All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
21 02, 2015

Evolution Favours Getting Big!

By |2023-03-24T12:13:26+00:00February 21st, 2015|General Teaching, Key Stage 3/4|Comments Off on Evolution Favours Getting Big!

Cope’s Law Tested by Extensive Study of Marine Fauna

A team of scientists from Stanford University drafted in students to help them trawl through a huge amount of data on extinct and extant marine fauna to see whether Cope’s Law can be verified, that evolution favours getting big.   Edward Drinker Cope (1840-1897), was an American palaeontologist and naturalist who explored the fossil deposits of the western United States and is most famous for discovering and excavating a number of significant dinosaur specimens.  He postulated that evolution favoured the development of larger organisms, that is the descendants of a species were usually larger than the ancestors.  He cited the evolution of the horse (equines) in support of his assertion.

Evolution Favours Getting Big

The scientists as Stanford University (California), employed undergraduates and students to examine measurement data published on 17,000 different marine genera dating back to the Cambrian geological period to see if Cope’s Law applied.

Does Evolution Favour “Bigness”?  In the Dinosauria Perhaps?

Evolution favours getting big.

Dinosaurs tended to get bigger over time. Is Cope’s Law correct? Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To read more about this research: Evolution Favours Getting Big.

The study published this week in the academic journal “Science” concluded that over the last 542 million years (since the Cambrian geological period), the mean size of marine fauna had increased by 150 times.  This research may prove helpful to teachers as they teach about evolution in schools.

For dinosaur models and figures, plus replicas of other prehistoric animals: Dinosaur Figures and Prehistoric Animal Models.

20 02, 2015

Mary Anning Has New Species of Ichthyosaurus Named in Her Honour

By |2023-03-24T12:08:44+00:00February 20th, 2015|General Teaching|Comments Off on Mary Anning Has New Species of Ichthyosaurus Named in Her Honour

Mary Anning Honoured by Palaeontologists

Mary Anning the 19th century amateur fossil hunter from Lyme Regis, has been honoured by having a new species of Ichthyosaurus named after her.  Ichthyosaurs were ancient, marine reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic and the evolved sometime in the Early Triassic.  Superficially resembling modern-day dolphins, these reptiles, only distantly related to the dinosaurs, were superbly adapted to live in the sea, although they did evolve from terrestrial animals.

New Species of Ichthyosaurus

Perfectly Adapted to a Marine Environment – The Ichthyosaurs

CollectA Temnodontosaurus platyodon model.

Detailed Ichthyosaur figure. Temnodontosaurus platyodon.

The picture above shows a model of a species of Ichthyosaur called Temnodontosaurus platyodon.  It had a streamlined body, fins, a powerful tail-fluke and these creatures did not have to return to land to lay eggs, they were viviparous (producing  live young).

Ichthyosaurus anningae

The Ichthyosaurus named in honour of Mary Anning is called –  Ichthyosaurus anningae, the name means “Mary Anning’s Fish Lizard”.  It was Mary and her brother Joseph who in 1811, found the fossilised remains of the first Ichthyosaurus to be scientifically studied.

The Fossilised Remains of Ichthyosaurus anningae

Ichthyosaurus anningae

A new species of Ichthyosaurus.

Picture credit: Palaeontologist Dean Lomax and Judy Massare

To read a more complete article about this new species of Ichthyosaurus to be named, the first named in nearly 130 years: New Ichthyosaurus Species Named (Mary Anning Honoured).

The fossil pictured above had been mistaken for a plaster cast replica, but it has now been realised that this specimen excavated from Dorset’s famous “Jurassic Coast” represents a new species.

For models and replicas of ichthyosaurs and other marine reptiles: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Figures and Models.

