My Prehistoric Saga

Friday, June 18, 2021

(Rant) The T. rex is a Joke in Jurassic World.

I remember the first time I saw Jurassic Park III back in the very early 2000's. I loved the first two Jurassic Park films, and I still do, so I was over the moon to watch the third entry into the franchise. My grandmother brought the VHS of the film, and she, my mother, and I, sat in the living room to watch it. Afterwards, I felt betrayed. JPIII is my least favorite film in the franchise. It broke up Dr. Grant and Sattler, the story wasn't interesting, and worst of all: The T. rex gets killed off by the brand new dinosaur in the film. The Spinosaurus kills off the T. rex in a short battle. When the T. rex first showed up, I smiled so hard. When the fight was over, I was frowning. All I said was, "What?" I think I said that about two-three times. I remember the whole incident. When Jurassic World was announced, I was hoping to see the T. rex back in action. Boy, I was wrong...

Spinosaurus Killed the T. rex in Jurassic Park III (Stan Winston School):

What hyped me up even more for the film was that the first T. rex from the original Jurassic Park film was going to be in the film. I was speculating that she was going to be a major player in the film. When I went to see the movie for the first time with my mom and cousin, I remember thinking why the T. rex didn't show up for almost the entire film. Then when she does show up, she was brought in by Claire to fight off the Indominus rex, the new dinosaur (dino-hybrid) of the film. I thought that the original T. rex, called "Rexy" in the first novel by Muldoon (p. 323) and by fans of the franchise, was going to kill of the Indominus all by herself. This would have redeemed the T. rex as being the top theropod of the franchise again. Sadly, "it was not to be," to quote Peter Ludlow from The Lost World Jurassic Park. "Rexy" got a few bites into the Indominus rex, but the Indominus tossed her like a bad habit! "Rexy," the original T. rex in the franchise, was going to get KILLED OFF by the Indominus rex! "Blue," a "Velociraptor..." Actually, I have to call her a Velociraptor now because "Deinonychus" is going to be in Jurassic World Dominion... *Sigh*... "Blue" the Velociraptor had to come in and SAVE "Rexy!" Seriously!? I was in denial for a couple of years, thinking that "Rexy" could have beaten the Indominus by herself. Now, I'm not in denial. "Rexy" was going to DIE if "Blue" didn't save her. The T. rex is not back on top. At this point, "Blue" was... Or the Spinosaurus... Or the Indominus rex... Those three are more powerful than a T. rex in this franchise... I can't believe that a freaking Velociraptor is stronger than a T. rex! But wait, it gets even better!!!

Indominus rex Over a Fallen "Rexy" from Jurassic World:

At this point, the T. rex is a joke in this franchise now. However, about two weeks ago now, it was revealed by Colin Trevorrow, the director of Jurassic World and Jurassic World Dominion, as well as a writer for Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom, that "Rexy" was going to be KILLED OFF by the new theropod dinosaur in the film, the Giganotosaurus, in the beginning of the film, in the late Cretaceous period! Set aside the fact that Giganotosaurus and T. rex never coexisted. Have you sensed a pattern yet? Every time a new theropod gets introduced into this franchise, whether it's a real one or an imaginary one like the Indominus rex, they always end up beating the T. rex in a fight!? Why are we making the same mistakes again? Can't we have the T. rex win a fight in this franchise with another large theropod? Is that too much to ask!? This film was being touted as being "scientifically accurate" compared to the other films in the franchise. What's accurate about the Giganotosaurus killing off the T. rex? Realistically-speaking, the T. rex would win! At this point, it's useless to try and explain this. The Spinosaurus vs. T. rex fight is pointless now. The Indominus rex vs. T. rex fight is pointless now. The T. rex is a joke in the franchise now.

Here's a snapshot of the Giganotosaurus (left) vs. "Rexy" (right) from Jurassic World Dominion:

Photo came from TheGamingBeaver's YouTube channel.

Well... At least "Rexy" has plumage (downy feathers) now. That's it...

