Everything Dinosaur will be stocking the PNSO Aidan the Cretoxyrhina model. This fantastic model of a Late Cretaceous prehistoric shark is already on a shipment of PNSO models and figures heading into Everything Dinosaur and the UK-based company hope to have this model in stock in early December (2021).
The PNSO Aidan the Cretoxyrhina prehistoric shark model.
Cretoxyrhina mantelli
The type species, Cretoxyrhina mantelli honours the English dentist and palaeontologist Gideon Mantell who first coined the genus name when describing eight fossil shark teeth found in East Sussex. The genus name translates from the Latin as “Cretaceous sharp-nose”.
Mantell thought that the teeth from East Sussex were analogous with living species of shark such as the Common Smooth-hound shark (Mustelus mustelus), which is found around British coasts. The Common Smooth-hound has a pointed nose, so it was surmised that the fossil shark possessed a similar anatomy. Most palaeontologists believe that this large predator had a relatively blunt snout similar to that of the modern Great White (Carcharodon carcharias). The new PNSO Cretoxyrhina model, the first mainstream replica of Cretoxyrhina to be produced, has been given a blunt snout reminiscent to an extant Great White.
The PNSO Cretoxyrhina shark model is reminiscent of the extant Great White. It is thought that Cretoxyrhina occupied a similar ecological niche in the Late Cretaceous marine ecosystem.
PNSO Cretoxyrhina Model Measurements
Although the PNSO mid-size model range does not have a declared scale, team members from Everything Dinosaur estimate that the model, when considered in relation to an 8-metre-long C. mantelli specimen, would be in approximately 1:40 scale.
The PNSO Aidan the Cretoxyrhina figure measures 20 cm in length, although the curve of the model makes it slightly longer.
In Stock at Everything Dinosaur December 2021?
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that they had known about this new PNSO prehistoric shark model for some time and that, as a result, they had been able to ensure that this figure was shipped over on a vessel that had already left China by the time of the formal product announcement. With the huge problems with global logistics, the ship had been delayed and more problems are to be expected, but with luck, this exciting new PNSO figure should be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in early December (2021).
The PNSO Cretoxyrhina is supplied with a poster and a booklet showcasing the art of Zhao Chuang.
Supplied with a Poster and a Booklet
The PNSO Aidan the Cretoxyrhina figure is supplied with a poster featuring the shark attacking a mosasaur and a 64-page booklet that highlights the artwork of Zhao Chuang.
The PNSO Aidan the Cretoxyrhina prehistoric shark model is supplied with a sci-art poster and a 64-page booklet.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur have managed to obtain some rare and out of production CollectA prehistoric life animal models. The officially retired CollectA Olorotitan and the CollectA Eustreptospondylus are back in stock at Everything Dinosaur. The CollectA Thylacine female is also available whilst stocks last.
CollectA Models
The CollectA Thylacine model was retired and is officially out of production. However, Everything Dinosaur as been able to obtain a limited stock of this extremely rare figure from the factory. It is available whilst stocks last (autumn 2021).
CollectA Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) Female
The CollectA Thylacine was introduced back in 2016. It proved popular with model collectors, biologists and cryptozoologists. Sadly, just like the real animal, the figure became extinct when it was retired and withdrawn from production a couple of years ago.
Fortunately, team members at Everything Dinosaur were able to use their considerable influence with the factory to secure a small supply of this exceptionally rare figure.
The CollectA Eustreptospondylus model. A replica of the British theropod dinosaur Eustreptospondylus. This dinosaur figure was officially retired some time ago, but Everything Dinosaur has been able to obtain a limited stock of this rare figure (autumn 2021).
The CollectA Eustreptospondylus Dinosaur Model
This replica of a British theropod dinosaur was part of the second batch of CollectA/Procon models to be released back in 2008. It was withdrawn from production some time ago and it is hoped that the design team at CollectA might introduce an updated figure. However, for a limited time Everything Dinosaur is able to offer this dinosaur model once again.
The CollectA Olorotitan dinosaur model. A fabulous model of this Late Cretaceous hadrosaur.
