All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
6 02, 2016

Quick Preview of New for 2016 Papo Models

By |2023-04-12T20:38:45+01:00February 6th, 2016|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur videos, Main Page|0 Comments

Papo Dinosaurs Previewed (Plus that Papo Kaprosuchus)

As the excitement builds with dinosaur fans and model collectors awaiting the new for 2016 prehistoric animal models from Papo, we thought we would tease Papo fans a little by publishing a short video which shows all five models.  In this short (1 minute 10 second video), an Everything Dinosaur team member introduces the five new replicas and talks briefly about two of them, the Baryonyx and the Papo Kaprosuchus (prehistoric crocodile).  All the models have that “unique” Papo stamp and they are welcome additions to the Papo prehistoric animal model range.

Papo Dinosaur Models

Everything Dinosaur’s Quick Preview of the New Papo Prehistoric Animal Models

Video credit: Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur’s YouTube channel is packed with informative prehistoric animal themed videos, including reviews of many Papo dinosaur models: Everything Dinosaur on YouTube.

Articulated Jaws

All the new Papo 2016 prehistoric animal releases have articulated jaws, however, the Kaprosuchus has an articulated upper jaw, a contrast to the other four dinosaur models who all possess articulated lower jaws.  This short video gives our team member the opportunity to demonstrate this.

Release Dates

Everything Dinosaur is expecting an update from Papo with regards to release dates towards the end of this month, for the time being here is the information available so far:

  • The Papo Baryonyx – quarter 1 (before the end of March)
  • Papo Feathered Velociraptor – quarter 1 (before the end of April)
  • The Papo Running T. rex colour variant – quarter 1 (before the end of April)
  • Papo Kaprosuchus – quarter 2 (June/July 2016 or perhaps earlier)
  • Papo Green Velociraptor – quarter 2 (June/July 2016)

When we have more information on these models we will post the updates onto Everything Dinosaur’s Facebook and other social media pages.

Papo Baryonyx – Tripodal Stance

Everything Dinosaur is aware that there have been a number of images released on other websites that show the Papo Baryonyx in a different pose to the one seen in the official pictures, the new Papo catalogue and in this video.  These images purport to show this replica in a pose with the tail raised, lifted off the ground.  It might be possible to train this model and to have this dinosaur stand in a bipedal stance, but in all the models that Everything Dinosaur team members have viewed, that long tail was resting on the floor.  We would urge all dinosaur fans and collectors to be cautious about this claim from other websites.

The Papo Baryonyx Dinosaur Model (New for 2016)

Available from Everything Dinosaur in a few weeks.

Available from Everything Dinosaur in a few weeks.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

New for 2016 Papo Dinosaur Models

To view Everything Dinosaur’s existing range of Papo prehistoric animal models: Papo Dinosaur Models.

Although the video only provides a quick glimpse of these five new replicas, hopefully fans of the Papo range, collectors and dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages have had their appetites whetted.  We look forward to adding all five of these new for 2016 models to our range over the next few months or so.

5 02, 2016

Small Abelisaurid from Argentina

By |2023-04-12T20:35:49+01:00February 5th, 2016|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Geology, Main Page|0 Comments

Not all of Argentina’s Dinosaurs were Giants

Last month Everything Dinosaur published details of a new super-sized titanosaur from Argentina.  An enormous animal that was to be featured in a special BBC television documentary “Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur”.  However, not all of Argentina’s dinosaurs were huge, scientists writing in the journal “Science Direct” have reported the discovery of fossil meat-eating dinosaur bones that may represent one of the smallest abelisaurids known from South America.

To read about the new giant dinosaur: “Sir David Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur”.

Not All South American Abelisauridae were the Size of Carnotaurus

"Meat-eating Bull" from Papo.

“Meat-eating Bull” from Papo.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Researchers from a number of Argentinian institutions operating under the collective umbrella of CONICET – The National Scientific and Technical Research Council, the country’s main academic body responsible for the promotion of science and technology, have reported finding the partial and fragmentary remains of a new abelisaurid dinosaur from north-west Patagonia.