"Rexy" is going to get killed off in the late Cretaceous period, and then she's going to fight the Giganotosaurus again in the present. Their rematch in pointless. The Giganotosaurus killed the T. rex in the BEGINNING of the film. You've already proven that the Giganotosaurus is stronger! Is "Blue" going to come back and help "Rexy" again!? Is the Spinosaurus going to come back and help "Rexy?" She's going to need some help because she already lost against the Giganotosaurus before! They could have made the Giganotosaurus a threat by having it be almost indestructible, and then later on in the film, have "Rexy" kill it. It's that simple! But no, we need to have the Giganotosaurus kill the T. rex a la Spinosaurus style! Yep, the Giganotosaurus is going to snap "Rexy's" neck just like the Spinosaurus did to a male T. rex in Jurassic Park III!

Quote on how the Giganotosaurus will kill "Rexy" from Screenrant (2021):

WHY!!!!!!!????????

The T. rex is a joke in this franchise now. Honestly, I think the T. rex should have been left out of this franchise after JPIII. The Spinosaurus should have been the new mascot for the franchise, or the Indominus rex, or "Blue" the Velociraptor... Heck, make the Mosasaurus from Jurassic World the mascot! it killed the Indominus rex, and it can kill the Spinosaurus! Honestly, the T. rex should have left this franchise after JPIII. I'm sick of seeing my favorite dinosaur treated so poorly nowadays.

Meme from TheGamingBeavor's video that I think sums up this whole debacle with the T. rex in this franchise now:

Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World Jurassic Park (1997) are the only Jurassic films I treat as cannon anymore. Everything else is non-cannon, or perhaps soft cannon when it comes to Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom and maybe Jurassic World. I'm done with this franchise now.

Update (6/21-27/21): I saw a recording of the fight from YouTube. "Rexy" lasted FIVE SECONDS before she got destroyed. She didn't even bite the Giganotosaurus! She head-butted the Giganotosaurus, but then it grabs her by the neck, snaps it, and then she falls down a hill and dies...

Here's a clip of the fight (video from Vrajesh Gaming):

...This is sad. I just laughed for like a full minute. There's nothing else to do. The male T. rex from JPIII lasted longer against the Spinosaurus!

If I want the T. rex to return to being the top predator again, then I'm going to have to do that myself. I'm done waiting for someone to do that for me.

Update (6/18/22): I saw Jurassic World Dominion yesterday, and my suspicions came true once again. "Rexy" got absolutely destroyed by the Giganotosaurus in this film... TWICE! Actually, it was three times: The Prologue (not shown in the film), and twice in the actual film.

Update (8/2/22): So the fifth, and final, season of Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous came out, and there was another fight between a T. rex and the JP3 Spinosaurus. In fact, the Spinosaurus technically takes on TWO T. rexes: A mother and a daughter, but I'll focus more on the mother. In one episode, the Spinosaurus seemingly bites down on the mother T. rex's neck, snaps it, and she falls down to the ground. Then in the next episode, the mother T. rex comes back and fights off the Spinosaurus with the help of her daughter (a little bit). And what's worse is that the Spinosaurus was being MIND-CONTROLLED by a human! I mean... What is this!? I am SO tired of seeing the T. rex being brought down to new lows in this franchise. Season 5 of the show was good and it was great to see the Spinosaurus do more things, but the T. rex has honestly become the worst character/animal in this franchise. I actually don't want to see it in anymore Jurassic media. I actually don't want to see anymore Jurassic films or television shows for a while. After about two decades of dealing with this franchise, I need a break. Maybe a permanent one.

Update (6/10/23):
So, I saw on YouTube that in Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous Hidden Adventure that "Rexy" fought a Tarbosaurus (a new big bad carnivorous theropod). In the first part of the fight, "Rexy" gets beaten... I mean, what else can I say at this point? Yes, the Tarbosaurus is smaller than "Rexy," but do you expect Universal Studios to be sensical with the T. rex at this point?

