Everything Dinosaur Blog - Dinosaur Models

27 04, 2014

Smithsonian Institute’s Beautiful Dinosaur Gallery to Close Monday

By Mike|2024-05-01T15:29:52+01:00April 27th, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|2 Comments

Last Day to Visit the Dinosaur Gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Today, April 27th is the last day that visitors will be able to explore the magnificent dinosaur gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Washington D.C.), on Monday the gallery closes and the hall will not open again until 2019. The 31,000 square foot dinosaur gallery attracts in the region of 5.5 million visitors each year. It has been estimated that nearly seventy percent of all the Natural History Museum’s visitors each year spend time exploring the amazing dinosaur fossils and other vertebrates on display in the dinosaur gallery. However, as from tomorrow, the gallery will be closed as a $48 million USD renovation project commences.

Dinosaur Gallery

The hall will be undergoing an extensive re-fit, it has not had any major alterations since the 1980s and as palaeontology has moved on so the directors at the museum feel the time is right (and the funding is now in place), to conduct a major overhaul of the space and the vertebrate fossil exhibits and casts.

The current dinosaur hall began as “The Hall of Extinct Monsters” when the museum opened in 1910. The museum’s most recent public display of dinosaurs and palaeontology has been essentially unchanged for more than 20 years. Although the museum has one of the most comprehensive collections of fossils and a staff of eminent palaeobiologists, the exhibition has become outdated because the museum lacked the funding for a total renovation of the space.

A New Dinosaur Exhibition Hall

The new dinosaur exhibition hall has been made a reality thanks to the extremely generous donation of $35 million USD from David H. Koch, the executive vice president of Koch Industries. The renovation will be the most extensive and costly in the museum’s 104 year history and it will provide a fitting showcase for some of the museum’s 46 million fossils as well as permitting state-of-the-art research to be demonstrated to the public.

Although it is sad to hear that the gallery will be closed for five years, we, at Everything Dinosaur do understand the time that will be needed to prepare the new exhibits. For example, the Diplodocus replica skeleton which measures nearly ninety feet long will have to be dismantled, cleaned and the put back together again, a major undertaking in itself, as we think this is one of the original Diplodocus casts donated by the Scottish born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (cast of museum specimen CM 84).

Three Phases of Work

The renovation work will be undertaken in three major phases.

Firstly, there will be the dismantling of all current exhibits, their careful cataloguing, cleaning and storage. Secondly, the hall itself will be completely re-fitted, the brief is to return the space to its original splendour when it first opened, with the architecture of the building itself given greater prominence. Thirdly, there is the re-fitting of the exhibition space which will include the installation of the Museum’s very own real Tyrannosaurus rex fossil exhibit (the Wankel T. rex), although we are confident the life-size replica of the gracile T. rex currently on display (cast of Stan – BHI 3033) will still form part of the display.

Ever since the donation was confirmed, the process of planning the new hall layout was started. A number of preliminary sketches have been released and team members at Everything Dinosaur are very excited about the prospect of seeing a substantial proportion of the museum’s collection exhibited using the very latest visitor enrichment techniques.

Some of the iconic dinosaur fossils and specimens in the Museum’s collection will be on display over the period of construction and renovation. For example, a stopgap exhibition featuring the “Stan” cast and a cast of the skull of a Triceratops (T. horridus) as well as other Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils will open in November 2014. This exhibition will be called “The Last American Dinosaurs – Discovering a Lost World”. This exhibition will remain open until the new dinosaur hall re-opens.

For dinosaur models, toys and clothing: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

We wish all the staff and contractors involved in the project the best of luck and we pass on our best wishes to them.

26 04, 2014

Everything Dinosaur Sponsors Prestigious and Important Model Contest

By Mike|2024-04-12T18:24:00+01:00April 26th, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Press Releases|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur Sponsors the 2014 Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama Competition

Everything Dinosaur is proud to sponsor the 2014 Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama contest, a chance for model makers and dinosaur fans to show off their skills in creating prehistoric scenes. This highly respected competition is open to all members of the Dinosaur Toy Forum and this annual contest attracts model makers from all over the world.

Everything Dinosaur

Can you Create a Prehistoric Scene?

Create a realistic Ice Age scene.

