The new for late 2023 PNSO Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus, a replica of a metriacanthosaurid theropod is coming into stock at Everything Dinosaur. The Yangchuanosaurus figure will be in stock in a few weeks. The Yangchuanosaurus is the latest theropod to be announced in PNSO’s mid-size model range.
The new for late 2023 Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus from PNSO. Yangchuanosaurus has been classified as a metriacanthosaurid theropod dinosaur.
PNSO Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus
Named and described in 1978 (Dong et al), Yangchuanosaurus was a member of the Allosauroidea superfamily. It was an apex predator, with some palaeontologists estimating that this dinosaur reached lengths in excess of ten metres. The new for 2023 Yangchuanosaurus is more sensibly proportioned. The model measures 22.5 cm in length.
The metriacanthosaurid theropod dinosaur model measures 22.5 cm long and stands 6.4 cm tall.
PNSO has already introduced models of Yangchuanosaurus. There is a small figure of Yangchuanosaurus, and it features in a 1:35 scale diorama with the stegosaur Chungkingosaurus. This is the first Yangchuanosaurus figure made by PNSO that has an articulated lower jaw.
The PNSO Yangchuanosaurus dinosaur model has an articulated jaw.
Yangchuanosaurus Accessories
The model is supplied with an A3-sized Sci-Art poster along with a fully illustrated, 64-page colour booklet. A QR code on the packaging links to a product video. Dayong the Yangchuanosaurus is also supplied with a transparent support stand.
The PNSO Yangchuanosaurus dinosaur figure is supplied with a full-colour, 64-page illustrated booklet, a Sci-Art poster and there is a QR code that links to a product video.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented that the Albertosaurus, Megalosaurus and Gorgosaurus PNSO figures were due into stock in a few days. The Yangchuanosaurus would be following in a second shipment along with another new PNSO figure.
Thanks to researchers from the University of Bristol, the culprit behind the infamous destruction of New York’s first life-size dinosaur theme park has been revealed. A New York museum mystery has been solved.
A new paper from the University of Bristol documents the bizarre case of the destruction of prehistoric animal figures destined for New York’s Central Park. The research team have shed light on one of the strangest and most puzzling events in the early history of palaeontology.
In May 1871, the partially built, life-size models of prehistoric creatures including several dinosaurs, being created for a new museum were totally destroyed in an act of malicious vandalism by a gang of thugs armed with sledgehammers. The remains were carted away and buried somewhere in the park. They have not been found to date.
The sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkin’s conceptual drawing of the Palaeozoic Museum. Picture credit: Annual report of the Board of Commissioners of the Central Park (1858).
American Politician William “Boss” Tweed Not Involved
It had been widely thought that the destruction of the statues was ordered by the notorious American politician William “Boss” Tweed.
In the new paper from Ms Victoria Coules of Bristol’s Department of History of Art and Professor Michael Benton of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, the politician is exonerated. New light on this bizarre episode has been shed. Contrary to previous accounts, it was the Treasurer and Vice President of the Central Park, Henry Hilton who most likely, organised the vandalism.
Ms Coules commented:
“It’s all to do with the struggle for control of New York city in the years following the American Civil War (1861-1865). The city was at the centre of a power struggle – a battle for control of the city’s finances and lucrative building and development contracts.”
A New York City Power Struggle
As the city expanded, the iconic Central Park was taking shape. It was to be more than just a green space. It was to have other attractions, including the Palaeozoic Museum. Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, a famous British sculptor who had created the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, the life-size models of prehistoric creatures in London – had travelled to the USA to build American versions of the animals.
However, the notorious William “Boss” Tweed had taken control of the city and, in sweeping changes to the city’s management, put his own henchmen in charge of city departments, including Central Park. They cancelled the partially complete project in late 1870. There the matter would have lain but in May 1871 someone ordered a gang of workmen to smash all of its partly finished contents.
Professor Benton (University of Bristol) explained:
“Previous accounts of the incident had always reported that this was done under the personal instruction of “Boss” Tweed himself, for various motives from raging that the display would be blasphemous, to vengeance for a perceived criticism of him in a New York Times report of the project’s cancellation.”
