All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
//October
22 10, 2012

Everything Dinosaur Sent to Coventry

By | October 22nd, 2012|Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Press Releases|0 Comments

Providing an Illuminating Talk on Late Cretaceous Theropods in Coventry

Team members at Everything Dinosaur have been busy writing a synopsis for a speaking appointment next month at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry (England).  Staff at this city centre museum have already seen the company present various dinosaur themed workshops aimed at families as part of their “Dinosaurs Uncovered” exhibition which is open until January 2013.

Sent to Coventry

Now events staff have asked Everything Dinosaur to present a talk on an aspect of the Dinosauria to the audience at Herbert Illuminations – a monthly, free drop in session held at lunchtime at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.    With so much going on in the world of vertebrate palaeontology and with the Dinosauria in particular at the moment, it is going to be difficult to boil things down into a forty-five minute presentation with questions to follow, after all with approximately 160 million years of dinosaur evolution there is certainly no lack of subject material.

Recalling some of the work undertaken on recent science teaching and other outreach projects the talk will focus on the developments in our understanding of that most famous of all Late Cretaceous clades of theropods – The tyrannosaurids.  Expect other super predators to get a look in, abelisaurids perhaps, certainly expect the North African Spinosauridae to be featured with due respects to Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach et al.

Everything Dinosaur

At the weekend we sat down and brainstormed what we ought to cover (or should that be brainstemed), the working title was “Everything you wanted to know about T. rex but were afraid to ask”!  Given the ongoing debate in relation to super predators and given the latest research into the tyrannosaurs and their tendency to dominate those ecosystems in which these carnivores were present we came up with the slightly more catchy title of “T. rex bites back!”

The Proposed Marketing Slide for the Talk

Update on the tyrannosaurids.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The talk is to take place at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum on Tuesday 20th November, we will put up a link when the publicity for the talk has been posted.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Buy Dinosaur Models, Figures and Toys.

21 10, 2012

Pachycephalosaurs – New Study Suggests Bone-heads Bashed Each Other in Different Ways

By | October 21st, 2012|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

Study of Pachycephalosaur Skulls Sheds Light on Dinosaur Behaviour

The “Bone-headed” dinosaurs, otherwise known as pachycephalosaurids were a group of Cretaceous ornithischian dinosaurs related to the horned dinosaurs (members of the Marginocephalia).  Most of what palaeontologists know about these dinosaurs has come from fossils of these animal’s thickened, and in some cases domed skulls.  In a paper presented at the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology (United States), in a conference held in North Carolina,  a research team have suggested that the pathology found on the skulls of these dinosaurs indicate that these animals did indeed butt each other.  In addition, the scientists propose that lesions and scars on different parts of the skull indicate that different types of Pachycephalosaur may have used butting contests in different ways.

Pachycephalosaurs – Skull Study Sheds Light on Potential Intraspecific Combat

Charging pachycephalosaurs – Did they butt heads?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Although examples of pachycephalosaurs such as Dracorex and the largest known – Pachycephalosaurus are often featured in children’s dinosaur books, the remains of these dinosaurs are extremely rare in the fossil record.  Apart from elements of the skull, only a few other body fossils ascribed to this type of dinosaur have been found.  One of the most complete fossil specimens was that of a pachycephalosaur named as Stegoceras (Stegoceras validum).  Fossils of this bone-headed dinosaur have been found in the Dinosaur Provincial Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), indeed most of the illustrations of all pachycephalosaurs are based on interpretations of Stegoceras fossil material.

Pachycephalosaurid Skull Study

These bipeds are characterised by a thickening of the dermal skull roof, particularly the frontal and parietal bones.  These bones are to be found at the top and towards the back of the head.  In a number of genera this thickening is accompanied by distinctive bumps and ridges that are found on the postorbital, squamosal and other facial bones.  Palaeontologists have speculated for many years as to what these bizarre skull structures were used for.

Dr Joseph Peterson (University of Wisconsin) and his colleague Collin Dischler, who has researched pathology on dinosaur skulls, presented the paper at the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology’s annual meeting held in Raleigh.  After examining one pachycephalosaur skull, the team went onto compare the pathology found on this specimen with those of other pachycephalosaurs.  They also studied the skulls of extant animals such as birds, crocodiles and mammals looking for similar types of injury and signs of damage.

