media campaign played a significant role in the successful repatriation. The return of the Ubirajara fossil specimen was achieved through a collaboration with the public, governments and palaeontologists.
A spokesperson commented that this campaign highlights how the public wants to engage and participate with scientific debate. The return of Ubirajara will hopefully inspire other scientists to engage in such campaigns, helping to improve palaeontology by making it more inclusive, fair and ethical.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in the compilation of this article.