CollectA Olorotitan
CollectA added a replica of the duck-billed dinosaur Olorotitan to their Prehistoric Life range in 2009, not long after the CollectA Eustreptospondylus was introduced. Known from the Amur region of far eastern Russia, Olorotitan was one of the very last of the non-avian members of the Dinosauria to go extinct. The model was retired some years ago and some collectors, who may have missed it first time around, now have the opportunity to add this hadrosaur model to their prehistoric animal model collection.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur explained:
“Sometimes we get lucky! We are able to find rare and out of production figures in a factory or warehouse somewhere that might have been overlooked. We don’t have many of these figures, after all, they were all retired a while ago, but at least we can give collectors the opportunity to pick up these replicas and we don’t increase our prices just because a figure is rare.”
To view the range of CollectA Prehistoric Life figures available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Prehistoric Life.
Paul Barrett of the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon, has put the prehistoric “cats” amongst the prehistoric pigeons with the publishing of a new scientific paper that reassesses the evolution of the “false-sabre tooths”, the Nimravidae. Previous studies had focused on the remarkable, over-sized canines of these placental predators. The paper, published in the journal “Scientific Research”, examined non-sabre-tooth anatomical features and as a result, a different hypothesis on the evolution of nimravids has been proposed.
A view of the skull of the “false Sabre-tooth” Hoplophoneus (a member of the Nimravidae). Nimravids such as Hoplophoneus and Eusmilus adelos (which is the subject of the scientific paper published this week), are not true cats (felids) they are not closely related to members of the Felidae such as Smilodon, but they did evolve large, scimitar-like canines – an example of convergent evolution. Picture credit: R. Prothero.
An Over Emphasis on the Teeth and Skulls
Previous studies attempting to map the evolutionary history of the Nimravidae from their origins in the Middle Eocene Epoch to their extinction in the Late Miocene, had focused on examining the shape of the skull and the dentition (teeth). This over reliance on anatomical characters associated with the teeth and the necessary cranial adaptations to wield the enlarged canines led to palaeontologists thinking that these predators evolved in a relatively narrow, restricted way – that there was a gradual evolution of more specialised sabre-tooth features.
This new research based on sophisticated Bayesian analysis looking at a much broader suite of characters and traits suggests that the Nimravidae split, relatively early on in their evolution, into two distinct clusters. One branch (Hopliphoninae) became sabre-toothed hunters, whilst the second branch (Nimravinae) evolved traits reminiscent of extant big cats.
The partial skeleton of Eusmilus adelos (USNM 12820) with known fossil elements shaded light blue. E. adelos is estimated to around the same size as an African lion (P. leo). Skeletal reconstruction by Dhruv Franklin, picture credit: Paul Barrett (University of Oregon).
Eusmilus adelos
In addition to the reassessment of the evolutionary direction of the nimravids, PhD student Paul also examined the fossilised remains of a lion-sized specimen found in Wyoming (White River Formation). This has led to the erection of a new species Eusmilus adelos. Regarded as the biggest member of the Hopliphoninae described to date, it is suggested that a large predator such as E. adelos specialised in hunting prey bigger than itself. Eusmilus adelos may have tackled tapirs, rhinoceratids and large anthracotheriids (an extinct family of hooved, even-toed ungulates distantly related to hippos).
Studying False Sabre-tooths
Coeval hoplophonines were smaller and the author suggests these predators specialised in tackling much smaller prey. This niche partitioning (avoiding of competition by focusing on different resources), would have reflected what is seen on the plains of Africa today amongst extant felids. Large predators such as lions specialising in prey bigger than themselves, whilst smaller felids such as the caracal (Caracal caracal) and the leopard (Panthera pardus) tend to hunt prey smaller than themselves.
To read a related article from Everything Dinosaur that focuses on a study into the evolution of sabre-toothed predators across deep geological time, that suggests that these superficially similar animals evolved very different hunting strategies: Sabre-toothed Predators Evolved Different Hunting Styles.
