Carnegie Collection Spinosaurus

Everything Dinosaur continues to work closely with Safari Ltd of the United States and just in is the Spinosaurus model, part of the Carnegie Collectibles range of models.  This finely detailed 1:70 scale model of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus stands 12 cm high at the hips and has an overall length of approximately 38 cm.  It is a more gracile representation of this member of the Spinosauridae compared to the model produced by Schleich.  There are a number of differences between the two interpretations of this large theropod.  Team members at Everything Dinosaur have been asked to write a review of these two prehistoric animal models for an ezine and this will be done in the near future.

Carnegie Collection Spinosaurus

Carnegie Spinosaurus

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

This model is beautifully painted and continues the marked improvements being made by Safari in their interpretation of prehistoric animal fossils.  The most significant feature of the skeleton of Spinosaurus is the array of spines that run along the backbone.  In life, this would have been covered in skin and formed a sail-like structure.  The exact purpose of this is unknown, although it may have played a role in regulating body temperature or it could have been an elaborate signalling device.  Spinosaurus is usually depicted as a solitary hunter, perhaps a colourful sail-like structure was used to help communicate between individuals when they met.

To view the model of Spinosaurus and other prehistoric animals in the Wild Safari Prehistoric World range: Safari Ltd. Wild Safari Prehistoric World.

The detail shown on this particular model is excellent, even down to the pronounced kink in the upper jaw, a characteristic of the spinosaurids.  The snout is shown to be very narrow and in combination with the kinked upper jaw it is thought these are adaptations for catching fish.  Spinosaurus is believed to have been a specialised piscivore, however, such a large theropod, (some estimates give it a length of around sixty feet), would be capable of predating upon herbivorous dinosaurs that shared its north African habitat.

The Fine Detail of the Model

Spinosaurus dinosaur model.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The close up clearly shows the accurate detailing of the teeth and jaws, plus a small crest on the centre of the snout above the nostrils.  The nostrils are located in a position to permit the jaws to be dipped in water without them going under the water too, this is a useful adaptation for a fish eater.  Incidentally, such an arrangement would permit this large dinosaur to scavenge the bodies of dead animals.  The narrow jaws permitting easy access to the body cavity of carcases.  It is likely that spinosaurids filled out their fish diet with some scavenging on carrion.

A Do It Yourself Dinosaur Land

A few months back we received an email from a gentleman asking advice on how to build a dinosaur play set for a very keen nine year-old dinosaur fan.  We get lots of enquiries of this nature and fortunately, most of the team members at Everything Dinosaur have built various play scenes of this type so we were able to help.

Jurassic Park

We provided some information and helpful instructions on how to go about building a “Jurassic Park” play set, with suggestions for landscaping, the types of trees, building a water source and such like.  As the Dinosaurs dominated life on Earth for the best part of 160 million years, there were some dramatic changes in the fauna and flora that shared their world.  Most people think that the vegetation around during the Mesozoic was very exotic with tree ferns, cycads and other unusual plants.

It is certainly true that these types of plants – seed ferns (pteridosperms), Bennettitales and cycads were dominant in the early part of the Mesozoic, but by the Late Cretaceous the flora and indeed parts of the fauna would not have looked out of place today.

In the Late Cretaceous the angiosperms (flowering plants) were becoming increasingly common.  Team members were able to pass on information and advice regarding what would look realistic in a dinosaur themed setting.

We received a lovely picture of the finished play set, complete with some of the models we had supplied.  What a super dinosaur play set, well done to Walter the model maker.

Walter’s Finished Dinosaur Diorama

Picture credit: W. Hugill

Walter’s handy work is excellent and most impressive, we think it is a super table top Jurassic Park.  We have pinned the picture up onto our cork-board notice board in the Everything Dinosaur warehouse, so that everyone can see it.

Customer Comments

On the back of the picture, Walter had written:

“Thought you might be interested in the end result.  Models best I’ve seen, young 9 year-old highly delighted.”

Congratulations to you, and thank you for the kind words about the models we supplied.  Perhaps if Steven Spielberg gets around to making Jurassic Park 4 you might find yourself employed as a set designer.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

Binomial Nomenclature – Naming and Classifying Organisms

Organisms such as animals, plants, fungi and single celled organisms are divided into several groupings that are used by scientists to classify them.  This is known as the taxonomic hierarchy with the largest groupings being known as a Kingdom, Animalia (all animals) for example.  The narrowest definition, putting aside the issue of varieties stated by many plant breeders, is the species.

All organisms have a two-part species name, this is comprised of the genus and then the specific or trivial name, such as the African lion being known as Panthero leo.  In this instance, Panthero relates to the genus to which African lions belong and the trivial or specific name identifying the species is leo.

Extant and Extinct

This two stage species name is referred to as the binomial and the naming of organisms using this methodology is called binomial nomenclature.

The taxonomic hierarchy is a “nested” series with each smaller grouping fitting into a larger grouping in the hierarchy, rather like a set of Russian dolls.  Extinct animals such as dinosaurs are classified using the same scientific methods as extant species (those that are still in existence today).  This is the accepted method of classifying life (although cladistics has added a new dimension or two), the principles of this form of classification were laid down by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in the 18th Century.

Organisms should be classified to reflect evolutionary relationships, with each taxon representing organisms that share a common ancestor, very similar to the “Tree of Life” analogy.

Naming Taxa

Formerly, the names of all taxa should be written with a capital letter, except for the species or trivial name, this always begin with a lower case letter.  The species should always be written with the genus to accompany it, even if the genus is reduced to a single letter.  For example, P. leo for our African lion.  To be technically correct all names of genera and species are printed in italics.  If a scientist was preparing a hand-written note then they would underline the genus and the species name.

In formal scientific journals, the name of the scientist(s) person (or people) who first formerly described an organism is sometimes given.  For example, Mammuthus primigenius Blumenbach, indicates that the Woolly Mammoth or Tundra Mammoth as is it sometimes informally known as was named and described by the German scientist Blumenbach.

A Taxonomic Classification of Tyrannosaurus rex

Table credit: Everything Dinosaur

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic classification is a complicated business, for example in the table above we have not included the Super-Order Dinosauria or subdivided the Tyrannosauroidea, classifying this element as a Super-Family and adding Tyrannosauridae as the smaller family element.  Differences in skull morphology (the shape of the skulls) between currently classified Tyrannosaurus rex specimens may indicate that some of the fossils known as Tyrannosaurus rex, may in the future be assigned to a different species.

For models of Tyrannosaurus rex: Tyrannosaurus rex and Other Models from Papo.