20 02, 2015

New Ichthyosaurus Species Honours Mary Anning

By |2023-03-24T12:02:39+00:00February 20th, 2015|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles|0 Comments

Dorset to Doncaster – New Species of Ichthyosaurus Described

It might be one of the best known of all the genera of Mesozoic marine reptiles, but the Ichthyosaurus genus has been becalmed in terms of new additions to the species list.  That is, until a remarkable discovery in the fossil collection of the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery led to the naming of a new species.  Ichthyosaurus anningae, the first “new” Ichthyosaurus for 127 years.  A paper describing this new species is due to be published in the prestigious academic publication “The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology” and it is great to see that the trivial name honours Dorset fossil collector Mary Anning, it was Mary along with her brother Joseph, who found the first Ichthyosaurus fossils to be scientifically studied (1811).

Ichthyosaurus anningae

The First New Species of Ichthyosaurus to be Described – Typical Ichthyosaurus Model

An Ichthyosaurus model

The Ichthyosaurus model (Wild Safari Prehistoric World) ready to take its turn on the Everything Dinosaur turntable. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The fossil, representing a sub-adult specimen, had resided in the collection of the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery since it had been acquired sometime in the early 1980s.   It was excavated from Lower Jurassic strata of West Dorset, but we at Everything Dinosaur, are unable to provide further information as to who exactly discovered it.  The fossil is believed to have come from the Lower Pliensbachian Stonebarrow Marl Member (Charmouth Mudstone Formation), which forms part of the geology of southern England’s famous “Jurassic Coast”.

A Beautifully Preserved Skull

The specimen, which measures around 1.5 metres in length is nearly complete, there is a beautifully preserved skull, much of the front portion of the body including ribs and preserved stomach contents.  The assigned holotype (DONMG:1983.98) had been mislabelled as a plaster cast replica.  Team members at Everything Dinosaur recall seeing the image of the fossil used to help promote children’s holiday activities at the Museum, it emphasises the importance of regional museums and their collections.  There are probably a significant number of new species awaiting discovery, not in the cliffs of Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, but in the draws and cabinets of museums.

Newest Ichthyosaurus on the Block (I. anningae)

A new species of Ichthyosaurus.

A new species of Ichthyosaurus.

Picture credit: Dean Lomax and Judy Massare

Discovering New Species

This is not the first time that a new Mesozoic species has been identified from a museum collection.  Back in 2007, Everything Dinosaur wrote about the discovery made by then PhD student Mike Taylor at the Natural History Museum (London), which led to the naming of a new species of sauropod dinosaur.

To read the article: How to Find a New Dinosaur – Look in a Museum.

Dean Lomax, Honorary Scientist at The University of Manchester, examined the specimen in 2008.  He noticed a number of anatomical differences between this specimen and other types of ichthyosaur.  Working with Professor Judy Massare (Brockport College, New York), Dean spent over five  years comparing and contrasting the Doncaster ichthyosaur that had been nicknamed “Fizzy” with other museum specimens from around the world.  Unusual features in the humerus and femur (upper limb bones) along with the humerus length to femur ratio led him to believe that the Doncaster fossil represented something not seen before.

Over 1,000 Fossils Examined

Over 1,000 other Ichthyosaurus fossils were examined during the course of the research, a further four fossils (three most likely of juveniles), were identified as having the same anatomical features as “Fizzy”.

Dean commented:

“After examining the specimen extensively, both Professor Massare and I identified several unusual features of the limb bones that were completely different to any other ichthyosaur known.  That became very exciting.  After examining over a thousand specimens we found four others with the same features as the Doncaster fossil.”

Professor Massare has worked on a number of ichthyosaur specimens, most notably a remarkable fossil found in Wyoming.  She used her knowledge of ichthyosaur anatomy and locomotion to compare and contrast the fossil material.  The strata from which this fossil was extracted dates from the Early Jurassic (Lower Jurassic – Hettangian/Sinemurian–Pliensbachian).  It has been estimated that this fossil material is around 189 million years old. (Pliensbachian faunal stage).