The Rich Fossil Assemblage of the Candeleros Formation

Field work exploring the sandstone strata of the Candeleros Formation (Neuquén Province), has uncovered a partial femur, ribs, toe bones, a fragmentary pelvis, two fused sacral centra (from the vertebrae fused to the hip region) and a small piece of skull bone, identified as a frontal.  Although a histological analysis reveals that the animal was fully mature when it died, perhaps around fourteen years old, it is estimated to have been a little over four metres long and to have weighed about 240 kilogrammes.  That’s about half the length of Carnotaurus and around one quarter of the body weight.

A Small Abelisaurid

This dinosaur is one of the smallest abelisaurids known and a study of the bone fibres indicates that this dinosaur had a relatively lower growth rate when compared to other abelisaurids such as the much larger Aucasaurus garridoi, whose fossils also come from Argentina but from younger deposits.  Aucasaurus roamed Argentina around 85 million years ago, whereas this as yet, unnamed member of the Abelisauridae lived some eight million years earlier.

This new type of meat-eating dinosaur extends the theropod fauna of the Candeleros Formation.  As well as a number of abelisaurids, the Candeleros Formation is associated with carcharodontosaurids, a dromaeosaurid and alvarezsaurids.

CollectA have created a range of theropod dinosaur models including abelisaurids and carcharodontosaurids in their scale model range: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric World Models.

3 02, 2016

Reception Childen Get Excited About Dinosaurs

By |2023-04-12T19:19:39+01:00February 3rd, 2016|Educational Activities, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Reception Classes Study Dinosaurs

It has been a busy day at Mount Carmel RC Primary (Manchester, England) as the two classes of Reception children have been learning about dinosaurs and fossils with a special workshop conducted by an Everything Dinosaur team member.  The workshop was entitled “Dinosaurs and Reception Class”.  The children in Foundation Stage Two, have been studying dinosaurs and life in the past over the course of this half-term and they were keen to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject.  With the help of the enthusiastic teaching team, the eager pupils had created lots of artwork and some super examples of hand-writing in their dinosaur workbooks.

Reception Children

The bright and well-organised classrooms were adorned with lots of prehistoric animal themed work that the children had produced.  Our dinosaur expert has heard a rumour that one of the teachers has found some dinosaur eggs, we hope the children have thought about what materials might make a good nest for a dinosaur!

What will happen when the egg hatches?  We will have to wait and see…

A Busy Morning

Splitting the morning into two roughly equal sessions, divided by the mid-morning break, we were able to deliver very tactile learning with lots of fossil handling.  It was a good job that some of the children had managed to have a hearty breakfast, several of the fossils and other artefacts were heavy, but thanks to the helpful teaching assistants, the children were able cope.  Lots of photographs were taken, we especially liked the snarling dinosaur faces on the big class photograph at the end of each workshop – very scary!

Everything Dinosaur stocks a substantial range of dinosaur themed toys and gifts for children: Dinosaur Themed Toys and Gifts for Children.

The children in the two Reception classes have even been doing some homework, what a bunch of enthusiastic palaeontologists they are.  One of the teachers showed our dinosaur expert a beautiful picture that Edith had brought in to show her friends at school.  It is a wonderful picture of a Tyrannosaurus rex.  Can you remember how many fingers T. rex had altogether?

A Wonderful Dinosaur Picture Sent in by Edith (Reception Class)

Dinosaurs and Reception Class

Edith painted a lovely dinosaur picture.

Picture credit: Edith (Mount Carmel RC Primary School)

Dinosaurs and Reception Class

What a colourful picture Edith!  Lots of reds, blues and yellows and even a splash of white to help the green dinosaur feel at home.  We like the black eyes that you gave your Tyrannosaurus rex.  His eyes match the black stripe running down his back, at least we presume it’s a boy, it could be a girl T. rex.  Can the children remember the special fact our dinosaur expert told them about the Tyrannosaurus rex girls?

Extension Activities

After the visit, it was straight back to the office to email over the promised extension activities and fact sheets to help support the teaching team and their scheme of work.  We did set some of our “pinkie palaeontologist challenges”, including the design of the children’s very own dinosaur and an exercise which involved the careful measuring of dinosaur footprints.  We even sent over a picture of a T. rex and asked if the children could have a go at labelling the various parts of his body, those small arms, the fingers and the skull of course.