The scientific paper: “The largest hoplophonine and a complex new hypothesis of nimravid evolution” by Paul Zachary Barrett published in Scientific Reports.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur are busy preparing for arrival of the latest batch of PNSO prehistoric animals including the PNSO Requena the Livyatan model. With production delays and difficulties with logistics, many companies have struggled to receive stock but plans at Everything Dinosaur are well advanced and a shipment of new PNSO models including the Livyatan figure along with Tucson the Himalayasaurus, Evan the Tylosaurus and the eagerly anticipated Aidan the Cretoxyrhina shark model should be in stock at the end of next month (November 2021).
The PNSO Requena the Livyatan prehistoric whale model. This prehistoric whale model should be in stock at Everything Dinosaur in November 2021.
Livyatan melvillei – Leviathan
Formally named and described in 2010 (Lambert et al), from a partial skull discovered in southern Peru (Pisco Formation) two years earlier, the exact size of this prehistoric whale remains unknown. Based on scaling up the 3-metre-long fossil skull with those of extant Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), palaeontologists have estimated that Livyatan could have been between 13.5 and 18 metres in length.
Not knowing the size of this ancient cetacean has made creating a scale drawing challenging for Everything Dinosaur team members. Male Livyatans were probably considerably larger than females, as seen in Sperm whales today. Bull Sperm whales can be up to 20 metres in length, whilst females rarely exceed 12 metres and these bulls can be up to 3 times heavier.
Livyatan Scale Drawing
After having reviewed the scientific literature, Everything Dinosaur team members have given their illustration of Livyatan melvillei a length of approximately 15 metres.
As only the skull and some teeth are known, the size of this predatory whale remains uncertain. Size estimates vary from between 13.5 to 18 metres, males may have been larger than females as seen in the largest extant toothed whale, the Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Originally named Leviathan melvillei, with the genus name reflecting the biblical sea monster and the species name honouring Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, it was discovered that the word “Leviathan” was a junior synonym for a Mastodon, so under the rules of scientific nomenclature the genus name was changed. Livyatan is derived from the Hebrew word for the biblical sea monster.
The last batch of 2021 CollectA Prehistoric Life models are in stock at Everything Dinosaur. The last of the new for 2021, not-to-scale CollectA figures, the Elasmosaurus, the ammonite Pravitoceras and the mini dinosaurs model set 3 are now available from the 5-star rated, UK-based mail order company.
Some of the new for 2021 CollectA prehistoric life models. The new heteromorph ammonite Pravitoceras (top left), the CollectA Elasmosaurus model (top right) and (lower right) the CollectA Mini Dinosaurs set 3. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
CollectA Mollusc Models
The new CollectA heteromorphic ammonite Pravitoceras joins a growing line-up of invertebrate models in the Prehistoric Life range. Molluscs are particularly well-represented with a homomorphic (planispiral, regularly coiled shells) ammonite Pleuroceras, a belemnite, a nautilus (N. pompilius) and an Orthoceras replica already in the range.
New CollectA arthropods and cephalopods. The new for 2021 ammonite model – Pravitoceras continues the trend of CollectA introducing replicas of important zonal fossils that assist with the dating of strata (biostratigraphy). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
CollectA Elasmosaurus and Other Elasmosaurids
The new CollectA Elasmosaurus is the second elasmosaurid replica to be added to the CollectA Prehistoric Life range and the third member of the Elasmosauridae family to be represented by a CollectA figure. There was a replica of Hydrotherosaurus introduced in 2008, it was joined by the Elasmosaurus in the not-to-scale Prehistoric Life range, whilst in the CollectA Deluxe series, a replica of Thalassomedon was added in 2016.
Members of the Elasmosauridae family represented by CollectA models. The new for 2021 CollectA Elasmosaurus (top). CollectA Hydrotherosaurus (middle) and (bottom) the CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Thalassomedon. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Hydrotherosaurus and Elasmosaurus are closely related, members of the subfamily the Elasmosaurinae whilst Thalassomedon is more distantly related to these two plesiosaurs, it having lived some 25 million years earlier than both Hydrotherosaurus and Elasmosaurus.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Over the last twelve years or so, the CollectA Prehistoric Life series has expanded and it now consists of over a hundred models. There are dinosaurs, ancient Palaeozoic creatures and plenty of marine reptiles too”.