Fragmentary Material

Most ichthyosaur fossils that date from this stage of the Jurassic are fragmentary, very few articulated specimens with cranial material are known.  The Doncaster fossil is the most complete ichthyosaur fossil that dates from this time interval.

The upper arm bone (humerus) is short and robust.  The femur (thigh bone), in comparison is very much smaller.  The morphology of the fossil specimens ascribed to this new species, suggest that there were differences in the limb bones of males and females.  Such differences have not been identified before in ichthyosaurs.  The species name pays tribute to Mary Anning (1799-1847), it was Mary along with other family members who found the fossils of the first scientifically described “fish lizard”.

The First Ichthyosaur Academic Paper

The very first formal, academic paper describing an ichthyosaur was published in 1814, the study being based on fossil material found in the Lyme Regis area by the Anning family.  Last year, Everything Dinosaur wrote a short article commemorating the 200th anniversary of this event.

To view this article: Two Hundred Years of Ichthyosaurs.

Dean explained:

“Mary worked tirelessly to bring ichthyosaurs, among other fossils, to the attention of the scientific world.  It is an honour to name a new species, but to name it after somebody who is intertwined with such an important role in helping to sculpt the science of palaeontology, especially in Britain, it is something that I’m very proud of.  In fact, one of the specimens in our study was even found by Mary herself!  Science is awesome.”

“Dinosaurs of the British Isles”

It has been a very busy couple of years for Dean, as well as helping to increase our understanding of British marine reptiles, in 2014, his book “Dinosaurs of the British Isles”, co-authored with Nobumichi Tamura was published.  This book provides a comprehensive account of the dinosaur fossils associated with the British Isles and we at Everything Dinosaur strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in dinosaurs.

“Dinosaurs of the British Isles” – A First, Comprehensive Account of British Dinosauria

A comprehensive guide to British dinosaurs over 400 pages.

A comprehensive guide to British dinosaurs over 400 pages.

Picture credit: Siri Scientific Press

For more details about the book and to order a copy: Siri Scientific Press.

This new specimen, helps palaeontologists to understand in greater detail the evolution and radiation of the Ichthyosauria.  I. anningae adds to the number of Ichthyosaurus known from the Pliensbachian faunal stage.  There has now been recorded at least three species (possibly as many as five species) from this time interval.  This is significant, as the discovery of this new species falls between two of the three known major radiations of ichthyosaur genera.

The numbers and types of ichthyosaur seemed to have increased around 200 million years ago (Triassic/Jurassic boundary) – Neoichthyosaurian radiation.  A second major radiation occurred around 175 million years ago (Aalenian faunal stage), the ophthalmosaurid radiation, when many new kinds of “fish lizard” also evolved.

For models and replicas of ichthyosaurs and other marine reptiles: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Range.

19 02, 2015

Exploring Dinosaurs at Hadfield Infant School

By |2023-03-24T11:56:25+00:00February 19th, 2015|Educational Activities, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Foundation Stage/Year 1/Year 2 Study Dinosaurs and Fossils – Exploring Dinosaurs and Fossils

Children at Hadfield Infant School have had a busy day learning all about dinosaurs, fossils and life in the past.  The children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have started a term topic all about prehistoric animals.  Some of the children found a “dinosaur egg” in their classroom, what type of dinosaur could have laid such a big egg?

Exploring Dinosaurs

The egg had started to hatch and sure enough, the children had a baby dinosaur to look after.  We hope that they will learn all about dinosaur plant-eaters and meat-eaters so that they can work out what to feed it!

The Dinosaur Egg in One of the Classrooms

Schoolchildren discover dinosaur egg.

Schoolchildren discover dinosaur egg.  A teaching resource for a dinosaur and fossils term topic. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

What if the Dinosaur Escapes?

What would happen if the baby dinosaur escaped one evening?  Where would the dinosaur go?  Can the children follow the dinosaur’s travels around the world?

Our dinosaur expert felt very much at home at the school today.  On the wall in the hall where he had been working was a big picture with lots of bones in it.  The children learned that scientists look at the fossilised bones of dinosaurs so that they can work out what they looked like and how they lived.

