All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
19 02, 2017

A Review of “Giants of the Lost World”

By |2023-05-20T07:49:15+01:00February 19th, 2017|Book Reviews, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

“Giants of the Lost World” Reviewed

Everything Dinosaur team members take a look at a new book entitled “Giants of the Lost World” that documents the amazing dinosaurs and prehistoric animals that lived in South America.

The fauna and flora of South America has always fascinated scientists and academics.  Animals that are around today, such as the giant otter, the bizarre peccary, anacondas and the jaguar, which pound for pound has the strongest bite of any living big cat, are mere shadows of what was once an astonishing menagerie, the likes of which were found nowhere else on Earth.

The public’s imagination has been fuelled by tales of the monsters that once roamed this continent.  American palaeontologist and author Donald Ross Prothero builds on this legacy in his new book “Giants of the Lost World” which documents and describes the incredible prehistoric animals that once dominated South America, many of which truly deserve the mantle of “monsters”!

The Front Cover of “Giants of the Lost World”

"Giants of the Lost World" front cover.

“Giants of the Lost World” by Donald R. Prothero.

Picture credit: Smithsonian Books

A Window into a Lost World

Professor Prothero gently guides the reader through the history of research and study of the many extinct prehistoric animals of South America, but first he sets the scene.  He discusses the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote the adventure story “The Lost World” in 1912.  In Conan Doyle’s tale, plucky Professor Challenger leads a party of explorers to the top of a remote and isolated plateau discovering that dinosaurs and flying reptiles had survived into the 20th century.

This influential novel has been the basis of many films, radio programmes and television series.  Sir Arthur was very probably inspired by the accounts of his good friend Percy Harrison Fawcett, who led an expedition to the Huanchaca Plateau (Bolivia) and encountered many strange animals that live atop the rocky plateau which rises upwards of nine hundred metres above sea level.

In truth, the non-avian Dinosauria and their kin are long gone, but the fossil assemblage left behind documents a remarkable prehistoric fauna, that once helped shape the thinking of Charles Darwin.  The largest land animals known to science (titanosaurs) and some of the huge carnivores that preyed upon them, are discussed and the author skilfully updates readers on the fascinating debate about which was the biggest land carnivore of all – look out for the section comparing mega-sized carcharodontosaurids with the equally impressive spinosaurs.

South America was home to a whole host of unusual meat-eating dinosaurs from the stumpy-limbed Alvarezsauridae with their reduced digits, to the “raptors”, ferocious deinonychosaurs and the truly odd, apex predators, the abelisaurids.  This book is crammed full of fascinating facts and information that will delight both dinosaur fans and the general reader.

One of South America’s Unusual Giant Theropods – Carnotaurus (C. sastrei)

The South American abelisaurid Carnotaurus (C. sastrei).

A spectacular photograph of the bizarre South American abelisaurid Carnotaurus (C. sastrei).

Picture credit: Smithsonian Books

Beautiful Illustrations, Photographs and Full Colour Plates

“Giants of the Lost World” is jam-packed with photographs, colour plates and beautiful illustrations.  Look out in particular for the detailed images included in this most informative text by the very talented Nobumichi Tamura.

We congratulate the author, for his provision of helpful notes and explanations that accompany the images and the very straight-forward and matter-of-fact manner in which he tackles quite complex and challenging areas of current palaeontological research, such as unravelling the family tree of the Sloths and their relatives (Xenarthra).  After all, who can’t help but be intrigued with chapter titles such as “Killer Opossums”, “The Slow Folk” and “Pseudo-Elephants”!

To purchase this very well written and highly informative volume: Smithsonian Books.

As a specialist in mammalian evolution, Professor Prothero is an ideal candidate to document and explain the evolutionary history of the marsupials and placentals that once thrived in South America.  Some of these strange creatures migrated northwards, when South America’s isolation ended around three million years ago.  You might be familiar with the Smilodon fossils of the La Brea tar pits of Los Angeles, but the largest of the Smilodon species was a resident of the southern portion of the Americas (S. populator), it would have dwarfed the Sabre-toothed cats of the United States and was one of the largest felids to have ever lived.

For replicas and models of South American prehistoric animals and other extinct creatures: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models.

A Colour Plate from the Book Illustrating the Skull and Huge Canines of Smilodon

Smilodon skull fossil.

A view of the skull of a Smilodon.

Picture credit: Smithsonian Books

“Giants of the Lost World”

The dinosaurs did not hold the monopoly when it came to giant reptiles.  After the demise of the “terrible lizards”, new reptilian monsters evolved.  The immense fossilised shell of a super-sized turtle (Stupendemys), is proof that monstrous reptiles lived in South America as recently as five million years ago.

The bus-sized Titanoboa is discussed in detail and for fans of crocodiles, this book has plenty to sink your teeth into too.  You might be familiar with apex predators such as the fourteen-metre-long “super caiman” Purussaurus, known from Colombia, Brazil and Peru, but “Giants of the Lost World” contains one or two crocodilian surprises as well.  Check out the curious Mourasuchus, which matched Purussaurus in terms of size, but it may have fed in a similar way to a giant duck!

Everything Dinosaur’s Well-Thumbed Copy of “Giants of the Lost World”

Book cover "Giants of the Lost World"

Everything Dinosaur’s copy of “Giants of the Lost World”.

Picture credit: Smithsonian Books

This highly informative and well-written book draws to a close with an epilogue that takes a sanguine tone, reflecting on the threats to the existing wildlife of South America, much of which is critically endangered.  Professor Prothero concludes that the extant animals and plants of this enigmatic continent may only be a shadow of a once mighty and monstrous assemblage, but there is still time to reverse the habitat destruction and climate change that threatens to erase the remnants of an amazing biological legacy.