Commenting on this year’s showcase for aspiring Ray Harryhausen’s, Dr Adam Smith of the Dinosaur Toy Forum stated:

“It’s that time of year again! I’m delighted to announce The Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama Contest 2014 sponsored by Everything Dinosaur! We have some wonderful prizes again this year courtesy of our generous sponsor.”

The rules and regulations for the 2014 contest are as follows:

Entry is free and all members of The Dinosaur Toy Forum, including staff, are invited to participate. Non-members wishing to enter are invited to register to the forum (this is free).
Dioramas have to feature prehistoric organisms, from Trilobita to Triceratops from Acanthocladia to Zosterophyllum, it does not matter, so long as its prehistoric.
The deadline for entries is Saturday 27th September 2014. Entries received after 00.00 hours GMT September 27th will be invalid.
One diorama per member. Once submitted it cannot be exchanged for an alternative entry.
Entries must be accompanied by a creative title.
Dioramas have to be new (never published on the web before) and you must have produced the diorama yourself. Stealing somebody else’s diorama will result in disqualification.
Photoshop is allowed, but the original photograph(s) must be your own.
Winners will be selected by a poll open to all Dinosaur Toy Forum members (there will be no professional judges), that will take place shortly after the closing date. There will be three winners in first, second and third place respectively (no joint positions), as selected by the poll. In the event of a tie for any position, a tie-break poll will be created. There will also be three non-prize winning honourable mentions.

Last Year’s Winning Entry – “Three Angry Chicks”

The winning entry last year.

Picture credit: federreptil (2013 contest sponsored by Safari Ltd)

A spokes person from Everything Dinosaur commented: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

“We are pleased to be involved with this annual competition. It gives model fans of all ages the opportunity to get creative and to show how imaginative they can be. Behaviour is rarely preserved in the fossil record, so we will be fascinated to see what scenarios the contestants come up with. We wish everybody the very best of luck.”

Everything Dinosaur Sponsors Prestigious Model Contest

Proud to sponsor the competition.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of prehistoric animal models:

How to Enter

-Entries will remain anonymous until the winners are announced. For this reason we request that entrants do not watermark or sign their entries.
-Entries should be submitted as a .jpg file 1000px wide.
-Entries should be sent via email as an attachment to [email protected]. The email title should read as follows: “dinosaur diorama contest 2014 – [forum username]”, and the email body should include the diorama title.

For further guidance Everything Dinosaur recommends that The Dinosaur Toy Forum should be viewed and consulted or emails can be sent to the email address provided immediately above.

On behalf of Everything Dinosaur, just time to say good luck to every one.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.

Please note this contest is now closed.

25 04, 2014

Important News as Third Crocodile Attack Fatality in Vadodara (Gujarat State)

By Mike|2024-05-02T06:21:30+01:00April 25th, 2014|Categories: Animal News Stories, Main Page|2 Comments

Mugger Crocodiles Protecting Nests Blamed for Fatal Attacks

Indian media is reporting a third crocodile attack in as many weeks in and around the city of Vadodara in the state of Gujarat (north-western India). A sixty year old man was attacked close to the Vishwamitri river on Friday afternoon, despite desperate attempts from local residents and members of the fire brigade, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The crocodile initially refused to relinquish the body, but persistent efforts finally succeeded in recovering the victim who has yet to be formally identified.

The Vishwamitri River

The Vishwamitri river runs through the city of Vadodara and recent surveys suggest that there is a healthy population of Mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) living in the river. The Mugger or Marsh crocodile is the most common crocodile species found in India and although these reptiles predominately eat fish, snakes, turtles and small mammals, they have been known to attack people and livestock. However, the spate of recent crocodile attacks has led city officials to issue notices and warnings with regards to the potential threat of an attack.

An elderly woman was killed by a crocodile three weeks ago, when she was seized close to a lock near the village of Savli. A teenage boy was killed on April 20th when he fell into the Vishwamitri when trying to cross the river on a wooden plank.

