All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
4 03, 2024

The New Schleich Red Brachiosaurus and Stegosaurus Figures

By |2024-03-04T17:47:49+00:00March 4th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

The new for 2024 Schleich red Brachiosaurus model has arrived at Everything Dinosaur. It arrived along with the new Schleich Stegosaurus figure. Both dinosaur models are now on-line and available to purchase.

The Schleich red Brachiosaurus and Stegosaurus model.
The Schleich red Brachiosaurus and Stegosaurus dinosaur model have arrived and are now in stock. Team members were busy unloading the figures and allocating space for them in the company’s warehouse. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The New for 2024 Schleich Red Brachiosaurus Figures

The red Brachiosaurus model is a new version of an earlier Schleich Brachiosaurus. The red tones are most impressive. This new sauropod figure measures twenty-seven centimetres in length (approximately). The carefully sculpted head is around nineteen centimetres off the ground. The Schleich red Brachiosaurus model is supplied with an Everything Dinosaur Brachiosaurus fact sheet.

New Schleich dinosaur models (2024).
Five new Schleich dinosaur models and one repainted Brachiosaurus figure. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the range of Schleich prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: Schleich Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Figures.

The New for 2024 Schleich Stegosaurus

The Schleich Stegosaurus is a new sculpt. The Stegosaurus is approximately twenty centimetres long. Those impressive, red plates over the hips of this dinosaur are around ten centimetres off the ground.

The new for 2024 Schleich Stegosaurus dinosaur model.
New for 2024 Schleich Stegosaurus model.

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

3 03, 2024

Thirteen Batches of Frogspawn in the Office Pond

By |2024-03-02T21:35:49+00:00March 3rd, 2024|Adobe CS5, Animal News Stories, Educational Activities, Main Page, Photos|0 Comments

Common frogs (Rana temporaria) began breeding in the office pond very early this year. The first batch of frogspawn was observed on the morning of Saturday, the 18th of February. Frog activity had been observed in the pond a few days earlier. The spawning season has stared early, perhaps because of the mild, wet weather. February the 18th is the earliest date in the year that we have recorded frogspawn. Last year (2023), the first frogspawn was recorded on the 28th of February. This was the first time that we had recorded frogs spawning in February.

We estimate that by this weekend, a total of thirteen batches of frogspawn had been laid. The number of frogs seen in the pond has rarely exceeded four or five. However, other frogs must be visiting the pond and breeding during the night or in the early morning.

Frogspawn in the office pond recorded on the 2nd March (2024).
A large amount of frogspawn observed in the office pond on the morning of the 2nd of March (2024). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Record Amount of Frogspawn

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“Although we cannot be certain, there could be a record amount of frogspawn in the office pond. We think there are thirteen batches in total. All the eggs were laid in a shallow part of the pond.”

Hopefully, the sudden cold snap with overnight frosts will not have harmed the eggs. We are looking forward to watching the tadpoles hatch.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

2 03, 2024

What Other Types of Fish Lived Alongside Placoderms?

By |2024-03-02T19:30:08+00:00March 2nd, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products|0 Comments

At Everything Dinosaur, we receive lots of emails from fans of prehistoric animals. Many of these emails contain questions. For example, we received an enquiry earlier this week asking what other types of prehistoric fish lived alongside placoderms? That is an excellent question! We are no experts on the evolutionary development of fishes, but since the questioner wanted to know about brackish and freshwater environments in the Devonian, we thought we would try to help.

Defining Placoderms

The Devonian covers approximately sixty million years. It is often referred to as the “Age of Fishes”, due to the radiation of several fish types including the Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes), the placoderms and sharks (cartilaginous fish otherwise referred to as chondrichthyians).

(Class Placodermi) represents an extremely diverse and varied group of jawed fishes that evolved during the Silurian, thrived in the Devonian but seem to have died out during the end-Devonian mass extinction. They were the first fish to evolve a pair of pelvic fins. Several Orders have been described all united by the defining characteristic of the Placodermi, their heads and thorax being covered by a series of articulated, armoured plates.

Perhaps the best-known placoderm is Dunkleosteus (D. terrelli). It was a member of the Arthodira and is thought to represent the earliest vertebrate “superpredator”.