The research team looked at the over one hundred pachycephalosaur specimens from North America and Asia.  Of these twenty-three had signs of injury.  A three-dimensional computer generated model of the skulls were made and the lesions and injuries mapped onto them.  From this model, the team noticed that the placement of the injuries depended on the morphology, the shape of the skull.  Fossilised skulls with low domes tended to have injuries towards their front, whilst skulls with higher domed structures tended to show an even spread of injuries from the front to around the back.

Using the Skulls in Different Ways

The team’s findings indicate that pachycephalosaurs with different shaped skulls may have used their heads in butting contests in different ways.  Commenting on the scientific paper, Dr Peterson stated:

“The lesions we were seeing were strikingly similar to those that we often see on the skulls of modern mammals that ram heads.”

Earlier studies had concluded that some skulls of pachycephalosaurs were not suited to direct head-butting combat.  It had been speculated that some types of pachycephalosaurs may have indulged in flank-butting contests to settle disputes amongst herd members.  Most scientists believe that it was only the males that indulged in such behaviours, after all, such contests seen today amongst bovines and ovines (cattle and sheep) tend to be limited to only the males of the species.

To read an article on an earlier study into the skulls of pachycephalosaurs: Striking a Blow for Head-Butting Pachycephalosaurs.

When the behaviour of modern animals in intraspecific combat (competition between animals of the same species) was studied, in seems that certain animals such as the North American Bison (B. bison) wrestle with their horns in direct head-to-head battles, whereas other animals such as the North American Mountain Goat (Oreamos americanus) resolve disputes by bumping one another along the flanks.  Dr Peterson and his co-researchers have concluded that the high-domed  pachycephalosaurs with signs of injury in the parietal area of their skulls were bumping the flanks of their rivals.  The team suggests that a dinosaur such as Pachycephalosaurus wyomingenis with its twenty-five centimetre thick skull may have been a “flank bumper”.  Other types of pachycephalosaur whose skulls show injury to the bones slightly forward of the parietal bone were probably animals that conducted front-on wrestling matches with each other, in a similar fashion to modern North American Bison.

Did Different Types of Pachycephalosaurid Butt in Different Ways?

Boneheads settled disputes in different ways according to new study.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Lack of Fossils to Study

The lack of extensive pachycephalosaur fossil material to study weakens the arguments put forward to some degree.  Andrew Farke, a vertebrate palaeontologist at the Raymond Alf Museum (Claremont, California), commented that the different species resolving intraspecific disputes in different ways could actual be a single species with adult and juvenile skulls showing different pathologies.

He stated:

“It could be that we are seeing two different species bashing in different ways, but it could also be a single dinosaur species where juveniles and adults exhibit different bashing behaviours.”

One of the problems scientists face when studying the fossils of this particular group of dinosaurs is that the skulls may have been transported and deposited a long way from where the animal actually lived.  A number of specimens show signs of having been eroded as a result of the action of being bumped along a river bed.  It has been speculated that these herbivorous dinosaurs lived in dry, mountainous regions.

The lack of fossils could be explained by such areas having a poor preservation potential for fossil material.  Occasionally the remains of a pachycephalosaur would be washed downstream as a result of a flood or similar event.  The tough, thick skull bones being more robust than the other parts of the skeleton were the only bones to survive this physical process.  As the skulls were subjected to erosion the skull bones would have been bashed and chipped.  Other palaeontologists who have read the paper associated with this study have concluded that some of the injuries attributed to butting contests could have been made after the animal’s death (post mortem).  The skulls may have been chipped and damaged whilst being transported to their final resting place downstream.

Dr Farke has concluded that evidence as to whether these lesions were caused post mortem can be gathered when the skull bone microstructure is examined using high magnification CT scans.  Such analysis would provide evidence of some of the injuries beginning to heal, indicating that the lesions occurred when the dinosaur was very much alive.

It is likely that the debate over the pachycephalosaurs and their bizarre skulls is likely to go on, with palaeontologists “locking horns” as they argue over the evidence.

For models and figures of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals: Wild Dinos Figures (Safari Ltd).