A Great Backdrop for a Dinosaur Workshop

Learning all about fossil bones of dinosaurs.

Learning all about fossil bones of dinosaurs.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur Answering Questions

With the enthusiastic support of the teaching team the children will have a wonderful and engaging topic to study up to the end of the spring term.  There were so many amazing questions asked during the day, questions such as what was the biggest crocodile of all time?  How big were the plates on the back of Stegosaurus?  Good job the children had been working on their phonics to help them work out the difference between big, bigger and biggest.

We sent over some extension resources to help the teaching team answer some of the questions that we did  not get round to in our dinosaur workshop.  We think this term topic is going to be a “roaring success”!

To view Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

19 02, 2015

Children at Hadfield Primary Learn About Fossils

By |2023-03-24T07:39:34+00:00February 19th, 2015|Early Years Foundation Reception, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Children at Hadfield Primary Learn About Fossils

FS2, Year 1 and Year 2 Learn About Dinosaurs and Fossils

Helping pupils to learn about dinosaurs and fossils.

Learn About Dinosaurs

Everything Dinosaur took over the hall at Hadfield Infant School today as they delivered a set of dinosaur themed workshops aimed at Foundation Stage 2 and Lower Key Stage 1 children.  The workshops were very visual and tactile and involved lots of physical activities as well as fossil handling.  The back drop to the dinosaur workshop was very appropriate as the children had been working on a previous term topic all about the human body and there were lots of drawings and artwork of “funny bones” posted up onto one of the walls.

A Wonderful Backdrop for a Dinosaur Workshop

A dinosaur learning topic background.

Learning all about fossil bones of dinosaurs. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

It was certainly an exciting day for the children, the teachers enjoyed themselves too.

Children Loved Looking at the Fossils

One EYFS teacher stated that the “children loved looking at the fossils”, whilst another described the dinosaur workshops conducted by Everything Dinosaur as “a great start to our dinosaur topic”.

Commenting on the day of prehistoric animal fossil themed activities, the dinosaur expert from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“We wanted the sessions to act as a provocation to enthuse the children and help to inspire the teaching team.  A number of exciting extension activities have already come out of the workshops and we will be emailing over more resources tomorrow to help the teachers with this term topic.”

Everything Dinosaur stocks a wide range of dinosaur themed, educational resources including replicas of iconic fossil animals.  To visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning and user-friendly website: Everything Dinosaur – Toys and Games.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur added that team members had been preparing additional teaching resources to despatch to the teaching team at Hadfield Primary.  These additional teaching materials would be sent out tomorrow to continue our support of the term topic.

18 02, 2015

The Rebor Replica Utahraptor (Assembly Instructions)

By |2023-03-24T07:30:47+00:00February 18th, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

Rebor 1:35 Scale Replica of Utahraptor (Wind Hunter)

The new Rebor 1:35 scale replica of Utahraptor (U. ostrommaysorum) has an articulated jaw and moveable, feathered arms.  It really is a most beautiful model.  However, a little bit of assembly is required, here is Everything Dinosaur’s quick guide to assembling your Utahraptor.

Rebor Replica Utahraptor

The Rebor 1:35 Scale Utahraptor Replica (Wind Hunter)

Depicting an agile, active dinosaur.

Depicting an agile, active dinosaur.

This model is packed into a sturdy padded box (plenty of foam for protection).  Carefully, unpack your parcel’s contents and locate the base.  You should have a small plastic bag stored in a separate foam compartment that contains the two detachable arms and that all important pin to secure the model to its base.

The Rebor Replica Utahraptor “Wings” and the Securing Pin

Check that you have a pin in with the detachable arms.

Check that you have a pin in with the detachable arms. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Carefully, secure the arms in place, you can leave them as moveable arms or if you are happy with a particular pose, you can glue the arms in place  if you want to.  Perhaps, professional model makers could use a little filler and re-touching paint to completely obliterate any sign of an articulation/join.