Crocodile Attacks

The Mugger crocodile can grow up to around 4.5 metres in length, with adult males growing to larger sizes than females. They are distributed throughout the Indian sub-continent and can be found in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan with a small population reported from southern Iran. The recent spate of attacks has been blamed on female crocodiles being extra aggressive at this time of year (spring). Many female crocodiles might be guarding nests and as a result, they will instinctively attack any creature that wanders too near the eggs. Animal activists and conservation groups have urged local people to avoid areas where crocodiles are known to nest, not to venture close to the riverbanks and not to go out at night near bodies of freshwater.

A recent study of Mugger crocodiles and American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) by an international team of scientists proved the long held belief that these species use tools to help attract prey close enough for them to grab in their powerful jaws. These two species of crocodylians are not closely related but both the American alligator and the Mugger find sticks and balance them on the top of their jaws in a bid to lure birds to perch on them and to steal the sticks during the nesting season when many wading birds are seeking sticks and other materials to help them build nests.

A paper on this observed behaviour was published in the academic journal “Ethology Ecology and Evolution”.

This is the only known incidence of tool use in the Reptilia.

Boy from Zimbabwe Attacked by Nile Crocodile

A twelve year old boy from Zimbabwe was killed by a Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) on April 22nd and earlier this month a fisherman was mauled to death in Belize with an American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) blamed for the assault. A Nile crocodile which is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of at least six people was captured by Ugandan game wardens. The crocodile measured nearly six metres in length and is estimated to have been at least eighty years old.

The Differene Between Crocodiles and Alligators

Crocodile (top) and Alligator (bottom).

We are grateful to Brandon who pointed out that the attack reported in Belize was not from an American Crocodile but from a Morelet’s crocodile (Mexican crocodile). We thank him for the correction.

24 04, 2014

Helping Children to Develop Important Writing Skills

By Mike|2024-04-12T18:30:49+01:00April 24th, 2014|Categories: Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Helping Children to Develop Important Writing Skills

Year 1 and Year 2 Send Everything Dinosaur Thank You Letters

Another trip to Yorkshire, a county we know very well, not just because of all the schools we visit but also because we have been on plenty of fossil hunting expeditions in that part of the world. Year 1 and Year 2 pupils at Hoylandswaine Primary had been studying fossils and Everything Dinosaur’s visit helped reinforce their learning. We were asked lots of questions about Mary Anning, the children had been studying the lady who “sells sea shells on the sea shore”. They were fascinated by the ichthyosaur fossils and the huge ammonites.

Everything Dinosaur

We were also asked lots of questions about extinction events and our dinosaur experts then challenged the children to write a thank you letter in return for the fossil themed activities that they had been involved with. We set one of our “pinkie palaeontologist challenges” to the class – could they start the letter correctly? What about the punctuation? How would they end their letter to us?

Setting a creative writing challenge is just one of the many extension activities that arise out of Everything Dinosaur’s fossil workshops. The children set about their task that afternoon and under the enthusiastic tutelage of their teachers, soon all the children had completed letters.

An Example of One of the Thank You Letters Received

Jacob loved learning all about Spinosaurus.

Picture credit: Pupil (Hoylandswaine Primary School)

To visit Everything Dinosaur’s website to view the large range of prehistoric animal models available: Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animal Models.

Teacher Says Thank You

The teacher wrote us a short note, which was included in the envelope that contained the children’s letters.

Miss Birkinshaw wrote:

“Thank you for visiting us. The children really did have a fantastic morning”.

Teacher Praises Everything Dinosaur

“The children really did have a fantastic morning.”

24 04, 2014

Hoylandswaine Primary School Send in Thank You Letters

By Mike|2023-03-12T09:49:48+00:00April 24th, 2014|Categories: Educational Activities, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Year 1 and Year 2 Show Off their Writing Skills

Last month, a team member at Everything Dinosaur visited Hoylandswaine Primary School to help teach about dinosaurs and fossils as the Year 1 and Year 2 students had spent a good portion of their term learning all about prehistoric animals.

Under the guidance of Miss Birkinshaw, the teacher and with the support of Mrs Burr (teaching assistant), the school children had been studying how fossils are formed, the life of Mary Anning, dinosaurs and the extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous. The enthusiastic, young palaeontologists had even had a go at making their own fossils and creating their own dinosaur dig site in the classroom. Our dinosaur expert felt very much at home surrounded by all the artwork and posters showing dinosaur facts and figures that the children had made.