Dunkleosteus - examining the placoderms.
Swimming into view a placoderm model – Dunkleosteus. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The picture (above) shows the Schleich Dunkleosteus figure.

To view the Schleich range of prehistoric animal models: Schleich Prehistoric Animal Models.

Non-marine Vertebrate Fauna of the Emsian Faunal Stage

The query requested information regarding non-marine fish from the Early Devonian. We decided to examine the fossil record of freshwater and estuarine fish from the Emsian faunal stage of the Early Devonian. This would cover the period of Earth’s history from 407.5 million years ago to around 393 million years ago.

Although it is thought that vertebrates evolved in marine environments, by the Early Devonian many different types of fish had adapted to brackish or freshwater. Placoderms are known from non-marine palaeoenvironments of the Early Devonian. In addition, heterostracans are also associated with non-marine palaeoenvironments.

Heterostracans (Heterostraci) are an extinct subclass of the Agnatha (jawless fishes). There is some fossil evidence to indicate that jawless fish of the Pteraspidiformes Order, most notably pteraspids and drepanaspids lived in brackish and freshwater environments. These types of fish may have been preyed upon by the jawed placoderms. A scientific paper exploring potential predator/prey relationships was published in 2019 (Randle and Sansom).

Research suggests predation by Sarcopterygians could have led to the extinction of the jawless fishes.
Research suggests that predation by jawed vertebrates could have eradicated some types of jawless fish.

Picture credit: Julio Lacerda/The University of Manchester

During the Silurian and Early Devonian, possible predators of pteraspids and drepanaspids could have been jawed vertebrates as well as eurypterids.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post about this research: Battle of the Early Vertebrates.

Answering Queries from Customers

We replied to the customer and emailed them some information in response to their query. We also included links to two blog posts that examined the Placodermi and potential Early Devonian food webs in more detail.

The customer emailed later to thank us for the information.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

1 03, 2024

Honouring a Unique Dinosaur from Wales

By |2024-03-01T15:10:22+00:00March 1st, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Today, March 1st is officially the first day of spring in the UK. It is also St David’s Day, officially the “feast day of St David”, the patron saint of Wales. Time to celebrate a Welsh dinosaur. Back in 2016 a new taxon of theropod dinosaur was formally described. Dracoraptor hanigani, is known from a single specimen recovered from Lower Jurassic limestone strata at Lavernock Point (near to Penarth).

The exposed cliffs represent the oldest Upper Triassic deposits as well as the youngest rocks associated with the Jurassic (Hettangian faunal stage). Dracoraptor is thought to represent a basal coelophysoid. It lived over 201 million years ago. When described (Martill et al), it was identified as the geologically oldest dinosaur associated with Jurassic strata known from the UK.

Dracoraptor hanigani

Team members at Everything Dinosaur were given the chance to view the Dracoraptor hanigani fossil material. It is on display at the National Museum Cardiff (National Museum of Wales).

Dracoraptor hanigani fossils on display.
Dracoraptor hanigani fossil material on display at the National Museum Cardiff (National Museum of Wales). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

About 40% of the skeleton is known. This carnivorous dinosaur is significant for two reasons. Firstly, dinosaur fossils from the Early Jurassic are extremely rare. Secondly, if provides important evidence on the evolution of the Theropoda. Dracoraptor lived at a time when meat-eating dinosaurs were evolving into the different types of theropod dinosaur found in geologically younger strata.

An Early Example of a Neotheropod

It is an early member of the Neotheropoda clade. These theropods are more derived than the majority of Triassic theropods. The Neotheropoda are the only group of theropods to survive the end-Triassic extinction event. These dinosaurs were to subsequently diversify and evolve into the myriad of theropods that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. It is this group of theropods that ultimately gave rise to the birds (Aves).

Dracoraptor hanigani a life-size reconstruction.
A life size reconstruction of the Welsh theropod dinosaur Dracoraptor hanigani. This dinosaur is on display at the National Museum Cardiff. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

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

29 02, 2024

New Rebor Dire Wolves Coming into Stock

By |2024-03-05T09:32:36+00:00February 29th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

The two, new for 2024 Rebor Dire wolves will be coming into stock at Everything Dinosaur shortly. Team members have been informed that the shipment is on its way. The two figures are the 1:11 scale Dire wolf (plain version) and the grey version (Havallagata).