To see the range of CollectA not-to-scale prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Prehistoric Life.
The autumn weather is definitely with us and as the nights draw in and cold winds begin to bite, we can be comforted by the fact that bad weather, particularly storms around the coast of the British Isles will expose more fossils for collectors to find.
With the tourist season in the UK ending (Covid-19 restrictions preventing many people from travelling to holiday destinations), local fossil collectors will have the deserted beaches to themselves. Hopefully, the storms this autumn will bring lots of material out from the cliffs and down to the foreshore, enabling eagle-eyed fossil hunters to discover a few choice specimens to add to their collection.
Some fine examples of ammonite fossils – a successful fossil hunt! The ammonite fossils are Dactylioceras – a common ammonite from strata dating from the Lower Jurassic. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Stay Safe When Collecting Fossils
Storms and bad weather can make cliffs even more dangerous than usual. The cliffs could become saturated with water and this can cause mud slips and landslides. Falling rocks are also a hazard. We urge all fossil collectors to take extreme care when out fossil hunting on beaches and to avoid getting too close to the cliffs.
We advise that fossil hunters make themselves aware of the fossil collecting code, full details of which can be found on an earlier Everything Dinosaur blog post here: The Fossil Collecting Code.
Fossil hunting is an enjoyable and rewarding hobby, however, we urge all fossil hunters to consider their safety and the safety of the others in their group if they intend to take advantage of recent bad weather to go fossil collecting.
Researchers studying an extensive dinosaur nesting site associated with the Early Jurassic sauropodomorph Mussaurus patagonicus have suggested that these dinosaurs migrated to preferred colonial nesting areas and indulged in complex social behaviours. Articulated skeletons grouped in clusters of individuals of approximately the same age indicate the presence of social cohesion throughout life and age-segregation within a herd structure. This is the earliest evidence found to date of complex behaviours within the Dinosauria and the researchers postulate that their social behaviour may have been a key factor in their rise to dominance.
New research on an extensive dinosaur nesting site in Patagonia suggests that early dinosaurs were highly social and lived in herds. A life reconstruction of the Mussaurus patagonicus nesting site. Picture credit: Jorge Gonzalez.
Dinosaurs Living in Herds
Substantial evidence has been uncovered to demonstrate that different types of herbivorous dinosaurs lived in herds. There are extensive trackways and substantial hadrosaur and ceratopsian bonebeds dating from the Late Cretaceous, there has also been some evidence, albeit controversial, to suggest that some meat-eating dinosaurs lived in packs or family groups, but when did this sort of behaviour evolve in the Dinosauria? A team of international researchers studying a 192-million-year-old nesting ground located in southern Argentina (Santa Cruz Province), have demonstrated that complex social behaviours existed in sauropodomorphs.
The site, which covers an area of approximately 1,000 square metres, the locality representing river and lake deposits part of the Laguna Colorada Formation, has yielded over 100 fossil eggs in various degrees of association, from individual finds to entire clutches and over 80 specimens of Mussaurus patagonicus, at very stages of growth from embryos to fully grown adults.
Locality map and stratigraphic section of the Laguna Colorada type locality. (a) general map of fossil findings at the locality (red dots represent skeletal remains of M. patagonicus and blue dots represents eggs or nests, (b) detailed map of area with high fossil density (including associated juveniles, neonates, and nests). General stratigraphic section of the type locality (c) showing the position of skeletal remains and eggs/nests of M. patagonicus; (d) detailed stratigraphic section of the 3 m-thick interval with the highest concentration of Mussaurus skeletons and eggs. Picture credit: Pol et al.
The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)
Thirty fossil eggs were selected to take the trip to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France for further, detailed study. Once at the facility, the eggs were bombarded with powerful, high-intensity X-rays so that their contents could be revealed. This non-destructive technique permitted the research team, which was led by Diego Pol, a palaeontologist at CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), the Government agency that fosters science and technology in Argentina, to confirm that the eggs were those of Mussaurus patagonicus. The high-resolution computed tomography revealed fossilised embryos of Mussaurus within some of the eggs and showed all these fossils belong to a communal breeding site of a single dinosaur species.