Carefully Push the Arms into Their Respective Sockets

Carefully attach the arms.

Carefully attach the arms. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Then it might be a good idea to remove the clear, plastic band that secured the articulated jaw in place before placing your model into position on its base.  Put the pin into the hole, look for the footprint mark if you struggle to spot it, (a hole is already made for the pin in the base).  Then carefully lower the hind foot onto the pin.  The hind foot has a hole in it and it is this that allows the model to be posed in such a dynamic one-footed stance.

Securing the Replica onto the Base

Pinning a Rebor Utahraptor in place.

Pinning a Rebor Utahraptor in place. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Really that’s all there is to it, time to relax and enjoy your 1:35 scale Rebor Utahraptor replica, the fearsome “Wind Hunter”.

To view the range of Rebor replicas available at Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

17 02, 2015

Papo Young Apatosaurus – Video Review

By |2023-03-24T07:28:45+00:00February 17th, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Everything Dinosaur videos, Product Reviews|0 Comments

A Video Review of the Papo Young Apatosaurus Dinosaur Model

The Young Apatosaurus dinosaur model is proving to be very popular amongst dinosaur fans and model collectors.  We have produced a brief video review of this new for 2015 Papo replica.  In this video review we look at the model in more detail and explain about the body proportions as they are shown in this particular dinosaur sculpt.

Everything Dinosaur Reviews the Papo Young Apatosaurus Dinosaur Model

Video credit: Everything Dinosaur

Video Review

The video is just over eight minutes in length (8:08), we look at the skin texture in more detail, explain about the size of the head as it relates to the rest of the body  and we discuss that very thick neck.  The design team at Papo have certainly done an excellent job, on what is the company’s second sauropod after the enormous Brachiosaurus replica was introduced a couple of years ago.

Papo Young Apatosaurus

To view the range of Papo prehistoric animal replicas available from Everything Dinosaur: Papo Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

This dinosaur was formerly known as Brontosaurus (Thunder Lizard), a great name for one of the larger and heavier diplodocids.

For explanation as to why this dinosaur had to have its name changed: Why Brontosaurus is No More.

Everything Dinosaur wrote a short article, a while back now, about the name change to Apatosaurus and the reasons for it, this is the article we refer to in our Papo Young Apatosaurus video review.

From the nostrils located on the top of its head (correct according to most palaeontologists), to the supersonic, cracking whip-like tail, this is a super dinosaur replica.  Well done Papo!

Note

Following a taxonomic review of the Diplodocidae by scientists and academics the genus Brontosaurus has been resurrected and Brontosaurus excelsus is regarded as the type species.

The scientific paper: “A specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Diplodocidae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda)” by Emanuel Tschopp, Octávio Mateus and Roger B. J. Benson published in the on-line, peer reviewed journal PeerJ.

16 02, 2015

Widespread Ecological Diversity Amongst Early Mammals

By |2023-03-24T07:26:49+00:00February 16th, 2015|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles|0 Comments

Tree-dwellers and Burrowers – Early Mammals More Diverse than Previously Thought

Fossils of two mouse-sized, mammals from China, indicate that some of the earliest known mammaliaforms (extinct relatives of modern mammals), had already diversified and become highly adapted to different ecological niches.  A joint Chinese/U.S. scientific team reporting in the academic journal “Science” discuss the implications for mammalian evolution and describe two new early mammals, one that was arboreal (tree dwelling) and fed on insects and tree sap, the other, a mole-like creature that probably spent much of its life underground.

Early Mammals

The tree dweller, named Agilodocodon scansorius lived around 165 million years ago, the subterranean creature called Docofossor brachydactylus was discovered preserved in slightly younger strata, it burrowed underground whilst dinosaurs roamed overhead some 160 million years ago.  Both these creatures are Middle Jurassic Docodonts, an extinct Order of early proto-mammals.