20 10, 2012

Tarbosaurus bataar Skeleton Dispute – Man Arrested

By | October 20th, 2012|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

U.S. Citizen Arrested over Suspected Dinosaur Bone Smuggling

The complicated story of the auctioned Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton took a dramatic turn this week with American officials confirming that a Florida resident had been arrested over the suspected smuggling of dinosaur fossils into the United States.

Tarbosaurus bataar Skeleton

Back in May of this year, team members reported on the auction of an eight-metre-long tyrannosaurid fossil skeleton (Tarbosaurus bataar) that has been sold at Heritage Auctions in New York for more than one million USD.  The ownership of the fossil was disputed and the Mongolian government accused the sellers of the seventy million year old fossil material of smuggling the fossil material illegally out of their country.

To read the original article on the dinosaur fossil auction: T. bataar Bites Back.

Mr Eric Prokopi, of Florida was charged this week with conspiracy to smuggle illegal items into the United States and for selling stolen goods.  If found guilty, Mr Prokopi could be facing a possible jail sentence of twenty years.

New York chief federal prosecutor Preet Bharara called Prokopi a “one-man black market in prehistoric fossils” and claimed the earlier seizure of a Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton from the Florida dealer was “merely the tip of the iceberg.”

A Six-month-long Dispute

The mounted tyrannosaurid specimen has been at the centre of a six-month-long dispute as the Mongolian government claim that the bones were illegally removed from the Central Asian country and could not be sold.  U.S. customs officials impounded the remains shortly after.

The Mounted Tarbosaurus Fossil Specimen at the Centre of the Dispute

Prokopi, who has denied trafficking, spent a year restoring and remounting what had been a loose collection of bones to recreate the skeleton, the fossils were originally supplied to Mr Prokopi from a fossil dealer based in southern England.

The Florida dealer is also accused of illegally importing a Saurolophus angustirostris  (duck-billed dinosaur) skeleton from Mongolia and a Microraptor (Microraptor gui) skeleton from China.

According to state officials the defendant is likely to appear in a New York Federal Court next week (October 22nd)

Bharara told the presiding Florida judge that strict conditions should be put on Mr Prokopi’s bail, because “the allegations against the defendant are unusual.  Among other things, the Complaint sets forth a pattern of frequent international travel and manipulation of United States customs forms.”

Preet Bharara concluded by stating:

“Overall, there is a significant risk of flight.”

For dinosaur toys, prehistoric animal games and models: Dinosaur Toys, Prehistoric Animal Games and Models.

19 10, 2012

Diprotodon Fossil Discovered North of Adelaide

By | October 19th, 2012|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

Ancient Marsupial Fossil Suggests Climate Change A Cause of the demise of Megafauna

Scientists at the South Australian museum (Adelaide, Australia) are hoping the discovery of a Diprotodon fossil, the remains of a giant marsupial might be able to provide them with further insights as to what led to the demise of Australia’s megafauna. In the recent past, animals as diverse as hippo-sized wombats, predatory Thylacines, giant koala bears and monitor lizards twice as big as Komodo dragons roamed the Australian landscape.

Diprotodon Fossil

The giant marsupial in question is a Diprotodon, a strange and diverse group of mammals unique to Australia.  Diprotodontids are an extinct family of marsupials, the majority of which were plant-eaters and some evolved into giant forms becoming the largest mammalian herbivores the continent has ever seen.  The first diprotodontid fossils are known from Eocene deposits and they may have persisted until around 45,000 years ago.

Palaeontologists have puzzled over why the Australian megafauna died out.  It has been proposed that hunting and the burning of forests by the first human settlers on the continent hastened the demise of these large animals, however, rapid climate change may also have played a prominent role.

Found at a Remote Sheep Farm

The fossils of the three-metre-long Diprotodon were found at the remote Collinsville Merino Stud, a substantial sheep and cropping station approximately eighty miles north of Adelaide.  The fossils were discovered in mid 2010 when Paul Cousins, a sheep station worker, came across the fossils eroding out of a riverbank whilst on a camping trip with his family.   He took some of the exposed fossilised bones to a local museum knowing that they represented the remains of a prehistoric animal but he was unsure whether or not they had discovered a dinosaur.  Museum staff identified the specimens as diprotodontid fossils and a team from the South Australian museum was dispatched to excavate the rest of the fossil material still embedded in the ground.