Rebor Dire Wolves. This is the Low Roar version.
Rebor is introducing a pair of Dire wolves into their model range. One of the figures is the 1:11 scale Dire wolf known as “low roar”. The animal is shown in lateral view.

To view the amazing range of Rebor models and figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Models.

Rebor Dire Wolves

Each Rebor Dire wolf is supplied with three interchangeable heads. This impressive Pleistocene carnivore can be displayed with the mouth closed, the mouth open or with this fearsome predator snarling. Recently published research (Perri et al 2021), demonstrated that the dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) was not closely related to the Grey wolf.

The second Rebor A. dirus figure is known as “Havallagata”. It has a grey colouration. It can be displayed as a 1:11 scale Dire wolf model or as a 1:18 scale fantasy wolf figure.

Rebor Dire wolf in right lateral view (Havallagata Nord version).
The Rebor Dire wolf Havallagata Nord version. The animal is depicted in lateral view.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur confirmed that both figures were on their way.

“We do not know quite when these Dire wolves will arrive. However, customers can be assured that as soon as the delivery arrives at our warehouse, we will get these models on-line.”

The spokesperson also confirmed that Everything Dinosaur customers will receive a Dire wolf fact sheet. This fact sheet will be sent out with the dire wolf models. It has been researched and written by Everything Dinosaur team members. It will also include a scale drawing of a Aenocyon dirus.

Visit the award-winning and user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

28 02, 2024

New “Prehistoric Times” Issue 148 Reviewed

By |2024-03-28T16:45:35+00:00February 28th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur Fans, Magazine Reviews, Main Page, Prehistoric Times|0 Comments

Issue 148 of “Prehistoric Times” magazine is jam-packed with interesting articles, amazing drawings and fascinating features.  Fans of human evolution are treated to a personal tour of some of the exhibits on display at the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany).  Our guide Dr Andreas Forrer visits the site where the first Homo neanderthalensis bones were found in 1856. Dr Forrer brings us up to date on genetic research that might lead to the generation of Neanderthal tissue in a laboratory.  These cells would be used to research into the development of the human immune system.

The front cover artwork for issue 148 was supplied by Jaime Chirios.  A herd of titanosaurs (Saltasaurus australis) is being pursued by a pack of abelisaurids (Quilmesaurus curriei).  It is a most dramatic prehistoric scene.  The complete illustration can be found inside the magazine along with another stunning piece of art from Jaime Chirios depicting Carcharodontosaurus feeding.

"Prehistoric Times" winter edition 2024.

The front cover of “Prehistoric Times” features a thrilling encounter between a pair of theropods and a herd of sauropods. Picture credit: Mike Fredericks/Jaime Chirios.

Zdeněk Burian and Sparassodonts

Jon Lavas continues his series highlighting the contribution to palaeoart made by Zdeněk Burian.  Prehistoric mammals have been the focus of recent articles and in issue 148 he looks at the enigmatic Sparassodonts, (Sparassodonta).  These carnivorous mammals were related to marsupials and as Lavas points out, they are not often featured in prehistoric art.  On the subject of art, famous palaeoartist Jon Sibbick wrote to the magazine editor confirming that after a long and illustrious career, he would not be undertaking any more commercial projects.

There is a lot of reader submitted artwork throughout the magazine including some delightful illustrations of prehistoric animals from Asbury Park High School pupils.  The photograph of the artwork laid out on the floor reminded us of the many hundreds of dinosaur illustrations we received when Everything Dinosaur team members worked in schools.

Dinosaur drawings.

Dinosaur drawings presented to Everything Dinosaur from schoolchildren. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Ambulocetus and Australovenator

Phil Hore provides the text for the articles on the two featured prehistoric animals Ambulocetus and Australovenator.  There are some marvellous reader submitted artwork on the ancestor of whales.  Congratulations to Anders Bang, Giovanni De Benedictis and Nick Papadimitriou. Tim Bollinger provides an Australovenator in lateral view, whilst Ethan Martinicky illustrates a pair in the rain with a pterosaur in close attendance.   Kevin Hedgpeth chose to draw an Australovenator skull, and it is a splendid illustration.