The studio of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins at the Central Park Arsenal, with models of extinct animals. Published in The 12th Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners of the Central Park for the Year Ending December 31st 1868. Picture credit: The University of Bristol.
Things Did Not Seem Right
Ms Coules added that when reading the reports, suspicions were raised. At the time, Tweed was fighting for his political life having already been accused of financial impropriety. Why would he have got himself involved in a museum project?
The research team examined the original sources and discovered that the culprit was not Tweed.
“The motive was not blasphemy or hurt vanity”.
A Complicated New York Museum Mystery
The situation was complicated by two other projects in development at the same time in Central Park. The building of the American Museum of Natural History and the Central Park Zoo.
Professor Benton explained:
“Drawing on the detailed annual reports and minutes of Central Park, along with reports in the New York Times, we can show that the real villain was one strange character by the name of Henry Hilton.”
Ms Coules stated that with the primary information sources available on-line, the researchers could study them in detail. They were able to demonstrate that the destruction of the prehistoric animal statues was ordered by Henry Hilton. He was the Treasurer and Vice President of Central Park.
Hilton was already infamous for other eccentric behaviour. For example, he ordered a bronze statue in the Park painted white. When the skeleton of a whale was donated to the American Museum of Natural History, he ordered that painted white too.
The Megalosaurus statue at Crystal Palace a dinosaur from 1854. This sculpture is still on display in south London. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The picture above shows one of the Crystal Palace prehistoric animal statues. This is the Megalosaurus. Like the other sculptures at Crystal Palace, it is a Grade I listed building.
Summing up this bizarre tale, Professor Benton concluded:
“This might seem like a local act of thuggery but correcting the record is hugely important in our understanding of the history of palaeontology. We show it wasn’t blasphemy, or an act of petty vengeance by William Tweed, but the act of a very strange individual who made equally bizarre decisions about how artefacts should be treated – painting statues or whale skeletons white and destroying the museum models. He can be seen as the villain of the piece but as a character, Hilton remains an enigmatic mystery.”
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Bristol in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “The curious case of Central Park’s dinosaurs: The destruction of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins’ Paleozoic Museum revisited” by Victoria Coules and Michael J. Benton published in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.
Oxford University Museum of Natural History has completed the purchase of archive material belonging to pioneering geologist the Reverend William Buckland and his wife Mary (née Morland).
This is an important, historical and culturally significant archive that has been acquired by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH). The material which documents the contribution to science by the 19th century theologian and geologist contains over 1,000 items. There are notebooks, family papers, drawings, artworks and letters. The collection is noteworthy as it also highlights the contribution of Buckland’s wife Mary (née Morland). Mary was a talented artist and naturalist.
A portrait of the Reverend William Buckland. Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Funding the Acquisition
The acquisition has been made possible with support from the Friends of the National Libraries, Headley Trust, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund. Private donors also contributed.
Head of Earth Collections at the OUMNH, Eliza Howlett stated:
“The Museum’s acquisition of a large collection of Buckland papers from private hands is a game-changer for historians of science and others with an interest in the histories of gender, class, and colonialism. Combined with the already large and diverse Oxford collections, the new materials will confirm OUMNH as the epicentre for future research, and we are tremendously grateful to the many trusts and foundations, and to the private individuals, who generously contributed to this purchase.”
This important collection also includes correspondence between Mary Anning and William Buckland about new fossil discoveries. In a letter penned by Mary Anning the famous Lyme Regis resident informs the Reverend William Buckland about the discovery of Plesiosaurus remains.
Part of a signed letter from Mary Anning to William Buckland from December 21st 1830, informing him of a plesiosaur skeleton she had recently discovered. Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
William Buckland
William Buckland was a hugely influential figure in academia, religion, politics and science. He successively held the positions of Reader in Mineralogy and Geology at Oxford University; Dean of Westminster and Canon of Christ Church, Oxford.
He is accredited with the first, formal scientific description of a dinosaur (Megalosaurus bucklandii). This was one of three genera placed into the Dinosauria by Richard Owen in the early 1840s.