Everything Dinosaur

At the end of the morning’s teaching, the Everything Dinosaur team member challenged the children to write a thank you letter. Could they start their letter correctly? Could they include a dinosaur fact or perhaps tell us about their favourite part of the morning’s dinosaur themed activities? Would they use connectives, proper sentences, could they think of a way of ending their letter?

Having returned from some fieldwork, there was a bulging postal sack waiting in the office and amongst all our correspondence was a set of thank you letters from Hoylandswaine Primary.

Thank you Letter Received from Jacob

Jacob loved learning all about Spinosaurus.

Picture credit: Hoylandswaine Primary Year 1/2 – Jacob

One of the many thank you letters received by Everything Dinosaur, young Jacob has illustrated his letter with some three-toed dinosaur footprints.

Gracie’s Thank You Letter to Everything Dinosaur

Gracie’s favourite thing was learning all about giant sharks.

Picture credit: Hoylandswaine Primary Year 1/2 – Gracie

Thank You Letters

Gracie chose to illustrate her letter with pictures of dinosaurs and a marine reptile swimming in the sea. We had lots of colourful letters and we have posted them all up onto our huge warehouse wall so that we can look at them and smile whilst we are sorting out fossils and working on our dinosaurs.

Thank you Letter Sent in by Katie

“Amazing fossils”.

Picture credit: Hoylandswaine Primary Year 1/2 – Katie

A very big thank you to all the children who sent us thank you letters, there are too many to post up here but we have put them all up onto our warehouse wall. Miss Birkinshaw even got in on the act and sent us a short note to thank Everything Dinosaur for their morning’s teaching work at the school.

Teacher’s Thank You Note

“The children really did have a fantastic morning.”

Picture credit: Hoylandswaine Primary Year 1/2 – Miss Birkinshaw

A Creative Writing Exercise

Setting a creative writing exercise such as this, is very worthwhile. Often it can be difficult for the teaching team to motivate the children to write, but this follow up exercise enables the teacher to assess a child’s writing and reading progress as well as testing recall and how the pupil conveys information. At Everything Dinosaur we always follow up letters we receive and we send out a reply to the school so that the children can learn a little more about the work we do and what we have been doing since our school visit.

Once again, our thanks to all the children in Year 1 and Year 2 who sent in thank you letters.

To view the range of dinosaur toys, models and games available from Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

23 04, 2014

New CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model Reviewed

By Mike|2024-04-12T18:27:17+01:00April 23rd, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Product Reviews|0 Comments

A Review of the CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model

Over the last decade or so, palaeontologists have begun to realise that the spinosaurs were a very geographically widespread group of theropod dinosaurs. Fossils have been found in South America, Africa, Europe and there has even been fragmentary remains assigned to spinosaurids found in Australia.

To learn more about the evidence for spinosaurs in Australia: Evidence for Spinosaurs in Australia.

When the fossils of Ichthyovenator were discovered by a French led, scientific expedition to the Savannakhet Basin of south, central Laos in 2010, they represented the first definitive spinosaurid fossil material to have been found in the whole of Asia.

CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model

Ichthyovenator is known from an individual specimen, all the fossil bones assigned to this new genus of carnivorous dinosaur were found in a single stone block, about two metres square. The fossils consist of two dorsal vertebrae (backbones), five partially articulated sacral vertebrae (back-bones over the hips), two tail bones, elements from the hips themselves and a single rib.

No skull material was found so CollectA have modelled the head of ichthyovenator on better known spinosaurs such as Suchomimus. The head on the dinosaur model is typical for a spinosaur, the snout is long and narrow and there is a distinctive hook in the front portion of the upper jaw.

Asian Spinosaurid

As well as being the first definitive spinosaur from Asia, Ichthyovenator is the first to be described that had two sail-like structures running along its back. The two dorsal vertebrae, numbers 12 and 13 are adjacent to hip area, dorsal vertebrae 12 is tall and fan shaped, it is believed to have supported a sail that ran from just before the hips down to the shoulder. The first sacral vertebra is less than 50% of the size of dorsal vertebra number 13, it is very much reduced, so it could not have supported a sail-like structure, the sacral vertebrae posterior to it are much larger and the sacral vertebrae numbers 3 and 4 are fan shaped just like dorsal vertebra number 12. This suggests that a second “sail” ran from over the hips down to the base of the tail.

The CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model

The first mainstream model available of this bizarre dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Reviewing the CollectA Model

In essence, based on the fossil evidence, Ichthyovenator seems to have U-shaped notch in the middle of its back. The model shows these bizarre sails in fine detail. The sails have been tipped with large scales and there is a row of spines running parallel to the sails on each side of the model. There are also prominent projections on the thigh. These projections, in combination with the triangular spines on the tail give this dinosaur a very crocodile-like appearance.

The model measures a fraction under eighteen centimetres in length. No one knows for sure how big Ichthyovenator (I. laosensis) was but it has been estimated to have been between seven and a half and nine metres in length. This makes this model to be around the 1:42 to 1:50 scale size. Ichthyovenator could have weighed as much as two and half tonnes.

CollectA have decided to put their Ichthyovenator model onto a base. This gives the model stability, allows the feet to be moulded in proportion to the rest of the dinosaur’s body and in this case, it gives a hint at where the animal might have lived. The feet are sunk into the base, to give the impression of the dinosaur standing on soft mud, the base even has claw marks and a fragment of a leaf. It is thought that Ichthyovenator hunted for fish on the banks of large rivers that criss-crossed Laos in the Early Cretaceous.

Ichthyovenator even has a small fish in its mouth, to reinforce the idea of this dinosaur being closely related to other fish-eating dinosaurs such as Suchomimus and Baryonyx. It is appropriate for the CollectA dinosaur model to show this, after all, the name of this dinosaur translates as “Fish Hunter from Laos”.

A Close up Showing the Fish in the Mouth of Ichthyovenator

“Fish Hunter from Laos”.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of CollectA dinosaur models: CollectA Prehistoric Life/Prehistoric World Models.

This is a beautifully crafted, hand-painted replica of Ichthyovenator, a dinosaur that was only named and scientifically described two years ago. It is an exciting addition to the CollectA range of dinosaur models.

22 04, 2014

Aim to Keep Unique “Dakota” in North Dakota

By Mike|2024-04-12T18:27:51+01:00April 22nd, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans|0 Comments

Hugely Important Duck-Billed Dinosaur Fossil Plans to Keep it in North Dakota

The permanent home for one of the most important dinosaur discoveries made in the last fifty years or so is under discussion in the United States. The fossil, representing a duck-billed dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous (Edmontosaurus) has helped palaeontologists to learn a lot about these long extinct creatures as its state of preservation permitted large sections of the animal’s skin to be preserved along with ossified tendons, ligaments and even the possibility of having preserved internal organs. Like many large specimens, the fossil has a nick-name, it is called “Dakota” as it was found in North Dakota back in 1999.

Duck-billed Dinosaur Fossil

State officials in North Dakota are hoping that an agreement can be reached to permit the huge fossil to stay in the State, hopefully becoming a centre piece exhibit in a newly refurbished and expanded North Dakota Heritage Centre based in Bismarck (capital city of the State). The Heritage Centre is due to re-open on November 2nd this year, the 125th anniversary of the State joining the United States of America.

To read more about the research into this remarkable dinosaur fossil: Dinosaur Fossil Begins to Show its Secrets.

The Edmontosaurus died close to a river and the carcase was rapidly buried and a form of mummification took place, the fine grained sediments and the lack of oxygen when the body was buried prevented decay, hence the high degree of preservation. The Edmontosaurus fossil was discovered by Tyler Lyson, on his uncle’s farm near the town of Marmarth. The extraction and the preparation of the fossil was an enormous task.

Two Large Blocks of Stone Contain the Specimen

The specimen was encased in two large blocks of stone, the largest of which weighed several tonnes. The blocks were extensively scanned using sophisticated CT (computerised tomography) and even traces of organic compounds were identified in the matrix material.

Commenting on the importance and the significance of this fossil, North Dakota’s state palaeontologist John Hoganson said:

“We want to keep that iconic fossil in North Dakota.”