Tracy Lee Ford continues his series looking at the skin of sauropods and regular contributor Randy Knol looks at models of prehistoric animals from the Permian and highlights some of the smaller figures from PNSO.  He also discusses marine reptile figures with a focus on some CollectA marine reptiles.  Editor Mike Fredericks brings us news of new CollectA and Safari model releases including the Wild Safari Prehistoric World Utahraptor that recently arrived at Everything Dinosaur.

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Utahraptor dinosaur model unpacked in the Everything Dinosaur warehouse.

Unpacking the new Wild Safari Prehistoric World Utahraptor dinosaur model.   Editor Mike Fredericks features this figure in his “What’s new in Review” feature.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The sad passing of Dr Martin G. Lockley is noted, and our sympathies go out to his colleagues, family and friends.

I Found a Dinosaur Egg

Kenneth Carpenter (University of Colorado Museum of Natural History) provides an identification guide to dinosaur eggs.  He comments upon the numerous times he has been presented with an abraded pebble by a member of the public who is convinced that they have found a dinosaur egg.

This happens to Everything Dinosaur team members too.  We get sent images of all kinds of rounded objects and we patiently explain that this is a concretion, a nodule or something similar.  We do our best not to disappoint the finder and for fans of prehistoric animals you will not be disappointed with the extensive “Paleonews” section in the magazine.  Recent news stories about dinosaurs living in burrows, mosasaurs from Morocco and megaraptorids from Australia are covered.  The huge Dorset pliosaur skull that was the subject of a recent television documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough is also featured.

Take a look at the article on the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, Netherlands) by Paul McFarland.  There are some fabulous photographs of prehistoric animal skeletons on display.

Thanks to artist Fabio Pastori for his wonderful illustrations.  It was also a treat to view some more artwork from Ely Kish included in the magazine.

Our congratulations to all involved in “Prehistoric Times” magazine issue 148.  As always, this quarterly magazine is crammed full of amazing artwork and fascinating features.

For more information about “Prehistoric Times” magazine and to subscribe: “Prehistoric Times” Magazine.

27 02, 2024

How Accurate is the New CollectA Polacanthus?

By |2024-03-20T16:10:33+00:00February 27th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Uncategorized|0 Comments

A new 1:20 scale Polacanthus foxii model will be added to the CollectA Deluxe range this year. This armoured dinosaur was named in 1865. At the time, it was one of only a handful of armoured dinosaurs known to science. It was named before Stegosaurus (Marsh 1877) and Ankylosaurus (Brown 1908). The CollectA Polacanthus model represents the very latest scientific interpretation of this iconic dinosaur.

The Sacral Shield

This dinosaur is famous for its shield of armour located over the hips (sacral shield). This fused sheet of dermal armour was repaired and restored by Caleb Barlow (1882). He did a remarkable job considering the fossils had deteriorated and the work was regarded as a “hopeless undertaking” by the geologist John Whitaker Hulke. Most descriptions of the osteoderms and raised bosses associated with this sacral shield refer to four rows of osteoderms on each side of this pelvic shield. However, these features do not seem to be present in the fossil material.

CollectA Deluxe Polacanthus armour.
A close-up view of the sacral shield on the CollectA Polacanthus model. Damaged spikes are highlighted by red arrows. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

The shield on the CollectA Polacanthus model does reflect the morphology of the fossil material. It closely follows the layout of dermal armour as indicated in lithographs of the actual fossils that were produced in the late 19th century.

To view the range of CollectA Deluxe figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Animal Models.

No Presacral Spines on the Model

Hulke described the specimen based on the restored material in 1887. The Hungarian polymath Franz Nopcsa created the first skeletal reconstruction and hypothesised that tail armour consisted of eleven rows of parallel spines that became smaller towards the distal end of the tail. The CollectA Polacanthus model has eleven rows of caudal spines. However, unlike Nopsca’s illustration, the armour is orientated horizontally reflecting the arrangement of tail armour associated with better known nodosaurids like Gastonia burgei.