The partial dentary with teeth associated with Megalosaurus bucklandii on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The reverend William Buckland also pioneered palaeoecology with is ground-breaking study of an ancient hyena den. Buckland was also a notable convert to glacial theory, and showed how glaciation rather than a global flood shaped the British landscape.
An Insight into the Life of a Pioneering Scientist
This extensive archive reveals aspects of Buckland’s life as a student at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, as well his work as a practising geologist, eminent member of the clergy and university lecturer. Evidence from the archive provides a comprehensive insight into the thinking and institutions of the early 19th century. During this time, the biblical interpretation of creation was being challenged. Material in the archive documents correspondence with major figures such as art critic John Ruskin and prime minister Robert Peel.
A watercolour of the Reverend William Buckland inspecting a rock formation in Snowdonia, by Thomas Sopwith (October 1841). Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Identifying Iconic Artworks
The archive also includes original artworks, such as Thomas Sopwith’s watercolour of William Buckland exploring a rock formation armed with a geological hammer. It had been thought that this artwork portrayed Mary Anning. The collection also includes an exceptionally rare, coloured version of the lithograph based on Henry de la Beche’s drawing Duria Antiquior. The artwork, depicting prehistoric Dorset, is famous for being the first pictorial representation of a scene of prehistoric life based on fossil evidence.
Mary’s Contribution is Recognised
This substantial archive also includes a number of illustrations created by Buckland’s wife Mary (née Morland). Highlights include two of Mary’s sketchbooks. One of these, dating from before her marriage to Buckland, contains exquisite ink and watercolour drawings of natural history specimens, and highlights the huge artistic and scientific contribution she made to her husband’s work.
A watercolour of Dipus canadensis, a jumping mouse from Canada, by Mary Morland circa 1817 from her notebook of specimens. Picture credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Dr Simon Thurley CBE, Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, commented:
“I am delighted the National Heritage Memorial Fund is able to support Oxford University Museum of Natural History to acquire the outstanding Buckland Archive and ensure that the collection remains together and is saved for the nation.”
Uniting the Collections
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is already a significant repository for Buckland’s work. This new archive will fit with the Museum’s existing collection, helping to provide a more complete understanding of the contribution made to science and to scientific debate.
Reuniting these collections both physically and digitally will allow researchers and other museum audiences access to the full spectrum of Buckland material.
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the compilation of this article.
Everything Dinosaur team members were asked by a Radio Two researcher to provide the questions for the “midnight mastermind” slot on the OJ Borg early morning radio show when the subject the presenter was being quizzed upon was dinosaurs!
We were asked to propose six questions from which the researcher would select three to test the knowledge of their colleague.
Questions About Dinosaurs
The word “dinosaur” or to be technically correct the “Dinosauria” was first coined by a British scientist in the early 1840s – who was it?
It was anatomist and biologist Richard Owen, later Sir Richard Owen, a Lancastrian who had been given the task of making sense of the giant reptile fossils that had been found and studied over the preceding couple of decades. Richard Owen named and described several dinosaurs including the first long-necked dinosaur (sauropod) and he went onto help establish what we now know as the London Natural History Museum.
What does the term dinosaur actually mean?
Dinosaur is from the ancient Greek (deinos) which means “terrible” or “fearfully great” and from (sauros) which means lizard, so you have “terrible lizards” or “fearfully great lizards”. However, dinosaurs are not closely related to lizards.
The CollectA 1:40 scale Iguanodon and Mapusaurus dinosaur models. Dinosaurs “fearfully great lizards”.
The radio presenter did really well in a previous “midnight mastermind” in which listener Neil asked questions about the film “Predator”, so we thought it would be a good idea to set him question about a dinosaur which many people believe was the ultimate predator – Tyrannosaurus rex.
Tyrannosaurus rex is perhaps the most famous dinosaur of all, in what year was T. rex formally, scientifically described?
T. rex was first scientifically described back in 1905, by the American palaeontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn. The first T. rex bone was described in 1883 and this was referred to as Monospondylus gigas (giant, thin vertebrae), thankfully scientific convention was overruled and Tyrannosaurus rex became the accepted scientific name.
The Mesozoic
The non-avian dinosaurs died out around 66 million years ago (mya) during a mass extinction event that marked the end of the Mesozoic Era.