This excellent book does much to raise awareness concerning the diverse and eclectic cast of prehistoric characters that once roamed South America.  Highly recommended.

The book can be purchased here: Smithsonian Books.

Book Details:

Title: “Giants of the Lost World: Dinosaurs and Other Extinct Monsters of South America” by Donald R. Prothero.

Publisher: Smithsonian Books

Pages: 174 with 16 colour plates

ISBN: 9781588345738

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

19 02, 2017

Yehuecauhceratops – A New Dinosaur from Mexico

By |2023-05-19T22:58:20+01:00February 19th, 2017|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|4 Comments

Yehuecauhceratops mudei – Mexican Relative of Nasutoceratops

Last week, a new species of North American horned dinosaur was announced.  Named Yehuecauhceratops (Y. mudei), at three metres long, it was little more than a third the size of Triceratops, but its discovery, after a ten-year-long exploration of Upper Cretaceous strata of the State of Coahuila (northern Mexico), is still significant, as it once again demonstrates that towards the end of the Age of Dinosaurs much of the ancient land known as Laramidia was home to very distinct populations of prehistoric animals.

Yehuecauhceratops

A Model of the Reconstructed Skull of Yehuecauhceratops

A replica of the skull of Yehuecauhceratops.

A model of the skull of Yehuecauhceratops.

Picture credit: Museo del Desierto, Mexico (The Coahuila Desert Museum)

For articulated replicas of horned dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals: Beasts of the Mesozoic Models and Figures.

Scraps of Bone but a Significant Bump

Fossils found in the Coahuila Desert in 2007 and in 2011 were very fragmentary and the field team from the Coahuila Desert Museum in collaboration with scientists from Germany who had joined them on the expedition, were not sure quite what they had found.  It was assumed it was a horned dinosaur, after all, the first horned dinosaur known from Mexico, Coahuilaceratops (named in 2010), had been found in the same area.  However, a piece of the head shield showed a small, but significant bump that distinguished the fossils from the chasmosaurine Coahuilaceratops, the frill had a definite look of a centrosaurine.

Pieces of the Head Shield Revealed Unique Morphology – The Fossils Represented a New Species

Fragment fossils representing Yehuecauhceratops.

A small but significant bump on part of the head shield identified this dinosaur as a centrosaurine.

Picture credit: The Journal of South American Earth Sciences

In total, Yehuecauhceratops mudei has been described from a partial and very fragmented skull, a thigh bone, elements of the hips, a few ribs and an array of fossil bone fragments.  We at Everything Dinosaur, estimate that only about 3% of the entire skeleton is known.  However, the morphological characteristics were enough for the scientists and their lead author Héctor Rivera-Sylva (The Coahuila Desert Museum), to propose that the fossils represented a new species of dinosaur.

Yehuecauhceratops is a combination of the local Nahuatl word for “ancient” and the Greek for “horned face”, while the species epithet “mudei” honours the Museo del Desierto in Coahuila, as this museum is referred to as the MUDE.

A Model of the Newly Described Horned Dinosaur – Yehuecauhceratops mudei

Yehuecauhceratops Museum Replica

Scientists have constructed a model of the Mexican dinosaur called Yehuecauhceratops.

Picture credit: Museo del Desierto, Mexico (The Coahuila Desert Museum)

CPC 274

Until the publication of the scientific paper describing this new type of horned dinosaur from the Campanian-aged Aguja Formation of northern Mexico, the fossil material had been referred to by their catalogue number, CPC 274.  A model of the skull has been created plus a miniature figure of the dinosaur and the researchers at the Coahuila Desert Museum hope, that one day, the fossils will be able to go on public display.

Over the last decade or so, several new kinds of horned dinosaur from North America have been described.  Yehuecauhceratops was closely related to Nasutoceratops, fossils of which were found in slightly older deposits in southern Utah.  Writing in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences, the team conclude that Mexican Ceratopsia (currently represented by a total of three species), also experienced regional diversification.

It is likely that more horned dinosaur fossils representing new species await discovery in northern Mexico.  There are probably several more ceratopsians going to be added to the list of Mexican dinosaurs and we look forward to writing about these scientific discoveries.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

18 02, 2017

Late Permian Therapsid was Probably Venomous

By |2023-05-19T13:54:46+01:00February 18th, 2017|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Euchambersia mirabilis was Probably Venomous

Detailed scans of the skull of the stem-mammal Euchambersia mirabilis supports a theory first proposed by the enigmatic Baron Franz Nopcsa ninety years ago, that this Late Permian creature was venomous.  Scientists at the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa), concur with the Baron’s idea that this half-metre-long therapsid reptile known from the famous Karoo Supergroup, represents the earliest known venomous terrestrial vertebrate.

An Illustration of the Late Permian Therapsid Euchambersia mirabilis

Euchambersia mirabilis.

An illustration of the Late Permian therapsid Euchambersia.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For models and replicas of Palaeozoic tetrapods: CollectA Prehistoric Life Figures.

Euchambersia mirabilis and Baron Nopcsa

Baron Nopcsa was an Austro-Hungarian aristocrat who discovered and identified a number of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals around the world.  In 1933, during a trip to South Africa, he looked at the remains of a therapsid found a couple of years earlier by Robert Broom, the fossil was identified as a distant ancestor of today’s Mammalia.  Nopcsa stated that the fossils probably represented an animal with a deadly bite.