Reception Children Challenged to Label a Dinosaur

PNSO Aaron the little Tyrannosaurus rex

A smiling T. rex dinosaur model. The PNSO Aaron the little T. rex.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The T. rex model (above) come from the PNSO range of dinosaurs.

To view this range: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models.

We are glad all the children had a great time and thanks again for the super drawing Edith.

To learn more about the team at Everything Dinosaur: About Us.

2 02, 2016

Duck-Billed Dinosaurs – Sweet Home Alabama!

By |2023-04-12T19:06:52+01:00February 2nd, 2016|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|2 Comments

Alabama Fossil Sheds Light on the Origins of Duck-Billed Dinosaurs

The duck-billed dinosaurs, or to be more precise, the Hadrosauroidea were a super-family of plant-eating, bird-hipped dinosaurs that dominated Late Cretaceous ecosystems throughout most of the northern latitudes.  The fossils of these large dinosaurs, some of which evolved into the biggest facultative bipeds known to science, can be seen in museums throughout the world, but little is known about the evolutionary origins of this very successful part of the Dinosauria.  However, a remarkable fossil find from Alabama (south-eastern United States), is helping to shed new light on the origins of the duck-billed dinosaurs.

The Fossils of Eotrachodon orientalis Laid Out

The skull and jaw bones including the predentary are nearest the camera.

The skull and jaw bones including the predentary are nearest the camera.

Picture credit: Jun Ebersole, McWane Science Centre

The beautifully preserved fossils were found by amateur fossil hunters exploring a creek in Montgomery County, Alabama, when they come across one of the bones eroding out of the soft marine sediment.  Thanks to the efforts of an international team of researchers, the fossil material has been carefully prepared and it has been confirmed that these bones and the few teeth (see bottom right hand corner of the photograph), represent a new species of primitive duck-billed dinosaur.

Eotrachodon orientalis

The dinosaur has been named Eotrachodon orientalis (dawn rough tooth from the east).  It is the most complete primitive hadrosaurid dinosaur ever to be found in the eastern United States.

An Illustration and Scale Drawing of E. orientalis

The orange shaded area indicate fossils found.

The orange shaded area indicate fossils found.

Picture credit: Florida State University with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur

In Honour of Trachodon

Lead author of the scientific paper, published this week in the “Journal of Vertebrate  Palaeontology”, Albert Prieto-Marquez, stated that the genus name honours Trachodon, a name that would be very well known to fans of dinosaurs.

Trachodon is the genus erected in 1856 by Joseph Leidy as a result of fragmentary bones and teeth having been excavated from the Upper Cretaceous rocks (Judith River Formation) of Montana.  It was one of the very first American dinosaurs described, the first duck-billed dinosaur to be named (although some of the teeth used to describe it were later identified as ceratopsian), and although the name is now regarded as a nomen dubium (not a valid genus), Trachodon appeared in countless books about dinosaurs for the best part of 120 years.  The popularity of Trachodon was helped by wonderful illustrations produced by palaeoartists such as Zdenek Burian (Trachodon and Tyrannosaurus rex).

Trachodon Became the Archetypal Duck-Billed Dinosaur

An illustration of Trachodon.

An illustration of Trachodon.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Now Trachodon has been honoured with a valid genus (Eotrachodon).  At perhaps, nine metres long, Eotrachodon orientalis was certainly not the biggest, but the fossil find is extremely significant none-the-less.  Firstly dinosaur fossil finds are rare from the south-eastern United States.  To read an article about which U.S. States have dinosaur fossils: 37th U.S. State with A Dinosaur Fossil.

Commenting on the significance of the discovery, one of the authors of the scientific paper, Gregory Erickson (Florida State University) explained:

“This is a really important animal in telling us how they came to be and how they spread all over the world.”

Did the Hadrosaurs Originate in Appalachia?