Associate Professor Rod Wells of the South Australia museum commented that over 500 man hours had already been spent excavating and preparing this specimen and he asked for more field volunteers to help with the excavation.  The fossils have been dated to around 120,000 years ago, a time when people had yet to reach Australia, according to most palaeoanthropologists.  The fossil matrix, the sediment in which the material was found, may provide clues to the extinction of Australia’s unique megafauna.

Finely Grained Sediment

The sediment in which the bones of this large, plant-eater were deposited are very finely grained.  The fossils were discovered by the Cousins family in a creek bed that was eroded by seasonal flooding and exposed.  The strata in the immediate vicinity of the fossil material, as it is so fine suggests a hot, dry and windy environment.  The Australian scientists have speculated that this large animal may have died in a prolonged drought or fallen into a dried up river channel, the carcase would have been washed down to its final resting place in later, seasonal flooding.

This suggests that the climate may have been more extreme 120,000 years ago with very dry periods followed by intense, seasonal rains which may have caused extensive flooding.  The location of this fossil material adds to the debate as to whether climate change played a significant role in the extinction of a lot of Australia’s unique, native fauna.

Harsh environments and rapidly changing climatic conditions would have affected large animals at the top of the food chain to a greater degree than smaller animals.  The larger species of diprotodontids may have been struggling to survive and then with the advent of the first human settlers, they were finally driven to extinction.

Rod Wells has suggested that the more fossil sites such as the Collinsville location that the scientists explore so they will be able to build up a more complete picture regarding the climate of Australia during the Pleistocene Epoch.  Such data will help them to understand why these huge animals perished along with the other amazing megafauna that once roamed the outback.

To purchase replicas and models of prehistoric animals: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

18 10, 2012

Palaeontology Meets Wargaming

By | October 18th, 2012|Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

Clever Wargaming Enthusiast Uses Dinosaur Replicas to Make Monster Models

At Everything Dinosaur we are always keen to hear how our dinosaur products and services are used by customers.  It seems that our customer base is almost as diverse as the Dinosauria and we know that a number of wargaming enthusiasts use museum quality prehistoric animal replicas to make various mythical beasts for use in their war fantasy scenarios.  Some of the bespoke models available for wargamers can be very expensive and a growing army of hobbyists have taken to modifying dinosaur and other prehistoric animal models, after all, some types of dinosaur would have very probably been used by military leaders in the past had these animals only survived for long enough to have the likes of Hannibal, Alexander the Great and a number of Roman generals exploit them in transport as well as combat roles.

Palaeontology Meets Wargaming

One can only imagine the sense of fear stirred in an opposing army when they faced an assault by charging ankylosaurs, or the devastation that would have been inflicted on infantry and cavalry alike if a Sauropod ever been used in battle.

One wargaming enthusiast has produced a number of very finely detailed monster models using dinosaur replicas from manufacturers such as Papo and Schleich .  Jeffrey Ernst skilfully modifies hand-painted replicas of dinosaurs and turns them into battle-beasts for use in various war games.  We were lucky enough to get sent a short video (4 mins 39 seconds) made by Jeffrey in which he showcases some of the amazing models he has built.  A Schleich Saurus Parasaurolophus along with two models from Papo’s “Les Dinosaures” model range have been adapted for use in wargaming.

Papo Prehistoric Animal Models

The Papo Ankylosaurus and the Papo Stegosaurus coupled with Jeffrey’s imagination make two very formidable combat prehistoric reptiles.  Whilst we at Everything Dinosaur confess to knowing nothing about wargaming it is clear that creative individuals that Jeffrey are finding some very novel and fascinating uses for museum quality dinosaur models.

The Papo Ankylosaurus Model is Popular with Wargamers

Everything Dinosaur supplies the Papo Ankylosaurus dinosaur model.

The Papo Ankylosaurus dinosaur model available from Everything Dinosaur.

Everything Dinosaur

Team members are always fascinated to hear from customers.  We enjoy learning how our models, gifts and prehistoric animal toys are used and what becomes of them after they have left our warehouse.

To view the extensive range of prehistoric animal models from Papo available at Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Papo Prehistoric Animal Figures and Models.

We wish Jeffrey every success with his creative modelling and we look forward to seeing how other replicas supplied by Everything Dinosaur get modified for use in this fascinating hobby.