Dinosaur fossils are found in rock formations that were laid down during three geological time periods – one of these periods is called the Jurassic – hence the movie “Jurassic Park” but what are the names of the other two geological periods associated with the dinosaurs?
The two other geological time periods associated with the dinosaurs are the Triassic (251 mya – 201 mya) and the Cretaceous (145 mya – 66 mya). The first dinosaurs evolved in the Late Triassic perhaps as early as 235 million years ago. The non-avian dinosaurs became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous 66 mya.
What was the name of the first dinosaur to be scientifically described?
Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be scientifically described. It was named in 1824 by an English clergyman and geologist William Buckland. The Reverend William Buckland went on to become Dean of Westminster Abbey. The Megalosaurus fossils that William Buckland studied can be seen today, on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Dinosaur Models and Prehistoric Animals
At our company Everything Dinosaur, we specialise in the sale of dinosaur and prehistoric animal scale models.
The world’s first life-size dinosaur models are still in existence, but where in the world would you have to travel to if you wanted to see them?
The first, life-size dinosaur sculptures in the world can be seen in Crystal Palace Park in the London Borough of Bromley. Originally commissioned as part of the Great Exhibition, the statues created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins under the guidance of Sir Richard Owen, went on public display in 1854. The statues have Grade I listed building status and the park is the world’s first dinosaur and prehistoric animal theme park, the original “Jurassic Park”.
Answers About Dinosaurs
The researcher selected the question about the first dinosaur to be scientifically described, the question about Tyrannosaurus rex and finally the question about the Crystal Palace dinosaurs.
The radio presenter scored zero out of three. Not to worry, not everyone is cut out to be a palaeontologist.
A giant, carnivorous dinosaur left an unusual footprint in soft sediment approximately 166 million years ago. Remarkably, the print has been preserved as a fossil, providing palaeontologists with yet more evidence to demonstrate the diverse, dinosaur dominated ecosystem which has been preserved in the rocks that comprise the Yorkshire coast.
Giant Dinosaur Footprint
The trace fossil measures around eighty centimetres in length, and it was probably made by a large theropod dinosaur (Megalosauridae).
The print was probably made by a large, carnivorous dinosaur similar to a Megalosaurus (Theropoda – Megalosauridae). Picture credit: James McKay.
Picture credit: James McKay
The Yorkshire Coast
The Yorkshire coast is renowned for producing some visually and scientifically significant fossils, including thousands of dinosaur footprints and tracks. A popular destination for professional palaeontologists and fossil fans, people come from far and wide to see what they can discover.
The three-toed (tridactyl) print is exceptionally rare and unusual. It appears to record the moment when a meat-eating dinosaur crouched down or rested.
Discovered by a Local Archaeologist
The print was discovered in April 2021 by Marie Woods, a local archaeologist. She was walking along the coast and found this amazing trace fossil by chance. Marie contacted local fossil experts to see if the print had already been recorded, but none of them were aware of the track she described.
Dr Dean Lomax, a vertebrate palaeontologist affiliated with The University of Manchester was contacted and asked to examine the fossil find.
Dr Lomax, a co-author of the study published in the Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society commented:
“I couldn’t believe what I was looking at, I had to do a double take. I have seen a few smaller prints when out with friends, but nothing like this. I can no longer say that ‘archaeologists don’t do dinosaurs’. At the time of the discovery, it generated a lot of public interest and I was overwhelmed with the messages on social media from people around the globe.”
The large tridactyl print, the toes are on the right side of the photograph. The footprint was produced by a large theropod dinosaur and it measures approximately 80 cm in length. Picture credit: Marie Woods.
Picture credit: Marie Woods
An Extremely Significant Fossil Discovery
The footprint is one of only six similar prints to have been recorded in the area, the first of which was identified in 1934. This print is an extremely significant fossil discovery, not only are tridactyl prints rare, but this trace fossil is the largest found in Yorkshire to date.
Local geologist and lead researcher on the paper John Hudson explained:
“This important discovery adds further evidence that meat-eating giants once roamed this area during the Jurassic. The type of footprint, combined with its age, suggests that it was made by a ferocious Megalosaurus-like dinosaur, with a possible hip height between 2.5 and 3 metres.”