Update (12/4/24):
I found a great YouTube video that also explains this whole situation very well. I also found out that the creator of the video used my post as a source:
JD Rexy. The Jurassic Franchise has a T-REX ABUSE PROBLEM... 5/3/23. YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaYBtXi3tI0&t=250s

Links:
Screenrant (2021):
https://screenrant.com/jurassic-world-3-dominion-imax-trailer-breakdown-story-reveals/
TheGamingBeavor's Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tgr9-_vo4
Vrajesh Gaming's Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzsLHG6QFZc

Spinosaurus and Dead T. rex Pic:

https://images.app.goo.gl/fKv8YCvDUFVB9D5S8

Stan Winston School:

https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/blog/jurassic-park-iii-spinosaurus-animatronic
Indominus rex Over a Fallen "Roberta"/"Rexy" Pic:

https://images.app.goo.gl/qbW31ANxF5mVTNnu9

Friday, June 4, 2021

Prehistoric Smackdown (2013) Episode Sources.

Prehistoric Smackdown is a show I make on YouTube (started in 2013) where I put various prehistoric creatures against each other in a fight.

Episode 1 Links:
1.) Spinosaurus:
Link 1 (Spinosaurus bio):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2017/09/spinosaurus-facts.html
Link 2:
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-did-spinosaurus-look-like-part-1.html
Link 3:
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2025/04/what-did-spinnosaurus-look-like-part-2.html
2.) Tyrannosaurus:
Link 1 (Tyrannosaurus bio):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2017/09/tyrannosaurus-rex-facts.html

Episode 2 Links:
Link 1 (Giganotosaurus bio [includes Tyrannotitan and Mapusaurus]):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2017/09/giganotosaurus-facts.html
Link 2 (Updated Giganotosaurus carolinii and Mapusaurus/Giganotosaurus roseae sizes):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2018/10/calculations-for-largest-theropods.html
Link 3 (Giganotosaurus specimen sizes [including Tyrannotitan and Mapusaurus]):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2018/12/giganotosaurus-specimen-sizes.html
Link 4 (How big is Giganotosaurus specimen MUCPv-95?):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-big-was-mucpv-95.html

Episode 6 Links:
1.) Mapusaurus/Giganotosaurus roseae:
Link 1 (Giganotosaurus bio [includes Tyrannotitan and Mapusaurus]):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2017/09/giganotosaurus-facts.html
Link 2 (Updated Giganotosaurus carolinii and Mapusaurus/Giganotosaurus roseae sizes):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2018/10/calculations-for-largest-theropods.html
Link 3 (Giganotosaurus specimen sizes [including Tyrannotitan and Mapusaurus]):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2018/12/giganotosaurus-specimen-sizes.html
2.) Argentinosaurus:
Link 1 (Argentinosaurus bio):
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2017/11/argentinosaurus-dino-bios.html

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

(News) A possible Spinosaurus arm has been discovered!

Yesterday after class, Professor Holtz told me about the discovery (a tricky one to say the least, but still a discovery) of a Spinosaurus arm. I had to look for it online, and a cast was made by DinoLab.

Here's a pic from DinoLab's Instagram page (Gramho):

From what I can tell, and from what professor Holtz said to me, one of the fingers is really long for some odd reason. I think it's the third digit, based on the photo. The fingers in general are long, and I think they appear to have been flexible (well, as flexible as theropod hands could have been). The claws are actually really short for a spinosaur. Baryonyx (including Suchomimus if you want to keep the two genera separate) had huge, and robust, claws at the end of its fingers, especially on the thumb. Spinosaurus' claws are shorter and thinner.

What's even more surprising is the lower arm. The radius and ulna are really short! The humerus is long, but why are the lower arm bones barely half the length of the humerus? Well, I asked professor Holtz if it appeared that larger carnivorous theropods (like tyrannosaurids and carcharodontosaurids) grew larger heads and tossed their arms aside, and he said that it appears to be going in that route. This is so cool! Tyrannosaurids were not the only large carnivorous theropods that be going for smaller arms. It's just so surprising to see Spinosaurus going in this route because it's always been shown to have large arms. They were a composite of other spinosaurids, but it just seemed natural. Spinosaurus is a spinosaur, so naturally it would have had large arms like its relatives. Now, it appears to be the opposite. Spinosaurus' arms were not as small as T. rex's, but they have shrunk.