He also suggested that there were two rows of upward pointing presacral spines. The first reconstruction of the skeleton occurred in 1905 when the fragmentary fossils of P. foxii were put on public display.

CollectA Deluxe Polacanthus.
The new for 2024 CollectA Deluxe 1:20 scale Polacanthus figure. The model lacks presacral spines. Whilst the configuration of dermal armour remains unknown, it is likely that the spines and spikes were located on the flanks and were directed outwards rather than upwards.

CollectA Polacanthus Model

The CollectA Polacanthus model does not have vertically orientated presacral spines. Instead, the model has spines that are located on the flank and point outwards. This is a more modern depiction of the armour and reflects the fact that much of the fossil material previously associated with this genus has been reassigned.

Polacanthus illustration.
An illustration of Polacanthus from circa 1950. Polacanthus is depicted as lizard-like with round, conical and upward pointing armoured spikes. This reconstruction of Polacanthus foxii is now regarded as outdated. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The CollectA Polacanthus model is due in stock at Everything Dinosaur later this year.

Visit the award-winning and user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Toys and Prehistoric Animal Models.

26 02, 2024

Creating a New Tlatolophus Scale Drawing

By |2024-03-17T09:28:37+00:00February 26th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur News and Updates, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Everything Dinosaur has commissioned a Tlatolophus galorum scale drawing. It will be used on a fact sheet being created that will be sent out with sales of Tlatolophus models. The fact sheet is being prepared as the Haolonggood Tlatolophus figures are due to arrive soon.

Tlatolophus galorum scale drawing.
A scale drawing of the lambeosaurine dinosaur Tlatolophus galorum. This duck-billed dinosaur is estimated to have grown to a length of around eight metres. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Tlatolophus galorum

A beautifully preserved and semi-articulated hadrosaur tail was excavated from Campanian-aged deposits of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Coahuila, Mexico). Fieldwork revealed extensive fossil material and this duck-billed dinosaur was formally named and described in 2021 (Ramírez-Velasco et al).

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog article from 2021 about the scientific description of T. galorum: Tlatolophus galorum A New Lambeosaurine from Mexico.

Haolonggood Tlatolophus dinosaur model (An Dao Quan).
The Haolonggood Tlatolophus dinosaur model (An Dao Quan). It is one of two Tlatolophus galorum models in the Haolonggood dinosaur model range.

To view the range of Haolonggood models available from Everything Dinosaur: Haolonggood Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

What’s in a Name?

The genus name Tlatolophus is pronounced Tlat-to-lo-fus.

This name is derived from a local dialect (Náhuatl), and it translates as “word”. In addition, the genus name uses the Greek lophos “crest”. The etymology relates to this dinosaur’s head crest being similar to a symbol in the Aztec culture resembling an inverse comma that means “word”.

The species or trivial name honours the philanthropist Jesús Garza Arocha and recognises the assistance of the López family, who helped the palaeontologists by providing food and accommodation during the field seasons.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We will complete the Tlatolophus galorum fact sheet shortly. It will be ready for the arrival of the Haolonggood figures which are expected in about twenty days or so.”

Visit the website of Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

25 02, 2024

Rebor Triceratops Trident King Finds a New Home

By |2024-03-03T06:07:11+00:00February 25th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Photos of Everything Dinosaur Products, Press Releases|0 Comments

At Everything Dinosaur, we like to help customers. For example, we were contacted by a Rebor model fan who asked whether the Rebor Triceratops Trident King figure could be displayed on a Rebor diorama display base. Two Triceratops models in 1:35 scale were introduced into this range in 2022. Rebor also added two, beautiful model display bases that year. These bases were named “summer kisses” and “winter tears”.

We were happy to take some photographs and send them to the customer.

Rebor Triceratops on display.
The Rebor Triceratops Trident King figure on the “Summer Kisses” Rebor diorama display base. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Rebor Triceratops Model on a “Summer Kisses” Display Base

We selected the “summer kisses” display base for our Triceratops Trident King model. The display bases are sold as a pair. They each measure twenty centimetres in length and are twelve and a half centimetres wide. The stunning tree stump on the base is around nine centimetres high. Several photographs were emailed to the customer, each one providing a different view of the Triceratops figure on the display base.