Dinosaurs of the British Isles
Megalosaurus (M. bucklandii), was the first dinosaur to be formally described (1824). Around a hundred different dinosaur genera have been described from fossils found in the British Isles. Such is the significance of dinosaur fossils from the UK, that Dr Lomax was inspired to write a book documenting the extensive dinosaur fossil discoveries that have been made on these islands.
The partial dentary for teeth associated with Megalosaurus bucklandii. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Fragile Fossil
Photographs shared between the research team led them to conclude that the specimen was exceptionally fragile and likely to suffer further damage if it remained on the shoreline. Action was taken to rescue the fossil. The dinosaur trace fossil was expertly recovered by experienced fossil collectors Mark, Aaron and Shae Smith of Redcar.
As the rescue mission progressed it came to light that the print had been spotted five months previously, by Bob Taylor a local fossil collector who subsequently helped to write the research paper on the specimen.
Dr Lomax thanked Mark, Aaron and Shae for ensuring the safe recovery of the fossil and he stated:
“We’re incredibly grateful to Mark, Aaron and Shae for rescuing this important specimen and ensuring that it was saved for science. Now that the specimen has been studied, plans are in motion for it to go on public display, to spark the imagination of the next generation of fossil hunters.”
Donated to Scarborough Museum and Galleries
The fossil has been donated to Scarborough Museum and Galleries. Plans are in place to include this remarkable dinosaur in an exhibit, once conservation has been completed.
Dr Mike Romano (University of Sheffield), an expert on dinosaur tracks and other trace fossils, also co-authored the scientific paper. Dr Romano has spent more than two decades researching the dinosaur tracksites associated with the coast of Yorkshire.
He added:
“The east coast of Yorkshire is known as the Dinosaur Coast for very good reasons”
A huge number of dinosaur tracks, ranging in the thousands, have been discovered. As a result, this stretch of coastline is considered one of the best places in the world for dinosaur footprints. Although the first prints were documented in 1907, it was not until the 1980s that finds were being reported on a regular basis (by amateurs as well as professional geologists).
Twenty-Five Different Types of Track Described
Around twenty-five different types of footprints have been identified from the Jurassic strata exposed on the coast of Yorkshire. These prints and tracks demonstrate that during the Middle Jurassic a diverse, dinosaur-dominated ecosystem thrived in an ancient coastal plain environment. The trace fossils also recorded behaviours, palaeontologists have identified trace fossils that indicate walking, running and even swimming dinosaurs.
A Dinosaur Behaviour “Locked in Time”
Dr Lomax outlined how this single print can help scientists to better understand theropod dinosaur behaviour.
He commented:
“This is a wonderful find. Not only does this specimen represent the largest theropod footprint found in Yorkshire, but by studying the angle of the footprint, its shape, and the impressions of the claws, the fossil provides insights into the behaviour of this individual from around 166 million years ago. In fact, features of the footprint may even suggest that this large predator was squatting down before standing up. It’s fun to think this dinosaur might well have been strolling along a muddy coastal plain one lazy Sunday afternoon in the Jurassic.”
This is an example of the behaviour of a long extinct prehistoric animal being preserved in the fossil record, a footprint that provides evidence of the behaviour of a dinosaur that has been dead for 166 million years.
Dean Lomax is also the author of “Locked in Time”, a book which examines animal behaviour preserved in fifty exceptional fossil discoveries.
The front cover of the book “Locked in Time – Animal Behaviour Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils” by Dean Lomax with illustrations by Bob Nicholls. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Manchester in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “A new giant theropod dinosaur track from the Middle Jurassic of the Cleveland Basin, Yorkshire, UK” by Hudson, J. G., Romano, M., Lomax, D. R., Taylor, R. and Woods, M. published in the Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society.
Everything Dinosaur team members are looking forward to reading and then reviewing a new book by renowned author Professor David Bainbridge that charts the development of the science of palaeontology using classical and contemporary scientific illustrations.
