Takamas Question Thread

[Sim]

As you can see, Holtz already mentioned the tyrannosauroid hypothesis in the 1st quote & didn't say whether the new evidence was any more convincing than the old evidence. In other words, there was no point in including both quotes.

The new evidence is a more recent addition to what he previously said, which shows there is more recent evidence that suggests megaraptorans might be tyrannosauroids.  I think it is worth including to see the whole picture.  It also seems to me the part you quoted is now meant to be taken with the more recent addition.

Maybe it's only a superficial resemblance, maybe it isn't. That's why I'm waiting for new papers to either confirm or refute said hypothesis b-4 taking a side. I only suggested the "completely scaly allosaur interpretation" for the purposes of Takama's toy.

What I've said has also been for the purposes of Takama's figure.  We're all sharing our thoughts.

[Takama]

Honestly, im starting to change my plans again, and Delay all Megaraptors until there is more evidence that can confirm which family they belong too.

Thank you all for your answers

[HD-man]

Honestly, im starting to change my plans again, and Delay all Megaraptors until there is more evidence that can confirm which family they belong too.

Probably for the better. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[Takama]

Ok so instead of Aerosteon  I will have Jetoar to Metriacanthosaurus, mainly due to its link to Jurassic Park.

Now I was told by Dr. Andre (Brontodocus) Mursch that we should base this fragmentary species on the Proportions of Sinraptor.

My qustion is this.   Does this species need an enlarged Killer hand claw like on Allosaurus?

[Takama]

Before i ask my next question, has anyone heard of Canadaga?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadaga

[Halichoeres]

Well, we have now.

[Dinoguy2]

Ok so instead of Aerosteon  I will have Jetoar to Metriacanthosaurus, mainly due to its link to Jurassic Park.

Now I was told by Dr. Andre (Brontodocus) Mursch that we should base this fragmentary species on the Proportions of Sinraptor.

My qustion is this.   Does this species need an enlarged Killer hand claw like on Allosaurus?

I'm not sure that's known. Just checking the metriacanthosaurid skeletal in GSP's field guide, none preserve the fist digit of the hand.

As for Canadaga, it's also based on just a handful of bones, so like Metriacanthosaurus there's really nothing you can know about it that won't also apply to its more completely relatives. It seems to basically just be a slightly larger version of Hesperornis, but it's impossible to say based on a couple vertebrae and a leg bone.

[Takama]

I seen twoisted size estimates for canadaga.

1.5 meters and 2.5 meters.     Which size would be the best bet?

[Dinoguy2]

I seen twoisted size estimates for canadaga.

1.5 meters and 2.5 meters.     Which size would be the best bet?

I think somewhere between 2 and 2.5 meters is more like it. Hesperornis regalis is about 1.5m long with a metatarsus of 13cm. Canadaga's metatarsus is 21cm, so scaling up adds between half or two thirds of a meter. But that's assuming the leg proportions were the same, which we can't know without more of the skeleton. Maybe Canadaga was the same size as Hesperornis just with bigger feet. These were foot-propelled divers, after all.

[Takama]

Ok now how trustworthy are Gregory S Paul's Size estimates in the Preciton Field Guide to Dinosaurs?

I notices some animals have larger estimates then what is usually said online

For instance, he lists Velociraptor up to 2.5 meters when most sites i been to lists it at only 2 meters.

The one animal i have my eye on is Eoraptor. Online most sources say its 1 meter, but the book says its 1.7 meters.   If its the former, then i wont be able to commission it for the Animasaurus Collection because it will be only 1 inch. but if its the latter, it would bring it up to a doable 2 inches.

Is this book really as useful as it I hoped it be?  or did i waste $30 back in 2012?

[tyrantqueen]

He has a tendency to oversize.

I don't think the book a waste of money at all however. I know it's become trendy to bash on the book and GSP's art style, but I still think his artwork is stunning and it's a gem of my collection.

[Takama]

But i use it for information on whats known and how big a dinosaur is.

Is it really a risk to make a Eoraptor in 1:32 Scale and base it on a 1.7 meter specimen?

[DinoLord]

While GSP's books do tend to have some slightly questionable elements to them (such as his taxonomy and size estimates), they're extremely valuable sources of anatomical information. If GSP is anything he is a very rigorous anatomist. In fact this is why his dinosaur illustrations often appear so shrink-wrapped - they represent dinosaurs in a 'lean' state, without any subcutaneous fat deposits that usually cause an animal's life appearance to deviate from the underlying muscles and bones (he mentions this in his 1988 book Predatory Dinosaurs of the World).