Interestingly, the radius and ulna are short but thick. Could this have been for support on land? Luis V. Rey suggests that Spinosaurus used its forelimbs to help it walk on land (not knuckle-walking, but actually spraying its fingers out like a walrus). Perhaps these long fingers did that? I don't know, but at this point I'm just going along for the ride. Spinosaurus is that one dinosaur now that just keeps surprising us!

I never knew that I would be so enthralled by a dinosaur that I grew up hating thanks to Jurassic Park III!

Here's another picture of the hand compared to a full-grown woman for scale (The Zone @91-3, 9/2/20):

It really is smaller than the reconstruction (Kenneth Chang, 2014):

Update: I actually got in contact with Luis V. Rey, and we talked about the Spinosaurus arm. He said that some of the arm bones (like the wrists) are still unknown, but there is more evidence yet to be published that points to Spinosaurus being FULLY aquatic!

Here's a pic of our conversation:

This proves that Spinosaurus is the gift that keeps on giving!

Update (4/23/21): The arm is basically a composite. More information coming in the future.

Update (6/12/21):
According to Paleontologist Roberto Diaz Sibaja, also known as Palaeos, says that the arm is a composite. The only bones that seem to be real, according to what DinoLab have said, are the metacarpals, phalanges, and the radius and ulna but they are partially complete. The humerus is totally fake. There is also some criticism towards the third finger being way too long, but it's not conclusive.

All in all, the arm is not totally trustworthy. Perhaps the metacarpals and phalanges are real, along with the partial radius and ulna, but I would take this with a grain of salt.

Here's everything that Mr. Sibaja said on his FaceBook post:

Links:
DinoLab:
Instagram (Gramho):
https://gramho.com/media/2535465340537444071

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/dinolabinc/posts/our-spinosaurus-arm-is-still-on-display-we-arent-sure-how-much-longer-we-are-goi/885524165571071/

Twitter:

https://mobile.twitter.com/DinoLab_Inc/status/1322305140020269058

The Zone @91-3:
Photo:
https://images.app.goo.gl/FYeo7rjhQr6cPLja7
Website:
https://www.thezone.fm/2020/09/02/geekout-dino-lab-spino-arm/
Kenneth Chang (2014):
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/science/a-nomads-find-helps-solve-the-mystery-of-the-spinosaurus.html
Photo:
https://images.app.goo.gl/19ScuGkueXHXFEFB9
My Conversation with Luis V. Rey:
"The ongoing Spinosaurus Saga... now a nesting ground." 1/24/2021:

https://luisvrey.wordpress.com/2021/01/24/the-ongoing-spinosaurus-saga-now-a-nesting-ground/
Mr. Sibaja (Palaeos):
Facebook Post:

https://m.facebook.com/PalaeosPag/photos/a.157631294723661/1059058504580931
Blog:

https://palaeos-blog.blogspot.com/?m=0

Update (4/21/25-1/29/26):
I think most of this arm could be the real deal. I found a new private specimen that is a complete arm. It does resemble the DinoLab arm, so Spinosaurus' arm might've been different from other spinosaurids. Here's more information:

"I don't know how I missed this, but someone on Reddit, called Super-Masterpiece-34, posted a picture of another complete Spinosaurus arm. It's a private specimen though, but it reveals what I said about the arm from Dino Lab: The humerus would've been shorter! The third finger is also shorter than the second one, contrary to the third digit of the Dino Lab arm. The manual unguals are the same as the ones in the Dino Lab, Ibrahim et al., (2020a), and Fabbri et al., (2022), which means that Spinosaurus' manual unguals are shorter than the baryonychinae's.

Photo of the private Spinosaurus arm (Reddit, Super-Masterpiece-34, May surprise many people):

Notice that the third finger is smaller than the first two fingers.

