Wild Safari Dinos Pachyrhinosaurus Gets Reviewed

Safari Ltd are keeping up their trend of introducing at least one new  model of a horned dinosaur every year with the introduction of this Pachyrhinosaurus replica into the highly rated Wild Safari Dinosaurs model range.   Last year for example, we had Diabloceratops and the year before that we had the beautiful Vagaceratops dinosaur model.

Wild Safari Dinos Pachyrhinosaurus

Pachyrhinosaurs have gained a lot of attention recently since they starred in the “Walking with Dinosaurs in 3-D” movie and it is great to see a high quality replica added to the Safari Ltd “Wild Safari Dinosaurs”.

Pachyrhinosaurus gets its name (thick-nosed lizard) from the thick ridge of bone found between the eyes on the dinosaur’s muzzle.  Palaeontologists are unsure whether this thick pad supported a horn lacking a bony core, perhaps the horn, if it ever existed, was  made out of keratin.  This type of horn would not fossilise easily and the only evidence of its presence would be the facial pad (known as the boss), preserved on the skull.

The design team at Safari Ltd have chosen to reflect the consensus of scientific opinion and have not fitted their dinosaur replica with a substantial nose horn.

Horned dinosaur model.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd/Everything Dinosaur

Three Species Recognised

Currently, three species of Pachyrhinosaurus are recognised, we at Everything Dinosaur think that this Wild Safari Dinos replica is based on fossils of the first of the Pachyrhinosaurs to be described Pachyrhinosaurus canadensis.

The skin texture is quite remarkable and a lot of very fine detail is shown on this brown and sandy coloured dinosaur model.   Safari Ltd are to be congratulated for the fine job done on the painting.  The model accurately reflects the known pachyrhinosaur fossil evidence and larger, circular dermal scales have even been picked out on the flanks and at the top of the limbs.

A Review of the Dimorphodon Flying Reptile Model (Safari Ltd)

A recent addition to the Wild Safari Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life model series made by Safari Ltd is this replica of an early pterosaur, a flying reptile known as Dimorphodon.  The first fossils of this Jurassic creature were found by Mary Anning as she searched for specimens along what is now known as the “Jurassic Coast”.  This fossil was found in 1828 (although some sources claim 1827) and it is currently housed in the Natural History Museum in London, although it is rarely displayed as this specimen is missing its head.

Dimorphodon

Frustratingly, little is known about the origins and evolution of the flying reptiles but thanks to a handful of excellent fossil specimens, palaeontologists have been able to piece together, literally in most cases, quite a bit of data about Dimorphodon.  It is one of the better known members of the Pterosauria with fossils having been found in Europe and a possible second species having been identified from fossil material of Early to Middle Jurassic age from Mexico.

The Wild Safari Dinos Dimorphodon Flying Reptile Replica

Pterosaur for 2013.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd

“Two Form Tooth”

The genus name means “two form tooth”,  a reference to the different size and shape of the teeth, an observation first noted by Sir Richard Owen, the man responsible for coming up for a name for the Dinosauria.  The model makers at Safari Ltd have been careful to depict their Dimorphodon with the teeth at the front of the jaws being long and fang-like with smaller teeth towards the back of the mouth, accurately reflecting what is seen in the fossil material.

The head of the Dimorphodon model is quite broad and deep.  Again this mirrors what is found in the fossil record.  Proportionately, the head is much larger than that seen in other long-tailed Jurassic pterosaurs. It has been estimated that Dimorphodon may have weighed almost twice as much as similar sized flying reptiles.

This said, the bones in the skull are extremely thin and light, little more than struts and studies suggest that Dimorphodon had a relatively weak bite.  Although, found in coastal and marine deposits many palaeontologists believe that this pterosaur may not have dined exclusively on fish as was previously thought.  Its main prey may have been insects.

Wild Safari Dinos Dimorphodon

Safari Ltd have painted their Dimorphodon replica in predominantly tan and dun colours, with the wing membranes given brown and black markings on their dorsal surface and brown underneath.   This contrasts nicely with the lighter colouration on the pterosaur’s body.  The skin has been textured to give the impression of a covering of fine, downy, insulating body hair.

This pterosaur had large eyes and it is pleasing to note that this detail has been picked up by the design team with the head of this figure particularly well painted and the eyes are very prominent.

We think this model represents Dimorphodon macronyx, the species found by Mary Anning almost two hundred years ago now.  The species name means “big claws” in reference to the large claws on the forelimbs which were probably used to help this pterosaur climb trees or up cliffs.  Safari Ltd have given their Dimorphodon large and curved finger and toe claws, once again reflecting the known fossil material.

The Famous Fossil Location – the “Jurassic Coast” at Lyme Regis

Fossil hunting can be fun but beware of the cliffs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

A Long Tail on the Model

The model has a long tail, Dimorphodon is known to have had a least 30 vertebrae making up its tail.  Safari Ltd have also tipped the tail with a diamond shaped rudder, although we are not certain as to whether or not Dimorphodon actually possessed such a feature.  Mathematical models assessing the flight capabilities of this pterosaur with its relatively heavy body and its broad wings suggest that taking to the air was energetically demanding and when airborne flight may have been somewhat laboured, Dimorphodon flight trajectories have been described rather unflatteringly as a “graceful plummet”.