Fossil specimens from the nesting colony (a) nest, (b) single egg, (c) egg with embryo, jaw of embryo (d) with a line drawing of an embryo (e). Skull anatomy compared (f) embryo, skull of juvenile (h), skull of adult (j). Associated skeletons of juveniles (g) and associated skeletons of two adults (i) with (k) growth series for Mussaurus patagonicus and bone histology indicating ages (l-o). Picture credit: Pol et al.
An Organised and Regimented Herd Structure
Field work revealed that the Mussaurus skeletons were not randomly scattered across the site. They were clustered together according to their age. Babies were found in close proximity to the nests as would have been expected. However, the remains of one-year-olds were found closely associated with each other, including a group of eleven skeletons all preserved in the same resting pose. This suggests that Mussaurus youngsters stayed together, probably for protection against predators.
Intriguingly, the fossilised remains of adults and sub-adults were frequently found alone or in pairs. Perhaps the pair represented a male and female, which had got together for the breeding season.
The team which included Vincent Fernandez, a palaeontologist at the London Natural History Museum and former ESRF scientist, undertook histological analysis of thin sections of fossil bone so that they could observe the lines of arrested growth (LAGs) and calculate the age of the dinosaur.
Lead author Diego Pol explained:
“The bones of these dinosaurs grew in annual cycles, much as the tree rings, so by counting the growth cycles we could infer the age of the dinosaur”.
Social Behaviour – Key to the Success of the Dinosauria?
The location had proved difficult to date. Previous studies had suggested the site was much older, the deposits thought to have been laid down in the Late Triassic, but the team were able to accurately date the fossil site by plotting the decay of uranium to lead in zircon crystals found in siltstones in a fossil bearing layer (U–Pb zircon geochronology). The results prove that the Mussaurus nesting colonies were formed around 192 million years ago (Sinemurian faunal stage of the Early Jurassic). As fossil bones were found at several distinct layers, this suggests that these dinosaurs returned to this favoured nesting site year after year.
The researchers conclude that Mussaurus lived in well-organised herds and this is the first time these complex behaviours have been recorded in an early dinosaur. It pre-dates other records of dinosaur social behaviour by more than 40 million years. Furthermore, by studying colonial nesting in the similarly aged early sauropodomorphs Lufengosaurus from China and Massospondylus from South Africa, the team suggest that complex nesting behaviours and organised herd structures emerged very early in dinosaur evolution.
The fossilised remains of a Mussaurus preserved inside an egg. Thirty eggs from the site were analysed using computed tomography confirming that this was a nest site occupied by a single dinosaur species. Picture credit: Diego Pol (CONICET).
Living in herds, exhibiting complex social behaviours and breeding in colonies at preferred nesting locations may have contributed to the success of these early dinosaurs, which enabled sauropodomorphs to become a mainstay of terrestrial ecosystems, laying the foundation for the success of the Sauropoda for most of the Mesozoic.
The scientific paper: “Earliest evidence of herd-living and age segregation amongst dinosaurs” by Diego Pol, Adriana C. Mancuso, Roger M. H. Smith, Claudia A. Marsicano, Jahandar Ramezani, Ignacio A. Cerda, Alejandro Otero and Vincent Fernandez published in Scientific Reports.
For models of early dinosaurs and other prehistoric animal figures: Dinosaur Toys.
The remaining CollectA Deluxe prehistoric animal models that Everything Dinosaur are going to get this year have arrived and are now available from the UK-based mail order company. The new for 2021 CollectA Deluxe models include the 1:40 scale Dilophosaurus, a replica of the ferocious Cretaceous fish – Xiphactinus and a 1:20 scale model of the glyptodont Doedicurus.
New for 2021 CollectA Deluxe models in stock at Everything Dinosaur. The 1/40th scale Dilophosaurus (top), the 1:40 CollectA Deluxe Xiphactinus (middle) and the CollectA Deluxe 1;20 scale Doedicurus (bottom). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The eagerly anticipated CollectA Deluxe Pteranodon will not be in stock at Everything Dinosaur until next year (2022).