The front cover of “Paleontology an Illustrated History” by David Bainbridge a comparative anatomist in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Lavishly Illustrated
This lavishly illustrated volume, published by Princeton University Press: Princeton University Press examines how art and illustrators have informed both academia and the general public about fossil discoveries and scientific research. It is lavishly illustrated, the author providing a beautifully crafted examination of the art and science of palaeontology from the ancient Greek civilisation right up to the modern day with its techniques of three-dimensional modelling, computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy.
The Neave Parker Megalosaurus illustration (1960) on a postcard available from the London Natural History Museum in the 1960s and 1970s.
The book “Paleontology an Illustrated History” highlights the contribution to palaeoart made by figures such as the English artist Neave Parker. Neave Parker created iconic images of dinosaurs in collaboration with the scientists at the British Museum (now the London Natural History Museum). The book looks at the contribution made to scientific illustration by artists such as Burian, Zallinger and Charles Knight.
It also includes full colour plates of stunning fossil discoveries as well as biographies of the palaeontologists who have helped shape our view of ancient lifeforms and ecosystems.
Team members at Everything Dinosaur are looking forward to reading this exciting book and providing a more detailed review.
When a new prehistoric animal is named and described in a scientific paper, often, an illustration featuring the new discovery is commissioned so that readers and viewers of any subsequent media release can get an impression of what the creature might have looked like. These life reconstructions show the animal in context, providing an insight into the palaeoenvironment and sometimes also highlighting contemporaneous species that shared the same habitat.
Illustrating a Scientific Paper
These, frequently stunning illustrations are carefully conceived. Great care is taken to reflect the scientific evidence, however, the artist has some licence when it comes to considering the landscape, the choice of colours and the motif of the artwork.
Sometimes the person responsible for the scientific illustration is one of the authors of the study. For example, the artwork supporting the media release on the recently described rhamphorhynchid pterosaur from the Isle of Skye (Dearc sgiathanach), was created by the lead author Natalia Jagielska, a PhD student at the School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh.
The Isle of Skye 170 million years ago. A theropod dinosaur hopes to catch a Dearc sgiathanach, but this large pterosaur is too quick and avoids capture. The lead author of the scientific paper created the stunning artwork that accompanied the media release. Picture credit: Natalia Jagielska
Everything Dinosaur asked the artist what inspired and influenced her when it came to illustrating the newly described Scottish pterosaur.
Reflecting Scientific Evidence in Palaeoart
Natalia explained that she was inspired by Scottish birds, both those in Edinburgh, where the D. sgiathanach fossil material is stored and also the many seabirds synonymous with the Isle of Skye (where the fossil was found). Gannets are common on the island. They have a similar wingspan to that estimated for Dearc sgiathanach. With their long crania, robust neck and slender wings, these piscivores could be regarded as occupying a similar niche in the marine based ecosystem as the rhamphorhynchids.
“I wanted to form this connection between contemporary local fauna and ancient fauna”, Natalia commented. “I also added a splash of blue hues and yellows on the head in some reconstructions, as a nod to its Scottish origin and the Scottish flag”.
Dominating the skies on the Isle of Skye. Several pterosaurs flying over the coastline (Dearc sgiathanach). Picture credit: Natalia Jagielska.
Setting the Scene for a Jurassic Pterosaur
The background into which the life reconstruction is inserted can also help to convey important information relating to geology and the ancient environment. The rugged cliffs (above), reflect the famous steep cliffs of Skye and link the Jurassic landscape to modern Scotland, as both have been extensive shaped by the Caledonian orogeny, a period of mountain building that occurred during the Palaeozoic.
The waters represent the Hebridean basin and are part of Boreal Seaway, their presence in the artwork helps to reinforce the view that Dearc sgiathanach was associated with coastal and marine habitats.
Adding a Theropod Dinosaur
A theropod dinosaur features in one of the illustrations included with the media release. The presence of theropods in the Middle Jurassic of Skye is indicated by tridactyl prints preserved in the petrified mudflats. The Megalosaurus depicted in the scene sports cranial crests. PhD student Natalia explained that as Megalosaurus does not have a well- preserved skull, she took the opportunity to give her theropod a pair of Allosaurus-inspired head crests.