I don't know if this arm is more complete, or accurate, than the DinoLab arm, but it does resemble the DinoLab arm. Plus, I like the fact that the third digit is the smallest one. Second, the manual unguals match the spinosaurid manual ungual (NMC 41820) from Ibrahim et al., (2020a) (Figure 111A-B):

Full figure. Scale bar is 5 cm:

Description of NMC 41820 (Ibrahim et al., 2020a, Theropoda: Manual ungual morphotype 1):

Whatever Spinosaurus' arms were for, I don't know if they were for hunting. Perhaps they were, but I think the jaws did the hunting mostly."

Either way, part of the DinoLab arm seems realistic. The second arm seems to back this up, albeit the third digit is short. This looks more realistic.

In total, this could very well be what Spinosaurus' arm might've looked like, aside from the elongated third digit. For more information, check out my two posts below:

Links:

What did Spinosaurus Look Like? Part 2:
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2025/04/what-did-spinnosaurus-look-like-part-2.html

Dino Bios: Spinosaurus:

https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2017/09/spinosaurus-facts.html

Update (4/28/26):
I'm not sure if this is authentic or not, but I think I found another Spinosaurus arm. On an Instagram post made by dream.fossils, they said that they found a lower arm of Spinosaurus. What is interesting about the arm is that the manual digit 3, and the manual unguals, match those of the DinoLab arm. The manual unguals also match the arm from Reddit, and the manual ungual from Ibrahim et al., (2020a).

Picture of Spinosaurus arm (dream.fossils):

We now have, possibly, two Spinosaurus arms with long third digits. If Spinosaurus had a long third finger, I wonder what the purpose for it was? How flexible was it? Could it support any weight?

I also found a Dinopedia discussion page that said that this specimen was a real fossil (Fandom, Dinopedia, HUGE NEWS! ...As promised: Another giant 13-14 meters Spinosaurus specimen in private hands). Also, I found a video on the PNSO's Facebook profile that was uploaded in 2022. The person in the video said that, during that time, people online were hypothesizing that Spinosaurus had a long third finger that might've acted as a "fin-like structure" (Facebook, PNSO, Essien the Spinosaurus 3: The Forelimbs, 3:00). I don't remember hearing, or seeing, that idea floating around the internet back in 2022! Could Spinosaurus' hand acted like a fin, better yet a flipper? Where the hands webbed? More questions that need to be answered!

If, and I do mean if, this specimen is authentic, then this adds extra weight to the hypothesis that Spinosaurus had different hands compared to other spinosaurids. I hope Ibrahim, and his team, excavate the arms of the Spinosaurus neotype so we can have conclusive Spinosaurus arms.

Links:
Instagram. dream.fossils:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPGhGafD1Nd/?img_index=1

-V2:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPGhGafD1Nd/
Fandom. Dinopedia. HUGE NEWS! ...As promised: Another giant 13-14 meters Spinosaurus specimen in private hands:

https://dinopedia.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000000144128
Facebook. PNSO. Essien the Spinosaurus 3: The Forelimbs:

https://www.facebook.com/pnso.us/videos/essien-the-spinosaurus-3-the-forelimb-learn-to-draw-dinosaurs-with-zhao-chuang/1233529810713691/

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

(News) New Giant Titanosaur Coexisted with Giganotosaurus!

New 2021 titanosaur (MOZ Pv 1221) with other smaller sauropods from the Candeleros Formation (Otero et al., 2021. Figure 5) (Scale bar is 2 meters):

Last year, I wrote a post that talked about a possible specimen of giant sauropod (probably a titanosaur, and either closely related to, or is, Argentinosaurus) from the Candeleros Formation. Now, it seems that there is another titanosaur that coexisted with Giganotosaurus in the Candeleros Formation. It is said to have even 40 tons or more, and even been bigger than Patagotitan and probably Argentinosaurus (Otero et al., 20201, "Abstract") (Ian Randall, 2021) (Amy Woodyatt, 2021) (Bob Yirka, 2021)! The specimen is catalogued as MOZ Pv 1221.