The discovery of these two very different fur covered animals further supports the theory that just like modern-day mammals, Jurassic forms were highly adaptable and early mammals diversified to take advantage of a large range of ecological habitats.

Agilodocodon scansorius – Artists Impression and Skeleton Reconstruction

Early arboreal mammal from north-eastern China.

Early arboreal mammal from north-eastern China.

Picture credit: University of Chicago (illustration by April Neander)

Mesozoic Mammals

Commenting on the significance of these fossil finds, Dr. Zhe-Xi Luo (University of Chicago’s Department of Organism Biology and Anatomy), who co-authored the scientific papers stated:

“Before the turn of this century, it was generally thought that Mesozoic mammals could not diversify much in the dinosaur dominated ecosystem.  But fossil discoveries in recent years have built up a different picture.  In the last ten to fifteen years palaeontologists have found many Mesozoic mammals with very interesting functional and ecological specialisations.”

An International Research Team

The research team that studied these fossils, was made up of scientists from the Beijing Museum of Natural History and the University of Chicago.  They conclude that Docodonts adapted to a very broad range of environments such as arboreal and subterranean habitats, despite competition from the Dinosauria, other reptiles and early birds.  Agilodocodon was a small, swift  animal with limb and finger bone dimensions that are comparable to modern tree dwelling mammals.  Study co-author David Grossnickle, a graduate student at Chicago University emphasised that it was amazing to see arboreal adaptations occurring so early in the evolutionary history of mammals.  He reflected that this research suggests that some extinct mammalian relatives exploited evolutionarily significant niches, long before true mammals.

An Artists Impression  and Skeleton Reconstruction of Docofossor brachydactylus

Ancient mole-like animal.

Ancient mole-like animal.

Picture credit: University of Chicago (illustration by April Neander)

Agilodocodon Fossil Material

The Agilodocodon fossil material came from the Ningcheng County of Inner Mongolia, whilst the Docofossor material came from Hebei Province of China, to the south-east.  Docofossor lived around 160 million years ago. It lived in burrows on shores of  lakes and fed on worms and insects in the soil.  This small creature had reduced bone segments in its fingers, leading to shortened but wide digits, perfect adaptations for digging.

African Golden Moles possess almost the exact same adaptation.  This characteristic is due to the fusing of bone joints during embryonic development.  With African Golden Moles, the development of the digits is influenced by the genes GDF-5 and BMP.  As the extinct Docofossor has a very similar anatomy, the research team conclude that this genetic mechanism may have played a comparable role in early mammal evolution.

Mammals from the Middle Jurassic were once thought to have a very limited ecological footprint, only occupying a few niches in the food web.  However, these two new fossil discoveries along with early finds studied by the Chinese team, fossils such as Castorocauda, a fish-eating, swimming Docodont described back in 2006, provide strong evidence that early mammals adapted to a very wide range of environments.

The Phylogenetic Relationship Between Docodonts, Early Mammals and Extant Mammalia

Examining the phylogeny of early mammaliaforms.

Examining the phylogeny of early mammaliaforms.

Picture credit: University of Chicago (illustration by April Neander)

Although not closely related to modern placental mammals such as our own species, the Docodonts are revealing themselves to have been a highly successful and very adaptable group of warm-blooded creatures.  It is the mammalian trait of being very adaptable that many scientists believe was key to them becoming the dominant megafauna after the demise of the Dinosauria, Pterosauria and marine reptiles.  It seems this adaptability runs deep in the mammal family tree.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the help of the University of Chicago in the compilation of this article.