17 10, 2012

Dinosaur Model Set (Dinosaurs in a Tin Reviewed)

By | October 17th, 2012|Everything Dinosaur Products, Product Reviews|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur’s Model Set Reviewed

It can be frustrating searching for a reasonably priced  dinosaur model set for young dinosaur fans.  There are certainly a number of products of this type on the market but one of the problems with purchasing lots of prehistoric animal models is where to store them once playtime is over.  The innovative “dinosaurs in a tin” set effectively solves this problem as the twelve prehistoric animals supplied come in a sturdy tin box which doubles up as a very handy storage device to make sure that the dinosaurs and their prehistoric animal chums do not get misplaced.

Dinosaur Model Set

Everything Dinosaur’s “Dinosaurs in a Tin” Play Set

An inexpensive gift for young dinosaur fans.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The tin is painted with a colourful dinosaur theme, featuring a Triceratops and a Tyrannosaurus rex which is fortunate as most of the sets sent out contain at least one horned dinosaur figure and a model of a large carnivorous dinosaur like a T. rex.

Metal Tin Dimensions

The metal tin measures approximately twenty centimetres long by fifteen centimetres wide and it is just about eight centimetres deep, ample room to store the twelve different prehistoric animal models supplied.  The models themselves vary in size from between ten centimetres to over thirteen centimetres in length and each set is checked by hand to make sure that twelve different models are supplied.  The range of models the set can feature is quite wide.  The models are taken from a series of twenty-four which have been selected and approved by dinosaur experts.  Purchasers can expect to have a range of plant-eating and meat-eating dinosaurs included, but the model range available also includes a marine reptile figure (plesiosaur), a flying reptile, the pterosaur known as Pteranodon and even a dicynodont in the form of a replica of the Triassic Placerias.

Attractive Dinosaur Metal Tin

Colourful dinosaur box.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Each of the prehistoric animal models has an identity code stamped in an unobtrusive part of the underside. When this two digit code is read, then dinosaur fans, if they want to, can contact the company and get information about the specific prehistoric animals the figures represent.  The ability to be able to identify and learn about the individual dinosaurs has proved invaluable to parents of young palaeontologists.  A pronunciation guide can even be supplied to help with the long, often complicated dinosaur names.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of dinosaur model sets: Dinosaur Gifts and Toys.

For parents and guardians whose children have developed a fascination for all things Dinosauria, this set makes a inexpensive gift and the metal box makes an ideal and robust storage box – a handy tin storage box in which to contain your dinosaurs until it’s time to play again.

16 10, 2012

New Prehistoric Times Issue 103 Reviewed

By | October 16th, 2012|Magazine Reviews, Prehistoric Times|0 Comments

A Review of “Prehistoric Times” (Fall 2012)

The autumn 2012 edition of “Prehistoric Times”, the magazine for dinosaur fans and model collectors has arrived and as always there is a scramble amongst as to who gets to read it first.  Inside this quarterly magazine there is an exclusive interview with the grandson of the famous Czechoslovakian artist Zdeněk Burian, a brilliant illustrator of prehistoric animals and a man whose paintings have graced countless books about dinosaurs.

“Prehistoric Times”

For fans of placoderms there is a feature on how a giant Dunkleosteus model was made for use in American museums and Tracy Lee Ford presents a highly informative piece on the pathology found within dinosaur fossil specimens.  The two main prehistoric animals featured in this edition are the diplodocid Amargasaurus, as we tend to call this animal “the dinosaur that thought it was a dragon” – see the pictures and drawings to get what we mean and the voracious Repenomamus – a mammal that fed on dinosaurs.

For models and replicas of Dunkleosteus and other prehistoric animals: Age of Dinosaurs Replicas (PNSO).

The Latest Edition of Prehistoric Times

Prehistoric Times (Autumn 2012) reviewed.

Picture credit: Mike Fredericks

“The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs”

Gregory S Paul’s and his amazing book “The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs” is updated with the author himself providing information on the books content, its layout and introducing some new ideas and illustrations.  “The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs”, is to be found on our office shelves it is regularly read by our team members and it is super book which we highly recommend.  Note to other Everything Dinosaur team members we must include this volume in our blog series about favourite dinosaur books.