Nopcsa declared that this was probably the earliest venomous species ever recorded.  However, his theory couldn’t be confirmed or disproved because venom and venom glands don’t fossilise.  A study of the skull and the upper jaw (maxilla) had shown that E. mirabilis had a huge, deep maxillary fossa (a hollow), associated with a ridged canine.  To the Baron, this implied that Euchambersia possessed a specialised gland situated inside the maxillary fossa that was capable secreting venom down the ridged canine tooth into victims.

CT Scanning Technology Provides Support for Nopcsa’s Theory

A team of researchers from the Johannesburg-based university set out to scan the known fossil skulls of Euchambersia and to create detailed three-dimensional images.  It seems that Baron Nopcsa was right, the 21st century technology supports the idea that the 255-million-year-old Euchambersia is indeed, the earliest example of a venomous terrestrial vertebrate known to science.

Some extant mammals produce venom, for example, the bizarre Australian Duck-billed platypus (a monotreme), but also amongst placentals there are venomous mammals too.  With a stem-mammal probably being venomous, it puts forward a tantalising idea that in the past, all early mammal forms may have had venom, but as the synapsid lineage that was to give rise to modern mammals evolved, so the venom producing glands were lost.

Known from Only Two Fossil Specimens

The fossils that Baron Nopcsa studied back in 1933, represent a species that is only known from one other set of fossils.  Both specimens were discovered in the same area, just a few metres apart close to the town of Colesberg (Northern Cape Province of South Africa).  The second specimen was not found until 1966.  One specimen is housed in the collection of the Natural History Museum London, the other is at the Evolutionary Studies Institute in Johannesburg.

A Closer View of One of the Euchambersia Skulls Used in the Study

Euchambersia mirabilis skull fossil.

A closer look at one of the Euchambersia mirabilis fossil skulls.

Picture credit: University of Witwatersrand

CT Scans Provide Evidence

Each specimen was CT scanned at its respective institute, and the London data was sent to the researchers at the University of Witwatersrand.  The three-dimensional models that the images were able to provide gave the scientists the opportunity to explore in great detail the internal structure of the upper jaw.

CT Scans Revealed New Details of Euchambersia Skull and Jaw Anatomy

CT scans suggest Euchambersia was first terrestrial venomous Tetrapod.

CT scans showing various views of the Euchambersia skull material.

Picture credit: PLOS One/University Witwatersrand

Lead author of the report, published in PLOS One, Dr Julien Benoit commented:

“We found that a wide, deep and circular fossa to accommodate a venom gland was present on the upper jaw and was connected to the canine and the mouth by a fine network of bony grooves and canals.  Moreover, we discovered previously undescribed teeth hidden in the vicinity of the bones and rock, two incisors with preserved crowns and a pair of large canines, that all had a sharp ridge.   Such a ridged dentition would have helped the injection of venom inside a prey.”

Dr Julien Benoit Holding One of the Skulls that was Scanned

Holding one of the Euchambersia fossil skulls.

Dr Julien Benoit holds one of the Euchambersia fossil skulls.

Picture credit: University of Witwatersrand

Identifying Anatomical Adaptations in Euchambersia mirabilis

It seems that Euchambersia had anatomical adaptations which were compatible with venom production.  The confirmation of the Baron’s theory strengthens the belief that pre-mammalian therapsids were very diverse and occupied a wide range of niches within Late Permian and Early Triassic ecosystems.

These ancient creatures, distantly related to our own species, diversified as herbivores and carnivores, large and small, burrowing and ground-dwelling species.  As the earliest venomous species and a representative of this early wave of pioneering species, Euchambersia directly reflects the extraordinary adaptive capabilities of these mammalian forerunners.

The scientific paper: “Reappraisal of the Envenoming Capacity of Euchambersia mirabilis (Therapsida, Therocephalia) using μCT-scanning Techniques,” published in the on line journal PLOS One.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of the University of Witwatersrand in the compilation of this article.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur Website.

17 02, 2017

An Unexpected Early Triassic Marine Ecosystem

By |2023-05-19T07:44:20+01:00February 17th, 2017|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

American Fossil Site Shows Diverse Range of Marine Fauna Post Permian Extinction Event

A team of international scientists writing in the on line academic journal “Science Advances” have published details of a complex and diverse Early Triassic marine ecosystem that contradicts the commonly held view that life on Earth was slow to recover from the catastrophic End Permian mass extinction.

An Early Triassic Marine Ecosystem

The fossils of around thirty different species of marine creature have been excavated from shales and limestone near to the city of Paris in Idaho (USA).  Four sites in total have been unearthed in Bear Lake County and they represent a marine ecosystem that existed just 1.3 million years after the Permian mass extinction event, the most devastating extinction event recorded in the whole of the Phanerozoic Eon (visible life).

Just 1.3 Million Years After the End Permian Extinction Event a Surprisingly Diverse Marine Ecosystem Thrived

Early Triassic marine fauna.

The Early Triassic marine fauna of the Paris Basin (Idaho).

Picture credit: Jorge Gonzalez

A Dynamic Early Triassic Marine Ecosystem

Ammonite and conodont fossils have been used as biostratigraphical markers and the site has been dated to the middle Olenekian faunal stage of the Early Triassic, approximately 250.6 million years ago.  The fossils demonstrate that life, at least in some parts of the world bounced back remarkably quickly after the End Permian extinction event that is believed to have wiped out around 95% of life on the planet.

Lead author of the paper, palaeontologist Arnaud Brayard of the University of Burgundy-Franche-Comté (France) stated:

“Our discovery was totally unexpected.”

