Spinosaurus aegyptiacus

Note: A digitally colored version of the original, available here:
http://sounder1995.deviantart.com/art/Spinosaurus-aegyptiacus-555847940

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus (Stromer, 1915)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Megalosauroidea
Spinosauridae
Spinosaurinae

Early to Late Cretaceous
North Africa

Length: 15+ m

The largest carnivore to ever walk on terra firma, she preferred fish to dinosaurian flesh and the water to life as a land lubber. On a sadder note, her holotype specimen was destroyed during the night of April 24th, 1944 by a Royal Air Force bombing run on Munich, a solemn reminder that we humans would perhaps much rather prefer to destroy this planet than learn a darn thing about it.

Monday, November 30th, 2015

Deinocheirus mirificus

Note: A digitally colored version of the original, available here:
sounder1995.deviantart.com/art…

Deinocheirus mirificus (Osmólska & Roniewicz, 1970)
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria
Maniraptoriformes
Ornithomimosauria
Deinocheiridae

Late Cretaceous
Mongolia

Length: 11 m

Though Deinocheirus was originally known only from her enormous arms (exceeded in size only by Therizinosaurus), two new skeletal remains (this time more complete) described in 2014 (after being successfully recovered from Mongolian thieves) helped shed some light on this previously enigmatic animal, such as her now-confirmed (at least partial) piscivory, though she remains quite an enigma. Unfortunately, in attaining huge size, she has lost the speed and intelligence of her smaller relatives.

Sunday, November 29th, 2015

Megatherium americanum (Giant Ground Sloth)

Note: A digitally colored version of the original, available here:
sounder1995.deviantart.com/art…

I… AM… GROOT!!!!!

Megatherium americanum (Cuvier, 1796) (Giant Ground Sloth)
Mammalia
Theria
Eutheria
Placentalia
Xenarthra
Pilosa
Folivora (Sloths)
Megatheriidae

Late Pliocene to Early Holocene
South America

Length (Quadrupedal): 6 m

As big as an elephant, this ground sloth was one of the largest land mammals of all time, exceeded in only size by Paraceratherium and some proboscideans. Sadly, she still proved no match for the most dangerous mammal of all: humans.

Sunday, November 15th, 2015

Inspiration for Groot pose here: comicbook.com/blog/2014/07/18/…

Phorusrhacos longissimus

Note: A digitally colored version of the original, available here:
http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2015/11/phorusrhacos-longissimus.html

Phorusrhacos longissimus (Ameghino, 1887)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria
Maniraptora
Paraves
Aves (Birds)
Neognathae
Cariamiformes
Phorusrhacidae (Terror Birds)

Miocene
Patagonia, Argentina

Height: 2.5 m

Originally thought to be a xenarthran mammal until 1891 (hence the grammatically incorrect Greek genus), this giant predatory bird hunted her prey with terrifying speed and rapid dorsal-ventral cuts from her beak and likely serrated mouth and tongue, similar to modern vultures, petrels, and her more famous dinosaurian antecedents such as Allosaurus fragilis.

Source: http://antediluviansalad.blogspot.com/2015/09/terror-birds-cometh-new-theory.html

Saturday, November 14th, 2015

Phorusrhacos longissimus

Phorusrhacos longissimus (Ameghino, 1887)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria
Maniraptora
Paraves
Aves (Birds)
Neognathae
Cariamiformes
Phorusrhacidae (Terror Birds)

Miocene
Patagonia, Argentina

Height: 2.5 m

Originally thought to be a xenarthran mammal until 1891 (hence the grammatically incorrect Greek genus), this giant predatory bird hunted her prey with terrifying speed and rapid dorsal-ventral cuts from her beak and likely serrated mouth and tongue, similar to modern vultures, petrels, and her more famous dinosaurian antecedents such as Allosaurus fragilis.

Source: http://antediluviansalad.blogspot.com/2015/09/terror-birds-cometh-new-theory.html

Thursday, November 12th, 2015

Yutyrannus huali

Note: A digitally colored version of the original, available here:
http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2015/11/yutyrannus-huali.html

Yutyrannus huali (Xu et al., 2012)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Avemetatarsalia
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Avetheropoda
Coelurosauria
Tyrannosauroidea

Aptian, Early Cretaceous
Yixian Formation, Liaoning Province, Northeastern China

Length: 9 m

The largest known dinosaur with preserved feather impressions, she lived in a noticeably colder Chinese home (average annual temperature: 10 degrees Celsius).

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Yutyrannus huali

Yutyrannus huali (Xu et al., 2012)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Avemetatarsalia
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Avetheropoda
Coelurosauria
Tyrannosauroidea

Aptian, Early Cretaceous
Yixian Formation, Liaoning Province, Northeastern China

Length: 9 m

The largest known dinosaur with preserved feather impressions, she lived in a noticeably colder Chinese home (average annual temperature: 10 degrees Celsius).

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015