The fossil was prepared in the preparation laboratory at the Heritage Centre and it has been on exhibit in Bismarck, the State capital, but such is the importance of the fossil that it has been in demand from other museums and it was carefully packed up and sent over to Japan to take part in a major exhibition about Cretaceous dinosaurs before being returned to North Dakota.

A Model of an Edmontosaurus (E. regalis)

Edmontosaurus a member of the hadrosaurine group of duck-billed dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For duck-billed dinosaur figures and other prehistoric animals: Wild Safari Dinos Figures and Models.

The specimen is owned by Tyler Lyson, who since the fossil’s discovery has earned a doctorate in palaeontology from Yale University and is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the Smithsonian Institute. Currently, Tyler is negotiating with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, sources suggest that the sum of money involved will be around $3 million USD to ensure the permanent future of this 76 million year old dinosaur.

Further research into “Dakota”: Dinosaur Mummy Reveals More Secrets.

Tyler is reported to have said in a statement to the Associated Press:

“We are all working to keep Dakota at the North Dakota Heritage Centre and to establish a Marmarth Research Foundation endowment fund to be used to further vertebrate palaeontology.”

The Heritage Centre

When the redeveloped Heritage Centre opens in November it will be a state-of-the-art museum and it would be fantastic to have “Dakota” as part of the dinosaur gallery. It would also help with further study into this amazing specimen as keeping the fossil in a permanent home would help with fund raising efforts. According to local sources, the finance to secure the fossil is not yet in place but it is likely that this iconic fossil will attract funding and significant sponsorship once arrangements for display have been put in place.

Dakota remains on loan to the Heritage Centre until 2015, all parties involved in the negotiations are keen to see the fossil stay in North Dakota and Everything Dinosaur team members are confident that there will be a swift resolution and that this fossil of a duck-billed dinosaur will remain in North Dakota. Today, April 22nd is Earth Day, an annual event celebrated worldwide in which people demonstrate their support for environmental protection. It is appropriate on this day of all days to be discussing the future of a dinosaur fossil, one that can tell scientists a lot about how these huge plant-eaters lived.

21 04, 2014

A Video Review of the CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model

By Mike|2023-03-12T09:38:56+00:00April 21st, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Everything Dinosaur videos|0 Comments

CollectA Ichthyovenator – A Video Review

Ichthyovenator laosensis, the “fish hunter from Laos is the only member of the Spinosauridae known from Asia. Prior to this dinosaur’s discovery in 2010, fossil teeth from Asia had been ascribed to a spinosaur and this dinosaur was tentatively named Siamosaurus. Teeth that could have potentially belonged to a spinosaur have been found in several locations in south-east Asia, most notably Thailand, hence the name Siamosaurus “lizard from Siam”, but the validity of this genus remains under dispute.

CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model

Ichthyovenator remains, for the moment, as the only unambiguous member of the Spinosauridae from Asia. In this short video (6.06), team members at Everything Dinosaur compare the new CollectA dinosaur model with the fossil material.

A Video Review of the CollectA Ichthyovenator Dinosaur Model

Video credit: Everything Dinosaur

Bizarre Twin Sails

Although the video covers the bizarre twin sails on the back of this theropod, it is not known why this dinosaur may have possessed such a strange anatomical feature. Palaeontologists cannot even be sure what these structures looked like, or indeed how long they were. As to their function, a number of theories have been put forward, for example, the first sail at the front may have played a role in visual communication, whilst the second structure, positioned over the hips, may actually have been a fleshy hump where food reserves could be stored, rather like the hump of a bison or the humps seen in extant camels today.

To view the Ichthyovenator dinosaur model at Everything Dinosaur and to see the complete range of CollectA prehistoric animals stocked: CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models.

20 04, 2014

Amazing Ancient Shark Fossil Provides Insight into Jaw Evolution in Vertebrates

By Mike|2024-05-02T09:48:04+01:00April 20th, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Palaeontological articles|0 Comments

325-Million-Year-Old Fossil Suggests Sharks are Not “Primitive”

Often described as a group of animals that have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, extant shark species (and there are something like 470 known species) are actually more highly evolved than previously thought. The discovery of a remarkably well-preserved specimen of an ancient shark-like creature that once swam in a marine ecosystem more than 325 million years ago (Pennsylvanian Epoch of the Carboniferous), has provided palaeontologists with evidence to suggest that early cartilaginous and bony fishes have more to tell us about the evolution of jaws.