The Location of the Paris Basin Site (Modern and Mesozoic)

The Bear Lake (Paris Basin) fossil site location.

The Bear Lake fossil site location (modern and during the Early Mesozoic).

Picture credit: Romano et al (Science Advances)

The picture above shows (A) the site of the Paris Basin in the context of the geography of the United States, (B) a close up of the location of the dig sites (Paris biota) identified by the researchers.  Picture (C) shows the approximate position of the Paris Basin during the Early Triassic.  The site was very close to the equator during the Early Triassic.

Surprising Fossil Discoveries

The diverse ecosystem consisted of ammonites and other cephalopods, sponges, brachipods and bivalves along with echinoids (sea urchins) crinoids, crustaceans and several vertebrates including marine reptiles, sharks more than two metres long and bony fish.

The Paris Basin ecosystem, included some unexpected creatures.  There was a type of sponge previously believed to have gone extinct 200 million years earlier (leptomitid sponges), and a squid-like group (gladius-bearing coleoids), previously thought not to have evolved until the Late Triassic.  In addition, the scientists report the finding of bones that could represent the earliest-known ichthyosaur or at least a direct ancestor of an ichthyosaur.

For replicas of ichthyosaurs and other prehistoric animals: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models.

Several other fossils display anatomical characteristics that were thought to have evolved much later (for example, echinoderms), indicating an early and rapid post-Permian/Triassic boundary diversification for these groups as well as previously unknown phylogenetical links between Palaeozoic and Mesozoic taxa.

Brayard added:

“The Early Triassic is a complex and highly disturbed Epoch, but certainly not a devastated one as commonly assumed, and this epoch has not yet yielded up all its secrets.”

Some of the Fossils Representing the Remarkable and Diverse Early Triassic Marine Fauna

Fossils from the Paris Basin (Idaho).

Examples of the multitude of fossil from the Paris Basin.

Picture credit: A. Brayard, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté (A to G); T. Saucède, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté (H); and B. Thuy, Natural History Museum Luxembourg (I).

Analysing the Fossils

The photograph above shows a selection of fossils from the Paris Basin (A) a sponge fossil and ammonites, (B) leptomitid sponge and tiny brachiopods, (C) an ancient lobster, (D) a new genus of thylacocephalan crustacean and (E) shrimp fossil.  Picture (F) shows another shrimp fossil depicted under ultraviolet light. Whilst picture (G) shows a Gladius-bearing coleoid, a type of cephalopod that previously, had been thought to have evolved some fifty million years later.  A crinoid stem is shown in picture (H) and (I) depicts the remains of a Brittlestar.  Scale bars equal five millimetres for all the pictures, except for photograph (B) – scale bar one centimetre.

The researchers conclude that the Paris Biota highlights the key evolutionary position of Early Triassic fossil ecosystems in the transition from the Palaeozoic to the modern marine evolutionary fauna at the dawn of the Mesozoic era.

 The scientific paper: “Unexpected Early Triassic Marine Ecosystem and the Rise of the Modern Evolutionary Fauna”, published in the journal Science Advances.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

16 02, 2017

Helping to Organise a School Trip to Wren’s Nest

By |2023-05-19T07:35:21+01:00February 16th, 2017|Educational Activities, Geology, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Wren’s Nest and School Trips

Everything Dinosaur has been contacted by a school based in the West Midlands, seeking advice about a trip to the famous Wren’s Nest National Nature Reserve, a place we know very well indeed!  This location is a popular destination for local schools which are studying fossils and rocks as part of the National Curriculum (England).

Visiting Wren’s Nest

Wren’s Nest is to the north-east of the town of Dudley and it is a designated SSSI (site of special scientific interest), so no hammering at the cliffs of this former quarry is allowed. However, lots of fossils are being washed out of the scree slopes and there is something like seven hundred different types of fossil to collect, nearly ninety of which are unique to the Wren’s Nest area.

The Famous Ripple Beds at Wren’s Nest

Ripples preserved in limestone.

The famous ripple beds at Wren’s Nest SSSI located in the West Midlands.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The picture above shows the famous “Ripple Bed Hill” at Wren’s Nest.  This near vertical cliff face was once at the bottom of a shallow sea.  The “ripples” are the preserved remains of wave action on the seabed, they are around 426 million years old.  Taking schoolchildren to this location, helps them to gain an appreciation of deep, geological time.

How Did the Ripple Beds Form?

These structures formed as a result of massive, probably seasonal storms that swept across the normally, relatively calm sea.  The huge waves generated by the storm, led to the seabed being disturbed, the waves created by the storm had much more energy and their effect was felt much deeper in the tropical sea than usual.  Sand and debris was picked up and washed backwards and forwards over the seabed, creating the ripples.

The seabed was nearly 100 feet (thirty metres), under water and normally it would have been unaffected by usual sea conditions.  However, the symmetrical ripples are evidence of storm damage to this part of the seabed back in the Late Silurian.

Preserving Invertebrates as Fossils

After the storm had passed, the sea would have once again returned to its relatively calm state.  Thirty metres down the seabed was once again protected by the effects of normal-sized waves, which could not penetrate deep enough to wipe away the ridges and ripples caused by the storm.  Crinoids, (sea-lilies) soon colonised this part of the sea floor. However, sometime later, perhaps a few months, or perhaps after several years a large amount of mud was dumped on top of the ripples, permitting their preservation.  The mud could have been deposited as a result of exceptional run-off from the land, or perhaps an earthquake or other seismic event led to a large amount of sediment being shifted.