Deluxe Models
The CollectA Deluxe range comprises the figures and replicas that have a declared scale. The general scale used for dinosaur figures is 1:40 hence the 1/40th scale Dilophosaurus model. For prehistoric mammals, CollectA use a scale of approximately 1:20. For example, the new Deluxe Doedicurus is in 1:20 scale.
Model collectors and fans of prehistoric animals know that these scales are only arbitrary, there are so many dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals in the Deluxe range representing very different sized animals that these suggested scales can, at best, only be regarded as approximate guides.
The new for 2021 CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Dilophosaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Doedicurus model. One of the new CollectA Deluxe prehistoric animal models.
Xiphactinus – Deadly Marine Predator
When Everything Dinosaur team members first announced the CollectA model line-up for 2021, there was much excitement about the addition of a Xiphactinus replica. Several species of Xiphactinus have been named and described. Fossil remains have been found in South America, Europe and most famously North America. Many almost complete and articulated specimens have been excavated from the Smoky Hill Chalk Member of the Niobrara Formation. With an estimated body length approaching six metres, Xiphactinus was one of the largest members of the extinct Ichthyodectidae family.
The CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Xiphactinus prehistoric fish model.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“There have been huge problems with production, shipping and distribution, it is great to see these three models in stock and we look forward to announcing the new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe replicas in the very near future.”
To view the range of CollectA Deluxe figures, including the new Xiphactinus, Dilophosaurus and the 1:20 scale Doedicurus models: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life.
Model collectors and fans of prehistoric animals know that these scales are only arbitrary, there are so many dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals in the Deluxe range representing very different sized animals that these suggested scales can, at best, only be regarded as approximate guides.
The new for 2021 CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Dilophosaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Doedicurus model. One of the new CollectA Deluxe prehistoric animal models.
Xiphactinus – Deadly Marine Predator
When Everything Dinosaur team members first announced the CollectA model line-up for 2021, there was much excitement about the addition of a Xiphactinus replica. Several species of Xiphactinus have been named and described. Fossil remains have been found in South America, Europe and most famously North America. Many almost complete and articulated specimens have been excavated from the Smoky Hill Chalk Member of the Niobrara Formation. With an estimated body length approaching six metres, Xiphactinus was one of the largest members of the extinct Ichthyodectidae family.
The CollectA Deluxe 1:40 scale Xiphactinus prehistoric fish model.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“There have been huge problems with production, shipping and distribution, it is great to see these three models in stock and we look forward to announcing the new for 2022 CollectA Deluxe replicas in the very near future.”
To view the range of CollectA Deluxe figures, including the new Xiphactinus, Dilophosaurus and the 1:20 scale Doedicurus models: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur have produced a helpful video for the Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel that not only showcases the excellent ITOY Studio Dilophosaurus sinensis model, but also discusses the steps required to legally import this figure and to offer it for sale.
Video credit: Everything Dinosaur
The video, which lasts around seven minutes, discusses the work done to get this model independently tested with Eurofins and permits dinosaur model collectors the opportunity to get a really good look at this collectable. Model measurements are provided including a measurement of that impressive neck frill and the narrator discusses the influence of the 1993 film “Jurassic Park” on Dilophosaurus model designs.
Dilophosaurus sinensis and Sinosaurus triassicus
As part of Everything Dinosaur’s commitment to help educate and inform, the video also addresses the thorny question as to whether Dilophosaurus sinensis is a valid dinosaur taxon. Similarities between the fossil material assigned to D. sinensis and fossils associated with the theropod Sinosaurus (S. triassicus) have been recorded. Some scientists including the eminent and highly influential Dong Zhiming have proposed that Dilophosaurus sinensis should be regarded as a junior synonym of Sinosaurus – our short video reviews the current position regarding these two taxa and shows line drawings and photographs of some of the fossils.
A view of the superb crest on the new for 2021 ITOY Studio Dilophosaurus dinosaur model.