The Evolution of Jaws

A study published in the academic journal “Nature”, vividly demonstrates how new fossil discoveries can dramatically alter our understanding of the evolution of vertebrates. The fossil, a three-dimensional concretion, shows a combination of primitive and more advanced anatomical features in a cartilaginous fish, evidence of a sophisticated jaw has been identified along with a complete gill section. Importantly, the fossil shows the arrangement of the jaw and the gills “in situ”, the fossil has preserved these delicate organs in their natural, life position.

The layout of these anatomical features are very similar to that found in bony fishes as well as cartilaginous fish. This suggests that this specimen might represent a common ancestor of these extremely important vertebrates.

The Concretion that Represents the Fossilised Jaws and Gill Structures of a Palaeozoic Fish

Scale bar = 10 millimetres.

Picture credit: American Museum of Natural Hisotory/Pradel

The picture shows two lateral views (views from sideways on) of the fossil material that was later scanned at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility to reveal its internal structures.

Ancient Shark Fossil

The first fish are believed to have evolved from Chordate animals (animals that possess a stiff rod that runs along or part-way along their body length for at least a portion of their life cycle). The evolutionary links remain poorly known but fossils found in China indicate that the first jawless fish, (agnathans) may have evolved more than 530 million years ago. It is believed that sometime during the Silurian geological period, a crucial development in the history of life on Earth occurred, the first vertebrates with true jaws (gnathostomes) evolved.

Part of the American Museum of Natural History Collection

Although, this fossil, part of an enormous fossil collection donated to the American Museum of Natural History by Ohio University, may not represent the earliest jawed fish, its state of preservation has provided scientists with an insight into the evolution of jaws from modified gill arches.

The Evolution of Jaws in Fish (Agnathan compared to a Gnathostome)

How jaws may have evolved.

Studying Agnathans

In jawless fish (agnathans), the first and second gill arches (branchial arches) support the first gill slit. In jawed vertebrates, the first gill arch has become a pair of jaws and the first gill slit a spiracle to let water pass over the remaining gills.

Lead author of the research paper, post-doctoral researcher at the New York based museum, Alan Pradel stated:

“Sharks are traditionally thought to be one of the most primitive surviving jawed vertebrates. Most textbooks in schools today say that the internal jaw structures of modern sharks should look very similar to those in primitive shark-like fishes, but we’ve found that’s not the case. The modern shark condition is very specialised, very derived and not primitive.”

The story of this significant breakthrough, starts with Ohio University professors Royal and Gene Mapes and their students, who over the years amassed in excess of half a million Palaeozoic fossils from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The fossils represent marine ecosystems and consist of invertebrates such as trilobites, ammonites, brachiopods and gastropods, as well as a number of fossils of primitive fish.

Ozarcus mapesae

The fossilised skull of the new species named Ozarcus mapesae is so well preserved it allowed scientists to create a three-dimensional model to show the organisation of the jaw in relation to the gill arches. The trivial name for this new species honours the Ohio University professors.

Fish heads, including cartilaginous fish such as sharks and rays, are segmented into the jaws and a series of arches that support both the jaw and the gills. However, as the fossils of most early gnathostomes (jawed fish) are poorly preserved and usually distorted and flattened, this is the oldest known specimen found to date that shows the jaw/gill arch relationship in such clarity.

A Computer Generated Image that shows the Internal Structures of the Fossil

3-D image of fossil produced.

Picture credit: American Museum of Natural History/Pradel

The picture above shows one of the three-dimensional images created after the fossil material had been bombarded with X-rays to produce the computer model. The brain case can be seen at the top (shaded a tan colour), the structure of the jaws are shaded red, the jaws having evolved from the first gill arch. The second gill arch, known as the hyoid arch is shown in blue. The remaining gill arches are shaded yellow.

The Importance of this Donated Specimen

Commenting on the importance of this donated specimen, one of the study authors, John Maisey (American Museum of Natural History) added:

This beautiful fossil offers one of the first complete looks at all of the gill arches and associated structures in an early shark. There are other shark fossils like this in existence, but this is the oldest one in which you can see everything. There is enough depth in this fossil to allow us to scan it and digitally dissect out the cartilage skeleton.”