To read another article that explores the diverse fauna of the Middle Jurassic strata of China: The Amazing and Diverse Daohugou Biota

15 02, 2015

A Video Review of the Schleich Anhanguera Model

By |2023-03-24T07:23:42+00:00February 15th, 2015|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Everything Dinosaur videos|0 Comments

Schleich Anhanguera Pterosaur – Video Review

With all the new models and replicas due out this year, Everything Dinosaur team members are having a job finding the time to review them all.  However, after several requests, we have got round to shooting a quick video review of the new for 2015 Schleich Anhanguera replica.  What a beautiful model of a flying reptile this is!  The detail around the eyes is simply amazing and although the wing shape and stance of this replica is not quite how we imagined, this does nothing to detract from what is a very colourful and well made pterosaur model.

Everything Dinosaur Reviews the new for 2015 Schleich Anhanguera Pterosaur Replica

Video credit: Everything Dinosaur

Schleich Anhanguera Model

Over the last three years or so Schleich have revamped their prehistoric animal model range, opting to change the sizes of their models and introducing a number of very colourful and bright prehistoric animals.  The sky blue tones of the Anhanguera replica certainly make this flying reptile model stand out from the crowd.

To view the range of Schleich prehistoric animals available from Everything Dinosaur: Schleich World of History Models and Figures.

In this video, which is six minutes and thirty-five seconds long, we talk about where in the world Anhanguera fossils have been found and then we describe the model in detail.  Schleich has made a model of Anhanguera before, a smaller replica once formed part of the company’s not-to-scale “dinosaurs” range.

The First Anhanguera Model made by Schleich

This model was retired a number of years ago.

This model was retired a number of years ago.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Mini Quetzalcoatlus Figure

This is not the only pterosaur figure introduced by Schleich this year.  In the popular, mini dinosaurs range, a flying reptile replica was included, this time a model of a giant pterosaur, distantly related to Anhanguera, the Late Cretaceous behemoth known as Quetzalcoatlus.  It too is a very colourful replica.

The Mini Dinosaurs Quetzalcoatlus Model

A colourful mini Quetzalcoatlus Pterosaur figure.

A colourful mini Quetzalcoatlus pterosaur figure.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To see the full range of prehistoric animal figures available from Everything Dinosaur: Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

The Schleich Anhanguera has an articulated lower jaw and we discuss the “fish grabbing device” that this pterosaur had in our video review.

14 02, 2015

Exporting to the United Arab Emirates

By |2023-03-24T07:21:43+00:00February 14th, 2015|Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Dinosaurs Fly out to the UAE as Everything Dinosaur Helps Support Washing Powder Promotion

For Sue Judd, Finance Director at Everything Dinosaur each day seems to bring new and remarkable challenges.  Working in such a niche market, after all, there are not many businesses that sells dinosaurs, Sue never knows what the next incoming call or email might lead to.

Dinosaurs Fly Out

A  leading sports and entertainment company based in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), got in touch and asked could we supply them with assorted dinosaur model kits, prehistoric animal skeleton models and Triceratops themed arts and crafts to help support a big promotion for one of the Persian Gulf’s leading washing powder brands.  No worries, it’s all in day’s work and reassured by the fact that Everything Dinosaur have the advice and support of the International Trade team at South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, before you could say “Tyrannosaurus rex” it was all sorted out and the prehistoric animals were on their way to the UAE.

Sue Helps to Load Up the “Dino Van” with the Export Order

Off to the airport, Everything Dinosaur exports to the UAE.

Off to the airport, Everything Dinosaur exports to the UAE.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur

Commenting on this latest export success for the dinosaur toys and models company, Sue stated:

“We seem to be building a reputation as the “go to” company when it comes to sourcing various items for use in dinosaur themed promotions.   As a retailer, we are used to sending out parcels to customers all over the world, but it helps to know when we are dealing with exports that we have the Chamber of Commerce on board to help us out”.

It seems that dinosaur toys and games really do have world-wide appeal.

Everything Dinosaur stocks an extensive range of prehistoric animal and dinosaur themed merchandise.  We send dinosaurs and prehistoric animals to customers all over the world, not just to the United Arab Emirates.

To view the range of dinosaur themed items available from Everything Dinosaur: Visit Everything Dinosaur’s Website.

Go to Top