A Different Species or an Entirely Different Genus
The video looks at some of the fossil evidence that suggests that Dilophosaurus sinensis could be a different species of Sinosaurus, a sister taxon to Sinosaurus triassicus or perhaps this enigmatic Early Jurassic theropod could have been an entirely different genus.
A life reconstruction of the Early Jurassic Chinese theropod Dilophosaurus sinensis (Sinosaurus triassicus). Picture credit: Zhao Chuang.
Picture credit: Zhao Chuang
The Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel is crammed full of dinosaur model reviews, product news and helpful advice and tips when it comes to prehistoric animal model collecting. We recommend that readers subscribe to Everything Dinosaur.
ITOY Studio are putting together a very exciting range of prehistoric animal models and figures, including Ceratosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex and an amazing Paraceratherium model.
A team of scientists, including a researcher from the London Natural History Museum have named a new species of ancient sea scorpion (eurypterid), that at around one metre in length was probably a top predator in its marine environment. Named Terropterus xiushanensis, it has been assigned to the Mixopteridae family within the Eurypterida and as such, it is the oldest mixopterid described to date and the first to be associated with Gondwana.
The newly described eurypterid from the Lower Silurian of southern China (Terropterus xiushanensis) was probably the top predator in the marine ecosystem. Here it is seen attempting to catch some jawless fish. Picture credit: Dinghua Yang.
Terropterus xiushanensis
Writing in the journal “Science Bulletin”, the research team describe this new marine arthropod based on several fossils mostly representing the spiny front appendages, excavated from the Lower Silurian (Llandovery) Xiushan Formation, Xiushan. Two incomplete, but much larger fossils from the roughly contemporaneous Fentou Formation of Wuhan in Hubei Province have also been assigned to the Terropterus genus.
Terropterus xiushanensis fossils (c) close-up of appendage V. Joint 5 or 6 of appendage III, paratype, NIGP 174786 (d). Joint 5 or 6 of appendage III, paratype, NIGP 174787 (e). Coxae, the first segment of a limb, paratype, NIGP 174788 (f). Genital operculum and the genital appendage, paratype, NIGP 174789 (g). Scale bars = 5 mm for (d), (f), (g); 2 mm for (e); 1 mm for (c). Picture credit: Wang et al.
A Formidable Predator
With an estimated length of around 1 metre, (based on the Fentou Formation fossils), Terropterus was far larger than any vertebrate predator known from Lower Silurian strata. Their second, and especially the third, pair of prosomal limbs are enlarged and armed with sharp spines. These limbs were presumably used for capturing prey, trilobites and other invertebrates as well as primitive fish.
A line drawing of Terropterus xiushanensis – left dorsal view and right ventral view. Picture credit: Wang et al with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur.
Mixopterids More Widespread than Previously Thought
Little is known about the evolution and distribution of the Mixopteridae. Only four species in two genera have been described previously and most of the research into these eurypterids took place in the early 20th century. Until the discovery of Terropterus all the mixopterids were associated with the ancient landmass of Laurussia. Terropterus extends the range of this family into marine environments associated with Gondwana.
Members of the Mixopteridae
Mixopterus simonsoni 1883 (Estonia).
Lanarkopterus dolichoschelus 1899 (Scotland).
Mixopterus multispinosus 1921 (New York).
Mixopterus kiaeri 1934 (Norway).
Phylogenetic assessment suggests that T. xiushanensis is a sister taxon to L. dolichoschelus.
The researchers note that mixopterids might share a common body plan with highly specialised anterior appendages armed with spines, which presumably played a role in attacking and holding prey, but there are marked differences between the known genera. This might indicate that some mixopterids attacked different kinds of prey.
The holotype (NIGP 174785) appendages of Terropterus xiushanensis. Note scale bar = 5 mm. Picture credit: Wang et al.
The scientific paper: “First mixopterid eurypterids (Arthropoda: Chelicerata) from the Lower Silurian of South China” by Han Wang, Jason Dunlop, Zhikun Gai, Xiaojie Lei, Edmund A. Jarzembowski and Bo Wang published in Science Bulletin.