Updated Dimetrodon by Scott Hartman

[suspsy]

http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/home/21stcenturydimetrodon

I really, REALLY want a toy of that reconstruction. I'm going to suggest it to CollectA as their inaugural Permian figure.

[SBell]

http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/home/21stcenturydimetrodon

I really, REALLY want a toy of that reconstruction. I'm going to suggest it to CollectA as their inaugural Permian figure.

Assuming Dimetrodon isn't in the list for this year (don't know for sure, but they must be aware that this animal is missing from every toy line right now). I sent Anthony the link to the article. I guess we'll see!

[BlueKrono]

Fascinating. As someone who would like to make dinosaur reconstructions someday this stuff is really interesting to me.

[Halichoeres]

http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/home/21stcenturydimetrodon

I really, REALLY want a toy of that reconstruction. I'm going to suggest it to CollectA as their inaugural Permian figure.

Assuming Dimetrodon isn't in the list for this year (don't know for sure, but they must be aware that this animal is missing from every toy line right now). I sent Anthony the link to the article. I guess we'll see!

Except Papo and Schleich, right, or do those not count in your eyes? Also Favorite, although it's not like you can find that in toy stores on this continent.

[SBell]

http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/home/21stcenturydimetrodon

I really, REALLY want a toy of that reconstruction. I'm going to suggest it to CollectA as their inaugural Permian figure.

Assuming Dimetrodon isn't in the list for this year (don't know for sure, but they must be aware that this animal is missing from every toy line right now). I sent Anthony the link to the article. I guess we'll see!

Except Papo and Schleich, right, or do those not count in your eyes? Also Favorite, although it's not like you can find that in toy stores on this continent.

I forgot about those...I don't mind the Papo (I have it) but the Schleich is a poor, reductive version of it and should be forgotten.

And I did think of the Favorite (and Bullyland) but their limited availability is an issue.

[CityRaptor]

I wonder if Dimetrodon so falling out of favour has something to do with the rise of popularity of Spinosaurus. The times, they are changing.

[Sim]

Assuming Dimetrodon isn't in the list for this year (don't know for sure, but they must be aware that this animal is missing from every toy line right now). I sent Anthony the link to the article. I guess we'll see!

Except Papo and Schleich, right, or do those not count in your eyes? Also Favorite, although it's not like you can find that in toy stores on this continent.

I forgot about those...I don't mind the Papo (I have it) but the Schleich is a poor, reductive version of it and should be forgotten.

And I did think of the Favorite (and Bullyland) but their limited availability is an issue.

There's also the Recur Dimetrodon...  And Dimetrodon is available from Safari in the Carnivorous Dinos Toob and the Dinos Toob.

[Lanthanotus]

I can't help, but the posterior part of the backbone, especially in the pelvic region and tail base looks very off to me. I do in no way doubt an erect walking stance for Dimetrodon, but animals like big monitor lizards maintain such a stance for a sustained ammount of time without their backbone being bend awkwardly like this (yes, I am aware these animals are not closely related and therefore a somewhat poor example).

[stargatedalek]

I can't help, but the posterior part of the backbone, especially in the pelvic region and tail base looks very off to me. I do in no way doubt an erect walking stance for Dimetrodon, but animals like big monitor lizards maintain such a stance for a sustained ammount of time without their backbone being bend awkwardly like this (yes, I am aware these animals are not closely related and therefore a somewhat poor example).

I think the dip only looks unnatural because the base of the tail points upwards in a very uncomfortable looking manner instead of continuing along the curve of the spine. Dimetrodon's spine was weird, weird enough that these unusual dips Hartman's gone with aren't entirely implausible, although if you ask me he's accented them far to much (perhaps to give the illusion of movement? It's really not a good choice of pose for a skeletal!) and they should be much more subtle.

[SBell]

I can't help, but the posterior part of the backbone, especially in the pelvic region and tail base looks very off to me. I do in no way doubt an erect walking stance for Dimetrodon, but animals like big monitor lizards maintain such a stance for a sustained ammount of time without their backbone being bend awkwardly like this (yes, I am aware these animals are not closely related and therefore a somewhat poor example).

I think the dip only looks unnatural because the base of the tail points upwards in a very uncomfortable looking manner instead of continuing along the curve of the spine. Dimetrodon's spine was weird, weird enough that these unusual dips Hartman's gone with aren't entirely implausible, although if you ask me he's accented them far to much (perhaps to give the illusion of movement? It's really not a good choice of pose for a skeletal!) and they should be much more subtle.

If you read the whole post, he actually came up with the curve by observing and measuring the bevel in the centra for each vertebrae--and refers to the gaps that have been present in mounts as clearly visible when the dorsal surfaces are straightned up to look more 'normal'. And this apparently is present in a few specimens. Although there would of course be cartilige between the vertebrae, the shape is probably true to life. The pose itself is meant as a running pose, not a resting (sort of like a running crocodile), given that the animal probably flopped down when it wasn't in a rush.

If it sounds far fetched that such an obvious morphological feature would be missed or even forcefully ignored in museum mounts and reconstructions for such a long time, keep in mind how long people forced hadrosaurs and theropods to have dragging kangaroo tails, to the point of damaging or altering vertebrae to fit the expected model.

[Lanthanotus]

Yeah, I read the whole post, and despite all measurements (which I do not doubt were done correctly) I deem those bends awkward, no matter if the animal is shown in a resting position, walking or running as shown. It would be different if another run gait would be considered, rather like those of a lot of mammals (like weasels, badgers or dogs), but the overall skeletal structure indeed looks more like the animal moved more erect, but basically lizard-like, so vertical bends like that are.... well, I can't help, a bit off for me. But hey, I'll never be able to do my own research on that Permian beast and science is a field of constant discussion, so I am fine with a long overdue update on the skeletal reconstruction, no matter if it may be updated further to a later date - or not.

[Archinto]

Im not entirely sold on this reconstruction. Yes I believe that Dimetrodon could walk in either a sprawled or a mostly erect gate. modern crocs are a good example to look at as far as that. I would imagine when not basking, it would walk around with a higher gate. Watching my Iguana, she never crawls along on her belly unless she isnt moving very far, but when she wants to walk across the room she raises herself and walks with a more upright gait with only the tip of her tail dragging the ground. Dimetrodons tail would have been off the ground because its more muscley than a tail like an Iguana's.

:edit: as an added note, Iguanas are more sprawled out than a Dimetrodon, so it would only be natural that Dimetrodon would walk with a high gate. It would also allow it to chase prey. Look at how fast a gator can run.... I can only imagine being chased by dimetrodon! I bet they were really fast.

The spine in the reconstruction looks wrong to me. The animals spine should be setup in a smooth arch rather than cocked looking like that.

[Faelrin]

Well that's very interesting. Is it just me or does the Kenner Dimetrodon seem to have a little bit in common with this new reconstruction (namely the spines and the sail)? I mean it was the first thing to come to my mind when I saw the sail on that reconstruction. I would love to see a new figure done like this though, as Dimetrodon has remained one of my favorite prehistoric creatures since I was a small child.

[RobinGoodfellow]

Starting from Hartman's blog, I found a 2015 video about Dimetrodon with an extremely mammalian-like reconstruction (and an Hartman's high-walk):



The video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5IgMJxcAk

I like Permian creatures but I'm not an expert.

So my question: is the video correct?
Can someone ask my question?
Thanks

[Archinto]

I dont know if I am entirely sold on the half exposed spines, but that was a good video! Very informative with good speculative hypothesis about how the animal might be. I like the mammal face on the rendition in the video thumbnail.