It is always a pleasure to see a member of the Pterosauria added to a model range, especially one with links to the Jurassic coast of southern England and this well-crafted replica is already proving popular with serious collectors.

To view the range of prehistoric animal models (Safari Ltd) available from Everything Dinosaur: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Models.

Dimorphodon may have been the first pterosaur to have been closely studied in England, it was only the third pterosaur genus to be established and it has enabled scientists to piece together more information about the flight capabilities and feeding habits of flying reptiles.  Other pterosaurs such as Pteranodon may be more common in model collections, but it is great to see a replica of Dimorphodon included in the Wild Safari Dinos model range.

Everything Dinosaur Reviews Gryposaurus (Safari Ltd)

Included within the excellent Wild Safari Dinos and Prehistoric Life range is  this fascinating model of the hadrosaur known as Gryposaurus.  This dinosaur may have lacked the ostentatious head-gear of other duck billed dinosaurs, but a lot of fossil material has been ascribed to this genus and as such it represents an important member of the Late Cretaceous mega fauna of North America.

Gryposaurus

Gryposaurus is  known from numerous skulls, articulated specimens and even fossilised skin impressions.  In comparison to other duck-billed dinosaurs, such as the crested lambeosaurines, Gryposaurus had relatively longer and slimmer front legs.  The design team at Safari Ltd have been careful  to depict the slim forelimbs on their model.  This dinosaur very probably lived in herds and spent most of its time walking on all fours, adopting a bipedal stance only rarely, perhaps to flee from a marauding tyrannosaur.

Wild Safari Dinos Gryposaurus

The model is painted a beautiful, dusky blue, with a light tan underside and a beige coloured row of prominent scales running from behind the skull almost to the tip of the animal’s stiffened tail.  This dinosaur is posed in a quadrupedal stance with the tail, which makes up approximately half this animal’s length,  held out straight behind it.  The presence of ossified tendons in the fossil record supports the idea that the tails of these duck-billed dinosaurs were stiff and held off the ground.

The Gryposaurus genus was established in 1914 by the famous Canadian palaeontologist Lawrence Lambe after studying fossils found in Alberta, Canada.  A number of species of Gryposaurus are now recognised by palaeontologists, making this type of duck-billed dinosaur one of the most geographically widespread of all the Hadrosaurs known to science.

 The Gryposaurus Dinosaur Model (Safari Ltd)

New Duck-billed dinosaur for 2013.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd

A “Roman Nose”

The most prominent feature of the skull, is the famous “Roman nose” that gives this dinosaur its name.  Gryposaurus means “hook-nosed lizard”.  This feature is formed by the highly arched nasal bones.  In some fossil specimens that team members at Everything Dinosaur have seen, the top part of the crest is roughened.  It has been speculated that soft tissues were connected to  these nasal bones, skin and cartilage forming a bulbous area that could be inflated as the animal breathed.  Once again, Safari Ltd are to be congratulated for the way in which this feature has been depicted on their replica.  We like the piercing blue eyes as well, an eye colouration not usually associated with dinosaur models.

 Dinosaur with Blue Eyes – Wild Safari Dinos Gryposaurus

A blue-eyed dinosaur.

Picture credit: Safari Ltd

What purpose this bulbous soft tissue served is unknown.  It could have  amplified the animal’s calls so perhaps it was used for auditory as well as visual communication amongst members of the herd.  The enlarged nasal passages could have been very well supplied with blood vessels so this “Roman nose” could have helped this dinosaur keep cool and otherwise regulate its body temperature.

Skin Impressions

Fossils of skin impressions of Gryposaurus have been found.  These show that this dinosaur was covered in many different types of scale  The model makers at Safari Ltd have obviously paid a lot of attention to the fossil material as they have ensured that their Gryposaurus replica reflects what is known about this dinosaur’s skin texture.

This well-made model measures approximately 22 centimetres in length, from its clearly defined beak to the tip of its blue painted tail.  Size estimates for this dinosaur do vary, but based on what is presumed to be fully grown adult specimens of Gryposaurus notabilis this replica is in 1:36 scale so it fits in well with other models in the Wild Safari Dinos and the Carnegie Collectibles model ranges.  This Gryposaurus dinosaur  model is an excellent addition to the Wild Safari Dinos range.  It is always a pleasure to see duck-billed dinosaurs included in a range of quality replicas.

We at Everything Dinosaur even provide a  fact sheet so that collectors can read all about this Late Cretaceous herbivore, where its fossils have been found, how big these dinosaurs were, their taxonomic affinities to other hadrosaurs and other fascinating facts.

To view the Wild Safari Prehistoric World range in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Models and Figures.