Whatever, the cause the ripples (and the crinoids living on them), were buried.  Palaeontologists have identified a total of twenty-five ripple bed areas in the cliffs that make up this feature of Wren’s Nest.  Each ripple bed represents a separate storm event.

Fossils Galore to be Found

More than 700 different fossils found at Wren's Nest

Lots of brachiopod and coral fossils to find at Wren’s Nest.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For replicas of iconic animals from the fossil record and creative toys and games: Replicas of Iconic Fossil Animals and Dinosaur Toys and Games.

Top Tips for a School Visit to Wren’s Nest

The site represents the remains of an ancient coral ecosystem dating between 423-426 million years ago (mya), it is Silurian in age and more than 700 different types of fossils have been found at this site.  A party of schoolchildren will not collect them all, but they are bound to find plenty of fossils to satisfy curious minds.  However, finding your own Trilobite fossil, a “Dudley Bug” Calymene blumenbachii, is most unlikely but you might find a fragment of the exoskeleton, a piece shed when the animal moulted.

• This is an SSSI (site of special scientific interest), no hammers or tools of any kind are permitted on site. However, you don’t need any tools as the constantly eroding scree provides lots of fossils that can simply be picked up.
• There are no toilet facilities at this location.
• A mid-week visit is best, either quite early in the morning or in the afternoon, although, the area tends not to be that busy at most times.
• When we visit we park close to the Caves Inn (car parking from 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday).
• The slopes are a magnet for young fossil hunters who love to try to climb them (and run up and down them), these slopes are very steep and very slippery after rain, so sensible precautions need to be taken.
• There is a slight risk of rock falls, after all, this is an old quarry site, but in all our visits, we have never seen any evidence of this.
• Contact Wren’s Nest here: Further information about Wren’s Nest. You might even be able to arrange short talk by one of the very knowledgeable wardens.

Typical Scree Slope at Wren’s Nest

Wren's Nest SSSI

A view of Wren’s Nest.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

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

16 02, 2017

Papo Prehistoric Mammals New for 2017

By |2023-05-18T08:13:59+01:00February 16th, 2017|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|2 Comments

Papo Prehistoric Mammals 2017

Amongst the dinosaur (and one pterosaur), models being introduced by Papo this year, there are two prehistoric mammals, both members of the Order Carnivora.  The Acrocanthosaurus, Ceratosaurus and the Cryolophosaurus might be getting all the attention, but we thought we would shed some light on the intriguing Papo Sabre-toothed cat and Cave Bear models that are also coming into stock over the next few months or so. These are exciting Papo prehistoric mammal models.

Papo Prehistoric Mammal Models

New for 2017 the Papo Sabre-toothed Cat and Cave Bear

Papo Sabre-Tooth Cat model and Cave Bear

Papo Smilodon and the Cave Bear.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur stockst the Papo “Les Dinosaures” model range.

To view the Papo prehistoric animal model range: Papo Prehistoric Animal Figures.

Papo Smilodon (S. fatalis)

When we saw the first images of the new for 2017 Papo Smilodon, we have to say we were somewhat taken aback.  It looks very different from the Papo Smilodon model that is currently in the range, a model that was originally introduced in the second quarter of 2011.

The new figure is certainly more flamboyant than the 2011 replica, the pose is fascinating but it is the combination of a lion’s mane and those rear tiger stripes that gives this particular representation such an unusual look.  In the modern lion Panthera leo, the males have manes.  The mane is thought to have evolved under selection pressure caused as a result of this social cat needing to impress females/intimidate rivals.  The mane provides a degree of protection during intraspecific conflicts, but we at Everything Dinosaur are not sure what evidence there is, if any, for a mane being present in the sub-family Machairodontinae of which Smilodon is a member.

The Papo Smilodon Model Introduced in 2011

Papo Smilodon model.

Excellent model of a Sabre-toothed cat.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Did Smilodon Have a Mane?

Cave paintings of male Cave Lions (Panthera leo spelaea) show these lions without manes.  Although, this does not mean the members of the Smilodon genus were not maned either.  They could have had manes, there is simply not enough evidence to determine this either way (as far as we know).  Many scientists have argued that the likes of Smilodon fatalis were social animals living in groups rather than solitary hunters.  A mane could have evolved, an example of convergent evolution as Smilodon species were subjected to the same selection pressure as their modern, African counterparts.

The Papo 2017 Smilodon Figure

Papo Smilodon (2017)

The Papo Sabre-tooth cat model (2017).

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Several palaeontologists and palaeobiologists have proposed that Sabre-toothed cats could have possessed a ruff of thick hair around the neck.  This would have protected the neck and provided insulation against the cold.  The scientific evidence remains incomplete, but for the moment Papo offers a maned and a maneless Sabre-toothed cat model for collectors.

As for those tiger stripes, research has shown that Smilodon was very probably an ambush predator.

Limb and locomotion studies have ruled out long pursuits of prey.  It is likely that the likes of Smilodon fatalis, S. populator et al were camouflaged, perhaps some species did possess stripes reminiscent of a tiger.

The Papo Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus)

The Papo Cave Bear replica is a real delight.  There have not been that many Cave Bear models made by the mainstream manufacturers, Everything Dinosaur team members remember with fondness the Schleich Cave Bear, one of a series of prehistoric mammals that were once produced by that German company.

Papo’s interpretation of this Pleistocene beast (which although classified as a carnivoran. (the collective term for a member of the Carnivora), might actually have been almost entirely herbivorous, certainly has attitude.  The thick, powerful frame is well-depicted and the beast is almost snarling at you, as if daring you to purchase it.