Lots of updates about fossil finds in the Palaeo. news section including information on the new feathered dinosaur discovery Sciurumimus, look out for the Tyrannosaurus rex skull drawing done by Mike Fredericks (magazine editor) on page 48, we recognise this drawing as this is the illustration that Mike provided us when we asked him for a motive to help us with a T-shirt design project we have been working on.

As always, “Prehistoric Times” is packed full of model reviews and news stories, congratulations to Mike Landry for his superb, fuzzy Amargasaurus illustration, my nieces particular favourite in this edition.

“Prehistoric Times”, an excellent magazine for the serious dinosaur fan, to visit “Prehistoric Times” website, simply click the link below:

Visit “Prehistoric Times”: “Prehistoric Times” Magazine.

15 10, 2012

Maastricht Mosasaur – Preparation of Fossil Material

By | October 15th, 2012|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

Giant Marine Reptile from the Netherlands

Palaeontologists have now recovered parts of the skull, the upper jaw and vertebrae from a thirteen-metre-long mosasaur discovered on the 20th September by cement factory workers.  An extinct part of the Order Squamata (lizards and snakes), these large sea lizards were apex predators in the shallow Late Cretaceous seas that covered much of Europe and North America towards the end of the Mesozoic Era.  Some of these marine reptiles evolved into huge, fifteen-metre-long giants which fed upon fish, turtles, cephalopods and other marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs.  The partial skeleton uncovered in chalk strata at the cement works is the fourth such discovery to be found in the Maastricht area.

A Model of a Mosasaurus

The PNSO Mosasaurus "Ron".

“Ron” the PNSO Mosasaurus replica.  A model of a mossaur.

Mosasaurus Fossils

The skeleton is believed to represent a Mosasaurus hoffmani, the first type of mosasaur to be named and scientifically described.  At least twenty different mosasaur genera and something like seventy species are recognised today.

The chalk deposits in and around the historic Dutch city of Masstricht have been quarried for centuries.  At first the chalk was ignored and flints were mined from the strata, but with the advent of the chemical industry the chalk itself has been excavated for use in lime making and other chemical processes.  Whilst working on a new part of the chalk seam, an excavator uncovered part of a fossilised jawbone.  Work was stopped and experts from the Masstricht Natural History Museum were called in.  Carefully the scientists uncovered parts of the skull, the upper jaws and some back bones, including vertebrae from the animal’s long tail.

Once the specimen has been prepared and cleaned at the museum’s laboratory the palaeontologists hope to be able to put the mosasaur remains on display.

The Masstricht Mosasaur

In the 1770s quarry workers uncovered the disarticulated jawbones of a huge animal in Maastricht.  At the time this discovery caused a sensation as the extinction of species and the concept of deep, geological time was not understood.  The Dutch naturalist Pieter Camper was given the task of identifying the creature and he concluded that it was a whale.

The French scholar Faujas de Saint-Fond disagreed and stated that the fossil bones represented a reptile and he named the animal as an unknown species of crocodile.  In 1800, Pieter Camper’s son (Adriaan), studied the fossils once again and he concluded that this was a sort of giant lizard.  Georges Cuvier, the eminent French palaeontologist was contacted, Cuvier was regarded as the world’s leading expert on such finds and it was Cuvier who named the specimen as a Mosasaurus.  He agreed with Adriaan Camper, the animal was indeed a form of giant lizard.  Cuvier had the opportunity to study the fossils in person as the fossil had been removed to Paris by French troops in 1795.  The tableau of fossil material was nicknamed the “Beast of Maastricht” and Mosasaurus means “Lizard of the River Meuse”.

For many years afterwards, a number of prominent 19th century scientists remained convinced that a living specimen of a mosasaur would soon be caught and brought to the attention of the scientific community.

To view models of mosasaurs and other prehistoric marine reptiles: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs.

14 10, 2012

“Knowledge Masters – Dinosaurs” Book Reviewed

By | October 14th, 2012|Book Reviews, Product Reviews|0 Comments

“Knowledge Masters – Dinosaurs” Book Reviewed

Designed with children from five years old and upwards in mind ,the book entitled “Knowledge Masters – Dinosaurs” is packed full of fascinating facts and snippets of information about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals from the Age of Reptiles.  This hardback book has been written in a large font size enabling young people to read it very easily.  The information is broken down into bite-size paragraphs and they are laid out in such a way as to encourage young people to go through the book page by page, thus helping to develop  their reading skills.

