The winter edition (issue 140) of “Prehistoric Times” is a bumper issue with over 60 pages crammed full of articles, features and illustrations. Talented artist Mark Hallett provides the front cover for the magazine, an illustration entitled “Predator’s Moon”. It features a bear-dog (Amphicyon lydekkeri) crunching on some bones. Mark provides a guide to the bear-dogs inside and provides more artwork on these enigmatic mammals.

Collectors of “Prehistoric Times” will recall that Mark also provided the artwork for the front cover of issue 138 (Neanderthal woman).

Neovenator and Megalictis

Phil Hore provides articles for the featured prehistoric animals in this issue. There is a piece on the Lower Cretaceous theropod from England – Neovenator (N. salerii), its inclusion ties in well with the palaeo news section, as lots of British research and English dinosaur discoveries are reported. There is also a special feature on the ferocious North American mustelid Megalictis with lots of reader artwork incorporated into it.

Jon Lavas continues his long-running history of the work of renowned Czech artist Zdeněk Burian. In issue 140, the focus is on Burian’s illustrations of ceratopsians and there are some truly iconic illustrations provided.

Tracy Lee Ford contributes part 2 of his in-depth analysis of dinosaur integumentary coverings (feathers). It includes a glossary of scientific terms and some beautifully detailed illustrations. On the subject of beautiful illustrations, palaeoartist Emily Willoughby is interviewed and the article includes an array of stunning images depicting feathered dinosaurs.

Randy Knol profiles some of the latest prehistoric animal model releases and magazine editor Mike Fredericks has been kept busy with new models and reviews of the latest books. Take a look at the “Mesozoic Media” section of the magazine, it includes a review of “Dinopedia: A Brief Compendium of Dinosaur Lore” by Tetrapod Zoology author Darren Naish from the University of Southampton.

The review concludes by stating that this book is “highly recommended as a handy reference guide for all your dinosaur questions.”

Prehistoric Coins, 3-D Printed Dinosaurs and “The Beast of Busco”

The magazine contains an article discussing the history of prehistoric animals depicted on coins written by Brian Novak. Model maker Sean Kotz provides a step-by-step guide to creating a unique Neovenator model from a 3-D print and Matt Howard provides an entertaining account of the giant turtle nicknamed “The Beast of Busco”.

There is some wonderful reader submitted artwork, special mentions to Samuel Pickens and John Sibbick for their Neovenator illustrations, for M. Elliot Massion for the Megalictis grabbing a goose as well as the Neovenator lurking behind a teapot. The Woolly Rhino painting by Jacek Major and the Edmontosaurus annectens by Sergey Krasovskiy are also impressive.

There is a lot to praise in the latest issue of “Prehistoric Times”.

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