New for 2017 The Papo Cave Bear Model

Cave Bear model by Papo.

Papo Cave Bear.  The Cave Bear model is one of two new Papo prehistoric animal models for 2017.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Looking like it has just been disturbed from its winter refuge, this Cave Bear model is very well painted and the sculpt shows lots of detail.  We congratulate Papo for introducing another prehistoric mammal into its “Les Dinosaures” model range.

A Skilfully Crafted Prehistoric Animal Model (Papo Cave Bear)

Papo Cave Bear.

The Papo Cave Bear model.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Smilodon and Cave Bear Figures (Papo Prehistoric Animal Models)

The Smilodon and Cave Bear figures are scheduled to be in stock at Everything Dinosaur sometime towards the end of quarter 2 (June or early July), we will keep readers posted about new editions to the model range.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a huge range of prehistoric animal models.  The company also stocks the Papo model range.

To visit the company’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

15 02, 2017

First Live Birth Evidence in Ancient Dinosaur Relative

By |2023-05-18T08:01:56+01:00February 15th, 2017|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Dinocephalosaurus – The Only Known Viviparous Archosauromorph

The first ever evidence of live birth in an animal group previously thought to lay eggs exclusively has been discovered by an international team of scientists, including a palaeontologist from the University of Bristol.  Writing in the academic journal “Nature Communications”, the researchers report upon the identification of a potential embryo inside the mother, a specimen of the long-necked archosauromorph Dinocephalosaurus (D. orientalis).

Dinocephalosaurus orientalis

Live birth (viviparity), is known in a number of extant reptiles, especially members of the Order Squamata, wherein a number of species of snakes and lizard “hatch” inside their mother and emerge without a shelled egg.  However, this is the first time that live birth has been recorded in the Archosauromorpha, the infraclass of diapsid tetrapods that includes birds, crocodiles and dinosaurs.

An Illustration of the Long-Necked Marine Reptile Dinocephalosaurus (Location of Embryo Shown in Drawing)

Dinocephalosaurus illustration.

Dinocephalosaurus illustration. The red circle shows the approximate location of the embryo.

Picture credit: Dinghua Yang with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur

The picture above shows an illustration of the marine reptile Dinocephalosaurus.  The approximate position of the embryo inside the mother is indicated by the red circle.

Egg Laying in Tetrapods

Egg laying is regarded by many scientists as a more primitive form of reproduction, seen at the base of reptiles, within the amphibious anamniotes and the ancestors of terrestrial vertebrates (fish).  The fossil was found in 2008, at a quarry famous for marine fossils located in Yunnan Province (southern China).

Dinocephalosaurus was a long-necked, piscivore that flourished in warm, tropical, shallow sea that once covered much of China.  Its fossils have been dated to the Middle Triassic.  Dinocephalosaurus has been classified as a member of the Tanystropheidae family of archosauromorphs but how closely related it was to the better known Tanystropheus remains open to debate.

An Illustration of a Typical Member of the Tanystropheidae (Tanystropheus)

A drawing of Tanystropheus.

A drawing of the bizarre Triassic reptile Tanystropheus.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For models and replicas of prehistoric animals including archosauromorphs: Prehistoric Animal Figures and Models.

The Tanystropheidae Family

The Tanystropheidae family flourished during the Triassic and they were quite ecologically diverse.  Most of the genera are associated with Tethys Ocean coastline deposits, although several species are associated with strata laid down inland.  The scientists discovered the embryo inside the rib cage of the mother, and it faces forward making it less likely to have been consumed.  Swallowed animals generally face backward because the predator swallows its prey head-first to help it go down its throat.  Furthermore, the small reptile inside the mother is an example of the same species.

Lead study author, Professor Jun Liu from Hefei University of Technology (China), stated:

“We were so excited when we first saw this embryonic specimen several years ago, but we were not sure if the embryonic specimen is the last lunch of the mother or its unborn baby.  Upon further preparation and closer inspection, we realised that something unusual has been discovered.  Further evolutionary analysis reveals the first case of live birth in such a wide group containing birds, crocodilians, dinosaurs and the Pterosauria among others, and pushes back evidence of reproductive biology in the group by fifty million years.”

The Fossilised Remains Showing a Close View of the Embryo in the Rib Cage

Dinocephalosaurus illustration.

Dinocephalosaurus illustration. The red circle shows the approximate location of the embryo.

Picture credit: Jun Lu

Implications of the Dinocephalosaurus Fossil for Other Members of the Archosauromorpha

Evolutionary analysis shows that this instance of live birth was also associated with genetic sex determination.  Co-author of the scientific paper, Professor Chris Organ, (Montana State University) commented:

“Some reptiles today, such as crocodiles, determine the sex of their offspring by the temperature inside the nest.  We identified that Dinocephalosaurus, a distant ancestor of crocodiles, determined the sex of its babies genetically, like mammals and birds.”

The researchers conclude that this specimen from Yunnan Province rewrites our understanding of the evolution of reproductive systems.  Perhaps, some distant descendants of these reptiles also retained this reproductive strategy, with other archosauromorph members using live birth rather than external egg laying.  Maybe some dinosaurs were viviparous.

Studying the Dinocephalosaurus Embryo

The embryo measures around fifty centimetres in length, when fully grown Dinocephalosaurus measured over three metres long (although about half of its entire body length was made up of that super-sized neck).  It is possible, that the scientists have drawn the wrong conclusion.  The animal, if it was a baby Dinocephalosaurus and not the fossil specimen’s last meal that “went down the wrong way”, may have been in an egg and the eggshell that once surrounded the embryo was not preserved during the fossilisation process.