But either way, Eoraptor in the 1:30 or 1:40 scale range would be extremely small and difficult to sculpt - probably better to hold out hope for Kaiyodo making one. It would probably work better in 1:10 or 1:20 scale.

As to your question concerning Aerosteon, I was actually reading through GSP's Predatory Dinosaurs earlier today and came across some relevant information. In theropods, the first finger tends to have the largest range of motion and was likely the strongest (as suggested by the position of the joints in the hand). It seems that in many theropods the first finger's claw is the largest, although the extent of this size difference is rather variable with Allosaurus being towards the extreme end.

[Gwangi]

Estimating the size of an extinct animal is not an exact science. It always just boils down to a best guess and who's best guess you choose to follow. It is not as simple as measuring a skeleton. You still need to take into account things like cartilage between bones and the musculature and fleshy bits that would alter the proportions of the animal. You also need to consider that the fossil record is extremely fragmentary and even if you have a complete skeleton it hardly represents a species as a whole. Even if you have 15 skeletons you're still only scratching the surface of what you can know. Just look at the variation in size with extant humans. You have the pygmies in Africa that average 4-5 feet tall and then you have people in the Netherlands reaching 6 feet and up. That's not taking into account genetic abnormalities. Basically what I'm trying to tell you is, don't get too bent up over the little details here. The difference in scale between a 2 and 2.5 meter Velociraptor is negligible and both size estimates were probably represented by at least some individuals in the genus. If you want a Eoraptor in 1:32 scale, just commission it. You won't be wrong, you'll just be choosing to use a particular size estimate over another.

[Takama]

Nicely said Gwangi. You gave me the best answer I can hope for.


While a  Eoraptor may be a ways off. i will use the 1.7 meter estimate should it come time to commission this little Prosauropod(yes i know, Prosauropod is the wrong term, but i Grew up with the name, and i cant let it go)

My next Dinosaur for the Animasaurus Collection will be a Tyrannotitan, then Metriacanthosaurus.   I decided i want to stick with the Animasaurus Collection with hopes of one day making a whole collection of species that i could one day catalog in a book like Dinosaur Imagery: The Lazendorf Collection.

Right now i Have only 35 animals planed 5 Colurosarian Theropods. Five None Coulurosarian Theropods, 5 Sauropods, 5 ornithopods, five therophorans, five marginocephilains, and five bonus models that will be kept secret from this forum until release

[DinoLord]

Sounds like a good plan. I've always wanted a nice Metriacanthosaurus figure.

[HD-man]

While a  Eoraptor may be a ways off. i will use the 1.7 meter estimate should it come time to commission this little Prosauropod

Or theropod.

Personally, I would've went w/the 1 m estimate b/c that's what it says on Holtz's more recently updated website. However, what Gwangi said makes sense too. Maybe Eoraptor did get larger than 1 m.

[Takama]

Ok what is eneryones thoghts on this?


Like all lines, i want to do a Triceratops.   But I thoght to make ours stand out, we have it based on Tatankaceratops which i heard is a Triceratops with a growth disaorder.

Do you guys think this dinosaur is the Little People Equivalent of a Triceratops, or just a Juvenile Triceratops?   I plan on saying its a Dwarf, and making it like that, but if Tatanka turns out to be a Baby trike, then i Will have Brandem make a Adult

[DinoLord]

I've heard both hypotheses put forward. I think Holtz is a proponent of the latter while Longrich (who re-evaluated the genus a bit after it was published) is a proponent of the former. However given how exceptionally rare mutations such as dwarfism are in a general animal population, statistically speaking it would be very extraordinary to have one of those exceedingly rare instances preserved into the fossil record. Personally I think it's likely just an ontogenetic stage of Triceratops.

[Takama]

I've heard both hypotheses put forward. I think Holtz is a proponent of the latter while Longrich (who re-evaluated the genus a bit after it was published) is a proponent of the former. However given how exceptionally rare mutations such as dwarfism are in a general animal population, statistically speaking it would be very extraordinary to have one of those exceedingly rare instances preserved into the fossil record. Personally I think it's likely just an ontogenetic stage of Triceratops.

In other words, just a juvinile Trike?