The dinosaur provides a helpful scale, the viewer is in no doubt that Dearc sgiathanach was a large animal. Indeed, with a wingspan estimated to be around 2.5 metres, the Isle of Skye pterosaur is the biggest flying reptile described to date from Jurassic material.
“Pairing a theropod with the pterosaur is an excellent way of displaying Dearc’s sheer size and making the viewer perceive it’s in the Jurassic”, Natalia stated. “Megalosaurus is excellent too, showcasing basal bauplans of carnivorous dinosaurs associated with the Middle Jurassic”.
The Pterosauria
The Pterosauria continued to evolve throughout the Mesozoic, with some of the Late Cretaceous taxa evolving to become the largest flying animals of all time. Scientific illustrations evolve and change too. In Natalia’s email correspondence with Everything Dinosaur, it was pointed out that the original concept was to depict the pterosaur fighting with the dinosaur over a piece of carrion – a macabre tug-of-war between the two archosaurs. However, the final illustration depicts a different form of interspecific competition, the brash theropod chasing after the pterosaurs much like a dog might chase gulls or oystercatchers on the beach today.
The addition of a megalosaurid helps to provide a scale and illustrates a typical theropod from the Middle Jurassic. Picture credit: Natalia Jagielska.
The subtle tones of the sky at sunset add atmosphere and an almost ethereal quality to the artwork. Natalia commented that the background to the illustration featuring the theropod was inspired by J. M. W. Turner’s “The Fighting Temeraire”, she wanted to give her work a grandiose, maritime-look using the light, colours and shading as depicted in the famous Turner painting. The iconic painting “The Fighting Temeraire”, featuring a huge warship making its final journey to a London shipyard so that it could be broken up, was painted in 1839. Ironically, it was during the late 1830s that the remarkable pterosaur fossils including many examples of rhamphorhynchids, from the Solnhofen limestones of southern Germany were being subjected to detailed scientific scrutiny.
Bathonian Mammaliaforms and Sauropods
In the bottom left corner of the artwork, large rib bones can be seen and sitting precariously atop one of the bones is a small mammaliaform. The Lealt Shale Formation from which the pterosaur specimen was extracted, has not yielded many body fossils, but mammaliaforms such as Wareolestes (W. rex), are known from the roughly contemporaneous Kilmaluag Formation of the Isle of Skye. Natalia wanted to highlight the significance of Skye for helping to shed light on an important stage in the evolution of many different types of tetrapod, including our own ancestors.
The Isle of Skye is also famous for its extensive sauropod tracks. Admittedly, the pterosaur specimen comes from a bedding plane devoid of such prints although tracks associated with thyreophorans (stegosaurs) have been identified.
Mammaliaform fossils although exceptionally rare have been found in Middle Jurassic exposures in Scotland. The artwork highlights the presence of such creatures (arrowed) and the huge rib bones are a nod towards the extensive sauropod tracks associated with the Lealt Shale Formation. Picture credit: Natalia Jagielska.
The addition of the sauropod bones permitted the artist to hint at one of the theories put forward to explain the preservation of animal remains over a period of 170 million years or so.
Natalia explained:
“The ribcage in the foreground suggests one of theories suggesting superb preservation, maybe the fossil was buried in mudflats. The location showcases a marginal marine setting, with storm deposit layers and evidence for periodic aerial exposure – truly a perplexing combination”.
Stunning Illustrations in a Scientific Paper
The illustrations are certainly stunning, helping to tell the tale of a pterosaur that soared over Scotland way back in the Middle Jurassic. Our thanks to Natalia Jagielska for sharing her thoughts on the inspiration behind the artwork.
Our thanks to William who sent into Everything Dinosaur a detailed review of the PNSO “Yinqi” the Yutyrannus dinosaur model. William has been busy writing reviews on his recent PNSO prehistoric animal acquisitions. He is becoming an avid fan of the PNSO mid-size model range.
The Yutyrannus (Y. huali), is just one of several theropod models that have been introduced by PNSO this year.
PNSO Yinqi the Yutyrannus (lateral view).