That explanation cannot be completely ruled out, but Professor Benton explained that the embryo’s bones were very well developed, whilst all living archosauromorphs lay eggs very early in embryonic development.

Furthermore, the team suggest that Dinocephalosaurus’s long neck and other features of its anatomy indicate it could not have manoeuvred easily out of the water, meaning a reproductive strategy like that of turtles, which lay eggs on land before returning to the water, was probably not an option.

Professor Mike Benton (School of Earth Sciences, Bristol University), another co-author of the paper said:

“The analysis of the evolutionary position of the new specimens shows there is no fundamental reason why archosauromorphs could not have evolved live birth.  This combination of live birth and genotypic sex determination seems to have been necessary for animals such as Dinocephalosaurus to become aquatic.  It’s great to see such an important step forward in our understanding of the evolution of a major group coming from a chance fossil find in a Chinese field.”

A Need to Look Closely at Other Fossils

Professor Benton added that since we now know that no fundamental biological barrier to live births exists in the Archosauromorpha, palaeontologists would be “looking very closely” at other fossils.  He suggested one target would be a group of aquatic crocodile relatives, whose mode of reproduction was not well known.

This piece of work is part of wider collaborations between palaeontologists in China, the United States, the UK and Australia.

The scientific paper: “Live birth in an Archosauromorph Reptile” by J. Liu, C. L. Organ, M. J. Benton, M. C. Brandley and J. C. Aitchison published in Nature Communications

Everything Dinosaur recognises the assistance of the University of Bristol in the compilation of this article.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

14 02, 2017

Valentines Day and Dinosaurs

By |2023-05-18T07:51:08+01:00February 14th, 2017|Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Valentine’s Day and Dinosaurs

Romance may not be something readily associated with the Dinosauria.  However, to reflect this special day, Everything Dinosaur team members have reviewed some of the blog articles posted on this site that look at research into dinosaur behaviour and potential courtship displays.

The Courtship Behaviour of Dinosaurs

The Dinosauria and Romance?

Love in the time of the dinosaurs.

I love dinosaurs!

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) is a motif from one of the Everything Dinosaur t-shirts.

To view the company’s range of dinosaur themed clothing: Dinosaur Themed Clothing.

For example, in early January 2016, we wrote about some recently published research that may have provided an insight into dinosaur display behaviour.  Could scrapes and gouges preserved in stone be dinosaur dance moves?

To read an article entitled: Dance of the Dinosaurs.

In November 2016, Everything Dinosaur reported upon the discovery of an Early Cretaceous bird that was very much a show-off.  Its plumage was sparkly and iridescent, probably for display in order to catch the eye of a potential mate.

To read more about this: Prehistoric Bird with Bling!

A Dinosaur Which Lost Its Heart

In a paper published seventeen years ago, an iron concretion found in association with the fossilised remains of a Thescelosaurus (Ornithopoda), which had been found in 1993, was described as a four-chambered heart.  This caused a sensation at the time in palaeontological circles.  It had long been speculated that the Dinosauria did indeed have fully divided hearts similar to those seen in mammals and those close relatives of the dinosaurs, birds(Aves).

However, a study published in 2011, left a number of palaeontologists “broken hearted”.  Researchers including scientists from North Carolina Museum, subjected the concretion to more powerful CT scans and the imagery produced debunked the idea that this was the fossilised remains of a dinosaur’s heart.

To read more about the 2011 research: Dinosaur Left “Broken Hearted”.

Happy Valentines!

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website (you won’t be “broken hearted”): Everything Dinosaur.

13 02, 2017

Spiny, Armoured Slug Provides Best Evidence for the Ancestry of Molluscs

By |2023-05-17T22:00:57+01:00February 13th, 2017|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Spiny but Slimy and with a Radula – Calvapilosa kroegeri

Scientists from the University of Bristol have uncovered a 480-million-year-old slug-like fossil in Morocco which sheds new light on the evolution of molluscs, a diverse group of invertebrates that includes clams, snails and cephalopods like squid and cuttlefish.

A Model of the Newly Described Calvapilosa kroegeri

Viewed from the top (left) and the bottom (right) - Calvapilosa kroegeri.

Calvapilosa kroegeri dorsal and ventral views.

Picture credit: Dr Jakob Vinther

Calvapilosa kroegeri

One of the defining characteristics of the molluscs is the possession of a radula, a kind of toothed-tongue which is used to rake up or rasp food.  The radula houses hundreds of teeth, the patterns of which can be used to determine diet and identify species.  Whilst not all molluscs have a radula, a radula cannot be found in any other group of animals.  It is a characteristic of the Mollusca Phylum.

Dr Jakob Vinther, from the Schools of Biological Sciences and Earth Sciences, is lead author of the study, which is published today in the academic journal Nature.

Dr Vinther stated:

“The molluscs are amongst the earliest animals identifiable in the fossil record, however determining what their ancestor looked like is difficult since many of the groups appear within a small window of time, making the sequence of evolutionary events difficult to piece together.”

The Evolution of Molluscs

The recent discovery of a new species of mollusc in the Anti-Atlas region in Morocco has enabled palaeontologists to revisit this problem and infer the appearance of the ancestor of all molluscs.  The new species discovered, Calvapilosa kroegeri, is part of the Fezouata Biota, a group of organisms from the Early Ordovician period (485-470 million years ago), which are found in rocks in south-eastern Morocco.