Rebor Triceratops figure on display.
A Triceratops model on the “Summer Kisses” diorama display base (dorsal view). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the range of Rebor models and figures available from Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Replicas and Figures.

Providing Advice to Customers

Team members are happy to provide advice for customers. We are frequently asked to take photographs of figures or to provide more detailed measurements of models. Enquiries about the declared scale of models are answered too. After all, we are also dinosaur model collectors.

Rebor Triceratops in right lateral view.
Triceratops from Rebor displayed on the “Summer Kisses” diorama display base. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

If you have a query regarding prehistoric animal models or figures email Everything Dinosaur: Email Everything Dinosaur.

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

24 02, 2024

Studying Sea Scorpion Fossils – How Did Eurypterids Breathe?

By |2024-03-16T17:25:24+00:00February 24th, 2024|Adobe CS5, Educational Activities, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

The eurypterids were an extremely successful group of arthropods. These animals are often referred to as “sea scorpions”. However, their taxonomic relationship to extant scorpions remains unclear and they were not confined to marine environments. These invertebrates are members of the Subphylum Chelicerata (claw horns) and are members of the Eurypterida Order. Approximately 250 different species have been named. One of the fascinating aspects of eurypterids is understanding how they breathed.

Examining sea scorpion fossils
A fossil of a sea scorpion (eurypterid) on display at the Manchester Museum. Note the pointed end segment (telson). Probably an example of the Silurian eurypterid Eurypterus. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

How Did Eurypterids Breathe?

Most palaeontologists believe that eurypterids evolved in marine environments. However, fossils have been found in association with estuarine and freshwater environments. Carboniferous trackways suggest that some eurypterids may have been amphibious and able to spend some time on land.

No eurypterid is thought to have been wholly or primarily terrestrial. There is some remarkable fossil evidence to suggest that they did evolve air-breathing organs. When discussing respiration, it is thought that the primary organs of aquatic respiration are likely to have been retained at least in part.

The extant horseshoe crab (Limulus) may provide an analogue. These animals inhabit marine environments although they do venture into shallow water to mate and onto the shore to lay eggs. Horseshoe crabs have five pairs of gills located on their abdomen (Opisthosoma). Each pair of gills consists of flap-like structures covering a series of membranes that resemble the pages from a book. These are called lamellae, but their morphology has given rise to the popular term “book lungs”. Oxygen is absorbed via gaseous exchange on the surface area of the lamellae.

CollectA Horseshoe crab model in ventral view
The CollectA Horseshoe crab model in ventral view (view of the underside). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) shows a ventral view of the popular CollectA horseshoe crab model.

To view the range of CollectA models in stock: CollectA Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Four Pairs of Book Gills or Five?

Debate still continues as to whether eurypterids had four pairs of book gills or five. A specimen of Onychopterella augusti from Late Ordovician strata located in South Africa preserved four pairs of vertical book gills. The book gills were located in the third to sixth segments of the abdomen. It has been suggested that all eurypterids had four pairs of book gills rather than the five pairs seen in xiphosurans such as horseshoe crabs.

Terrestrial scorpions also have four pairs of vertically orientated book lungs, located in the third to sixth body segments. It is not known whether this is case of synapomorphy (shared characteristic different from that of their latest common ancestor). This anatomical similarity could indicate that scorpions (Order Scorpiones) are more closely related to eurypterids than previously thought. The phylogenetic relationship between eurypterids and other members of the Arthropoda remains controversial.

Pancaked Sea Scorpion Fossils

Unfortunately, most fossil specimens of eurypterids are squashed flat and may only represent exuviae (shed exoskeletons after moulting [ecdysis]).

Two Pterygotus sea scorpion fossils.
Examples of the Pterygotioidea eurypterid lineage. Note the flattened, blade-like telson that probably helped with propulsion or acted like a rudder helping to steer the animal through the water. The fossils represent Pterygotus anglicus. A pair of beautiful sea scorpion fossils. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: The Everything Dinosaur website.

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