“Knowledge Masters – Dinosaurs”

Knowledge Masters – Dinosaurs Book

"Knowledge Masters - Dinosaurs"

Children’s reference book about dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Illustrations and Drawings of Dinosaurs

The thirty-two pages contain a large number of illustrations and drawings of dinosaurs, marine reptiles and flying reptiles (pterosaurs) and each section is written in a question and answer format  A question is presented in bold text and immediately below it an answer paragraph has been provided.  Running along the top of each page is a mural-like section that provides more information about the animals featured on that specific page.

This book contains questions such as what did dinosaurs eat, are there any fossil birds, did dinosaurs have babies and what colour were the eyes of dinosaurs?  These are the sort of questions that children from four years and upwards ask and this book provides them with a ready source of answers .

The demise of the Dinosauria is particularly well covered.  In the last part of the book the extinction of the Dinosauria and other animals at the end of the Cretaceous geological period is discussed.  A number of possible theories for the mass extinction are put forward and the evidence for an extraterrestrial impact such as an asteroid strike is explained in child-friendly, simple terms.  There is even a handy dinosaur and prehistoric animal index presented on the last page, although it would have been helpful to have had a name pronunciation guide provided as well to help young readers tackle the long and often complicated dinosaur names.

Packed full of Questions and Answers about Prehistoric Animals

Lots of Information on prehistoric animals.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Fourteen Chapters

Each of the fourteen chapters in this children’s reference is packed full of questions with their answers and facts and figures about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures that lived during the Mesozoic Era.    This book would make an excellent addition to a school library or a young dinosaur fan’s book collection.  It is well written, contains lots of colour illustrations and it is jam-packed full of fascinating facts and details related to dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s wide range of prehistoric animal themed toys and gifts: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

13 10, 2012

Papo Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model – First Images

By | October 13th, 2012|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|2 Comments

Papo Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model (Prototype) seen at Chinese Exhibition

We have received the first pictures of the Papo Brachiosaurus dinosaur model (thanks Yang).  These pictures were taken at a recent Chinese exhibition.  Papo were exhibiting their model and figure range and of course new models such as the Papo Brachiosaurus were prominent in their display.

Papo Brachiosaurus Model

Dinosaur model gets reviewed. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Papo Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model

The Papo Brachiosaurus figure was due to be launched in July of this year.  It has been delayed for a number of reasons.  This is one of the largest figures to be attempted by the French manufacturer.  It is certainly the largest replica in the company’s “Les Dinosaures” range.

To view Papo prehistoric animal models at Everything Dinosaur: Papo Prehistoric Animal Models.

Team members at Everything Dinosaur have kept in close contact with Papo.  For example, the latest information on this model, an update on its progress in the factory was posted only 24-hours ago.  One of the reasons for the delay in production has been that the design team have been keen to ensure the models received the attention and care that is a trademark of the Papo figure ranges whilst in the paint shop.

The first batches of production figures are currently being painted and finished prior to their despatch to the European distribution hub in France.  The figure in the picture is painted a greenish colour, all the pre-production prints that we saw (and have posted on this web blog), suggest that the model was going to be brown in colour.  Reminiscent of the Brachiosaurus seen in the Jurassic Park movies.

Papo Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model.

Just in time for Christmas – the Papo Brachiosaurus

Details on the Skin

The close up picture shows the fine details on the skin, with lots of skin texture and muscle definition.  The sculpting team have really been able to give an impression of a powerful animal that is moving in this particular replica.   There is some excellent tonal contrast between the upper body and the undersides of the animal.  The thick, muscular neck is well depicted.  It does remind us of the recently retired Carnegie Collectibles Brachiosaurus, although with the released pictures showing a model painted brown, it will be interesting to see whether the final versions of this figure show the colour change from brown to green.

Everything Dinosaur is expecting stock of these models to reach our warehouse around the end of the month.  We have been promised that Everything Dinosaur will be one of the first companies to receive their stock.  A video review script already prepared so that we can review this model as soon as it arrives.  We shall soon see whether this new replica is green or brown.

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