The Fezouata Biota is famed for its exceptional preservation, allowing palaeontologists to identify details not preserved from any other fossil site.

Co-author of the scientific paper, Luke Parry, a PhD student at the University of Bristol, added:

“Calvapilosa kroegeri resembles a slug covered with short spines all over its upper body and with a large ‘fingernail-like shell’ over its head.  In the centre of the head of this species are two rows of teeth which we demonstrate is a radula.”

Discovery of a Radula

The discovery of this feeding structure firmly identifies Calvapilosa kroegeri as a mollusc.  Additionally, it suggests that similar fossil forms, such as Halkieria, a two-plated slug-like fossil, are also molluscs and possessed a radula.  Following an analysis to determine the family tree of molluscs, Calvapilosa kroegeri was revealed to be the most primitive member of the lineage leading to chitons.  Chitons can still be found today and are characterised by their possession of eight shell plates and spines around their margin, similar to what is seen covering the body of Calvapilosa.

Looking Like a Hairy Fingernail Calvapilosa kroegeri Fossil

Calvapilosa looks like a "hairy fingernail".

The fossil of Calvapilosa kroegeri, preserving the feeding apparatus (radula) and all the spines that covered the body.

Picture credit: Peter Van Roy

Dr Vinther concluded:

“If we trace back the evolution of chitons, we can see that the number of their shells has increased with time.  It is therefore likely that the ancestor to all molluscs was single-shelled and covered in bristle-like spines, not dissimilar to Calvapilosa kroegeri.”

The Scientific Paper: “Ancestral Morphology of Crown-group Molluscs Revealed by a New Ordovician Stem Aculiferan” by J. Vinther, L. Parry, D. Briggs and P. Van Roy, published in Nature.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the help of a press release from Bristol University in the compilation of this article.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

12 02, 2017

Significant Rock Fall at Stonebarrow Hill

By |2023-05-17T21:49:36+01:00February 12th, 2017|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Geology, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Rock Fall Highlights the Dangers of Dorset Cliffs

Everything Dinosaur team members have received reports about a large rock fall in the area of Stonebarrow Hill, east of the popular tourist destination – Charmouth (Dorset).  With many schools due to have their half-term break in the next couple of weeks or so, the beaches in this part of Lyme Regis will soon start to get busy with eager fossil collectors looking to find fossils washed out of the cliffs during the winter storms.  However, the significant rock fall highlights the potential dangers when fossil hunting close to unstable cliffs.

Stonebarrow Hill on the Dorset Coast

Large Boulders and Debris Under Stonebarrow Hill

Rock fall at Stonebarrow Hill (Dorset).

A significant rock fall at Stonebarrow Hill (Dorset).

Picture credit: Brandon Lennon

Local fossil expert and fossil walks tour guide, Brandon Lennon commented:

“The large fall happened after the last storm.  Huge blocks came tumbling down onto the beach.  This area, the beach to the east of Charmouth, is a particularly popular fossil hunting location, especially for ammonites as the low tide washes fossils out of the mud slips.”

For models of iconic Dorset fossil animals such as ichthyosaurs, ammonites and belemnites: CollectA Prehistoric Life Age of Dinosaurs.

Blue-Grey Lower Lias Clays

The unstable and rapidly eroding cliffs to the east of the old cement works and Charmouth visitor centre are composed of blue-grey lower lias clays.  At low tide the foreshore area is exposed and this is a popular part of the Dorset coast for fossil collecting, especially in the early Spring after winter storms.  Like much of the coast in this part of Dorset, the cliffs are extremely dangerous and rock falls are common.  The cliffs rise steeply and any debris falling from them has the momentum to travel quite a long way onto the sandy beach before coming to rest.  We urge all would-be fossil hunters to take great care when visiting this part of the Dorset coast.

Stonebarrow Hill in Relation to the Charmouth Visitor Centre

Charmouth and Stonebarrow Hill.

The view east of Lyme Regis showing Charmouth and the location of Stonebarrow Hill.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The picture above was taken in 2015 and it shows the location of Stonebarrow Hill in relation to Charmouth.  This is the view looking eastwards from the newly constructed coastal seawall at Lyme Regis.

Take Care When Fossil Hunting

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“The fossil hunting season is nearly upon us!  Longer days and better weather (hopefully), we see popular fossil hunting places like Lyme Regis attracting large numbers of amateur fossil hunters and families keen to explore the area in the hope of finding some Jurassic-age marine fossils to take home.  However, the recent rock fall at Stonebarrow Hill highlights the potential dangers and we urge all visitors to stay away from the cliffs.”

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

The action of time and tide over the winter months will have exposed a lot of new material on the beaches to the east and west of the picturesque town of Lyme Regis.  There will be lots of fossils awaiting discovery and visitors do not have to stray too close to the cliffs to find them.

Eyes Down – Fossil Prospecting

Prospecting for fossils (Lyme Regis)

Looking for fossils at Lyme Regis.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The foreshore will contain plenty of fossils that have been washed down from the cliffs, this area, well clear of the cliffs, will still provide plenty of fun for families looking for ammonites, belemnite guards, crinoid stems and such like.  You might get really lucky and find an ichthyosaur paddle bone or a vertebra.

The unstable cliffs coupled with dangerous tides can never be taken lightly.  Our best advice is to go on a guided fossil walk with a local expert.  A fossil expert, such as Brandon Lennon, with his wealth of knowledge, can show visitors to the Lyme Regis area, the best (and safest) places to find fossils.

For information on guided fossil walks: Lyme Regis Fossil Walks.

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