In order to study the three-dimensional concretion so the layout and the orientation of the delicate branchial arches (gill arches) could be mapped, the scientists took the specimen to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), located at Grenoble in France so that high-resolution X-rays could bombard the specimen and produce a detailed, computer generated image of the fossil in three-dimensions. The team discovered that the arrangement of gill arches is not like that seen in modern, extant sharks. Instead the gill layout is fundamentally similar to that seen in bony fishes (osteichthyans).

The authors state that it is not unexpected that sharks, because of their long evolutionary history, would undergo evolution of these anatomical structures, but bony fish may have more to tell us about the first jawed ancestors of land-living vertebrates such as ourselves than living sharks. Bony fish are the most successful group of gnathostomes. All tetrapods (that includes us) are descended from bony fish.

Sharks – A very Diverse and Geographically Widespread Group

Sharks – a diverse group with over 470 extant species.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For models and replicas of marine sea monsters and prehistoric sharks: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models.

19 04, 2014

A Review of the Xenoceratops Dinosaur Model from CollectA

By Mike|2023-03-12T09:19:33+00:00April 19th, 2014|Categories: Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Product Reviews|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur Reviews the CollectA Xenoceratops

The prehistoric animal model manufacturer called CollectA have produced a number of horned dinosaur models over recent years and in 2014 they have introduced a replica of the bizarre Xenoceratops, a horned dinosaur that is distantly related to the better known Styracosaurus and Pachyrhinosaurus.

This dinosaur is known only from fragmentary skull material representing at least 3 individual animals found in Upper Cretaceous strata in south-western Alberta, the rest of the animal has been modelled on more complete fossil material. CollectA have chosen to give their replica a very striking paint job, with a black body contrasting with a lighter coloured underside and white strips on the head crest standing out against flashes of blood red located on the nasal bone and on the top of the neck frill.

CollectA Xenoceratops

The CollectA Xenoceratops Dinosaur Model

The dinosaur with “alien” headgear. The CollectA Xenoceratops dinosaur model.

Note that Xenoceratops has been give a line of bristle-like protrusions running along the top of the hips to the base of the tail. Palaeontologists have uncovered evidence to suggest that some Late Cretaceous horned dinosaurs may have had bristles or quills on their rumps. If they had such structures, then there purpose remains unclear, perhaps they were brightly coloured and used in visual communication between members of the herd.

If viewed from the side, the bristles may have made this herbivore look bigger than it actually was, a deterrent to an attacking tyrannosaur. Or indeed, it has even been suggested that the structures were made up of sharp spines that could protect the hip area from attack, it has even been proposed that these spines were tipped with poison.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of CollectA models including the new 2014 releases: CollectA Prehistoric World Models.

The Model Measurements

The model measures approximately thirteen and a half centimetres long and the tip of those impressive, white horns on the top of the frill are about seven centimetres off the ground. Although it is difficult to conclusively gauge the size of this dinosaur based on the fossil record, we estimate that this model is in approximately 1:44 scale based on an adult Xenoceratops being around six metres in length.

The bizarre horns and neck shield of this dinosaur are very well recreated by CollectA. It did have a spectacular frill with two huge horns sticking out of the top of the neck frill and two large, sideways pointing horns positioned over the eyes. Analysis of a partial, right nasal bone suggests that this dinosaur may also have possessed another horn on the tip of its nose, this is not shown in the model but the base, the boss, is painted a bright red colour.

One area of a dinosaur model, often overlooked is the cloaca or vent, the posterior opening of the animal. Collecta have made sure that their Xenoceratops has a very obvious vent and the model shows lots of nice detail on the underside. Note the correct number of fingers and toes, again CollectA taking the time and trouble to make sure that the replica is anatomically correct.

View of the Underside of the CollectA Xenoceratops Dinosaur Model

Excellent detail on the underside of the dinosaur model.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

This is an excellent addition to the CollectA range of prehistoric animal models, this is, after all, a replica of a dinosaur that itself was only named and described less than two years ago.

To read an article published by Everything Dinosaur announcing the discovery of this horned dinosaur: Horned Dinosaur with “Alien Headgear”.