Whilst the specimen was being prepared at the McWane Science Centre (Birmingham, Alabama), the scientists were able to piece together the skull bones and identify a modified nasal area of the skull that had, until now been regarded as a characteristic associated with saurolophine hadrosaurids (solid-crested and crestless forms).  Dating the fossil to the Late Santonian faunal stage (83 million years ago), it suggests that the duck-billed dinosaurs originated on the continental landmass known as Appalachia.

During the Late Cretaceous, North America was split by into two by a wide sea (the Western Interior Seaway), Laramidia lay to the west, whilst the larger landmass of Appalachia lay to the east.  Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Eotrachodon is a basal member of the hadrosaurids and thus, it can be postulated that this group of dinosaurs evolved on Appalachia.  Land bridges formed as the Western Interior Seaway permitted these dinosaurs to migrate off this continental landmass and to spread to other parts of the Late Cretaceous world.

Reseracher Jun Ebersole, (McWane Science Centre), stated:

“For roughly 100 million years, the dinosaurs were not able to cross this barrier.  The discovery of Eotrachodon suggests that duck-billed dinosaurs originated in Appalachia and dispersed to other parts of the world at some point after the seaway lowered, opening a land corridor to western North America.”

Fossil Find Suggests Hadrosaurids Originated from Appalachia

Sweet Home Alabama.

Sweet Home Alabama!

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A View of the Left Lateral Side of the Skull

Scale bar = 5cm

Scale bar = 5cm

Picture credit: Albert Prieto-Marquez et al

Safari Ltd have produced several duck-billed dinosaur models. To view the Wild Safari Prehistoric World range of figures: Safari Ltd. Wild Safari Prehistoric World Figures.

1 02, 2016

Getting Ready for Masiakasaurus

By |2023-04-12T19:04:06+01:00February 1st, 2016|Dinosaur Fans, Main Page|0 Comments

Getting Ready for the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Masiakasaurus

Arriving later this month will be the new Wild Safari Prehistoric World models.  Amongst these eagerly awaited replicas will be a model of the fearsome Masiakasaurus (M. knopfleri).  Classified as a member of the abelisaurid group of theropod dinosaurs, this lithe hunter roamed the semi-arid plains of Madagascar.  A number of fossil specimens are known and the species name comes from the rock musician Mark Knopfler, whose music was being played by field team members as they toiled in the sun to extract the first of this dinosaur’s fossil bones.  This dinosaur was named in 2001.

A Scale Illustration of the Bizarre Masiakasaurus

Unusual Theropod dinosaur.

Unusual theropod dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Masiakasaurus

Measuring no more than two metres in length and weighing about forty kilogrammes, this dinosaur had to avoid the much bigger Majungasaurus (also known as Majungatholus).  The diet of this dinosaur remains open to speculation.  Some palaeontologists have argued that the lower jaw with its strange arrangement of teeth that point forwards and are hooked upwards indicates that this dinosaur may have specialised in catching fish.  Although, a generalist feeder and scavenger have also been proposed with regards to this theropod’s eating habits.

To view the Wild Safari Prehistoric World model range: Safari Ltd. Dinosaur Models.

Madagascar – The World’s Oldest Island

By the end of the Cretaceous (Maastrichtian faunal stage), Madagascar had fully detached from the remnants of the super-continent Gondwana.  It was an island just like Madagascar today, but it was much hotter and prone to extreme droughts.

Scientists who have studied the ancient palaeoclimate suggest that there were occasional devastating floods, but for much of the time there was little rainfall.  The inhabitants of the island, including a diverse dinosaur fauna, faced long periods of drought.  This would have put the animal population under extreme pressure and evidence of cannibalism has been uncovered amongst the apex predators.

It has been suggested that the skull of a Majungatholus that showed bite marks indicated that Masiakasaurus had fed on the remains of one of these fallen giants.  However, the scratch marks in the fossil bone do not match the dentition of Masiakasaurus.  It is now thought that another Majungatholus attacked, killed and ate the Majungatholus, the first evidence of cannibalism documented in the Dinosauria of the Late Cretaceous.

CollectA have a number of abelisaurid dinosaurs in their “Prehistoric World” range of models.

To view this range: CollectA Prehistoric World Models.

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