Dinosaur Model Review
Here is William’s review of his latest PNSO acquisition:
PNSO 2021 Yutyrannus huali “Yinqi”. 1/30-1/35 scale model. Length: 10 inches. Height: 4.1 inches. Box: Standard white PNSO issue with the acrylic stand and a beautiful booklet.
The PNSO Yinqi the Yutyrannus is supplied with a small transparent stand that when placed in the middle of the replica’s chest helps to support this dinosaur figure.
Looking at the Head and the Articulated Jaws
William starts his review by looking at the head and the jaws of the Yutyrannus figure. He comments on the bare snout and highlights the fine detail of the scales and the well-defined nostrils, before declaring the orange nasal crest as “a stunner”. The lacrimal horns are praised and he states:
“What a fantastic, feathered head sculpt, you will not find anywhere else, kudos to PNSO we have a Yutyrannus finally.”
William also commented on the eye colouration and the black skin folds encircling the orbits. Turning his attention to the jaw, he stated that the jaw of the dinosaur model is fully articulated and opens quite wide to show off wonderful white teeth which are displayed in a lipless mouth. The painting of the interior of the mouth was extolled and he exclaimed:
“The tongue sits flat to the bottom of the mouth and looks great with detailed nasal passages in the roof of the skull.”
PNSO Yinqi the Yutyrannus with an articulated jaw.
Reviewing the Limbs of “Yinqi” the Yutyrannus
When compared to the reduced forelimbs of T. rex or Tarbosaurus, the arms of the tyrannosauroid Yutyrannus look powerful, each hand is armed with three robust claws and William suggests that these claws were used to hold onto or despatch prey. Even though the arms are feathered, the sculpting team at PNSO have taken care to give the impression of powerful muscles under the plumage, a point that William remarks upon. He also comments on the strong, muscular legs of the model with their large dewclaws and the padded soles of the feet.
The rough, shaggy integumentary covering providing excellent insulation for this large dinosaur in its harsh, temperate climate.
To read Everything Dinosaur’s 2012 blog post about the discovery and scientific description of Yutyrannus: One Tonne Basal Tyrannosauroid.
A Hunter Sniffing Out Prey
The review looks at the torso of the figure and the feather impressions covering the body are discussed.
William praises the pose of the figure remarking:
“The pose is that of a hunter sniffing out prey in a forward motion with the head posed to spot movement. Truly this figure is a wonder to behold.”
The PNSO Yinqi the Yutyrannus (anterior view).Reviewer William praises the figure stating that it is a “wonder to behold”.
Painting a Prehistoric Animal
The choice of colour scheme is lauded in William’s review. He states that the tips of the jaws are black, but this colour gradually softens and lightens towards the posterior end of the jawbones. He praises the contrasting white of the jowls and the chest area of the model. The main body colour is described as “a rich golden wheat of varied shades from dark to light”.
William also highlights the dark wash that runs over the back along the spine to the end of the tail, which is painted a dun colour.
As with previous reviews, William concludes by providing some further information on the dinosaur.
Discovery and History
Temporal Period: Early Cretaceous of the Liaoning Province: 125 million years ago. Yutyrannus huali “Beautiful Feathered Tyrant”. The adult was 29.5 ft with a weight of 1.1 tonnes around the weight of Megalosaurus.
First described and named in 2012 by Xu Xing from a trio of nearly complete fossil remains representing an adult with a subadult and a juvenile tagging along on maybe its first hunt. All three have been captured for all time.
A great pity those that had discovered the specimens cut them into square sections for ease of transport to a dealer from the Batu Yingzi quarry. Imagine what more could have been learned from where they were unearthed.
The palaeoenvironment that Yutyrannus inhabited would have been similar to the temperate forests of the Pacific Northwest of the USA/Canada – warm and wet in summer and harsh in the winter but Yutyrannus was well-insulated thanks to its thick, saggy coat.
In concluding his review William stated:
“PNSO 2021 Yutyrannus huali “Yinqi” another great addition to their ever-expanding theropod line but a unique edition to own a fully feathered natural looking Tyrannosauroidea and presently the world largest feathered dinosaur”.
To view the range of PNSO models and figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs.