MOZ Pv 1221 Phylogenetic Tree (Figure 4):

Discovery Site and List of Bones (Figure 1):

Scale bar length for silhouette of titanosaur is 2 meters:

Coracoid (Figure 3):

Scale bar for coracoid is 10 cm:

Caudal (Tail) Vertebrae (Figure 2):

Scale bar for caudal vertebrae is 10 cm:

Centrum lengths for caudal vertebrae (Table 1):

I said in my post on the probable (?)Argentinosaurus specimen from Candeleros Formation that it was weird that Giganotosaurus carolinii never had giant titanosaurs to hunt within the Candeleros Formation, while it probably did hunt Patagotitan since it lived in the Albian alongside G. carolinii, but it came from a different formation. G. (Mapusaurus) roseae always hunted larger titanosaurs (Argentinosaurus and Puertasaurus, to name a few) than G. carolinii did in the Candeleros Formation (only the 80-foot long Andesaurus, but that (?)Argentinosaurus specimen is still there...). Perhaps this new unnamed giant titanosaur is related to that (?)Argentinosaurus/mystery titanosaur from Calvo (1999)?

All I know is that G. carolinii finally has a giant titanosaur to tangle with! I will try to extrapolate a length for this animal once I can get the measurements! For now, I would say that this new titanosaur might be the same size, or perhaps bigger, than Patagotitan, just to be safe.

Size Estimation of MOZ Pv 1221:
I can't access the actual paper, but I've decided to try and formulate a size estimate for MOZ Pv 1221.

Caudal Vertebra:
I decided to do the vertebra first. I measured the centrum length of caudal 4 (C4). I don't know how long the scale bar is, so I measured it using an estimated 5 and 10 cm each. Using 5 cm, I obtained a length of 18 cm for the centrum. Using 10 cm, I got 35 cm. I compared the centrum length of MOZ Pv 1221 to Dreadnaughtus.

1. Caudal Centrum 4:
Dreadnaughtus:
Centrum 4 Length: 33 cm.
Body Length: 30 m.

18 - 33 = 15.
15/33*100 = 45.5% decrease.
30 m - 45.5% = 54 feet (16.4 meters).

35 - 33 = 2.
2/33*100 = 6.1% increase.
30 m + 6.1% = 104 feet (31.8 meters).

Patagotitan:
Holotype's Centrum 4 Length: 36 cm (Carballido et al., 2017, Supplementary Materials, p. 32).
Body Length: 47.3 meters.

35 - 36 = 1.
1/36*100 = 2.8% decrease.
47.3 m - 2.8% = 151 feet (46.0 meters).

*Actual length: 32 cm.

Dreadnaughtus:
Centrum 4 Length: 33 cm.
Body Length: 30 m.

33 - 32 = 1.
1/33*100 = 3% decrease.
30 m - 3% = 96 feet (29.1 meters).

2. Caudal Centrum 11:
Length: 29 cm.

Dreadnaughtus:
Centrum 4 Length: 27.2 cm.
Body Length: 30 m.

27.2 - 29 = 1.8.
1.8/27.2*100 = 6.6% increase.
30 m + 6.6% = 105 feet (32.0 meters).

Caudal centrum 11 is unknown in Patagotitan.

Coracoid:
I measured MOZ Pv 1221's coracoid second.

5 cm: 41 cm.
*10 cm: 82 cm.

Patagotitan Holotype:

Coracoid: 61.5 cm (Carballido et al., 2017, Supplementary Materials, p. 33).

Body: 47.3 m.

41 - 61.5 = 20.5.

20.5/61.5*100 = 33.3% decrease.

47.3 m - 33.3% = 104 feet (31.6 meters).

*82 - 61.5 = 20.5

20.5/61.5*100 = 33.3% increase.

47.3 m + 33.3% = 207 feet (63.1 meters).

Dreadnaughtus:
Coracoid Length: 68 cm (Left).
Body Length: 30 m.

41 - 68 = 27.
27/68*100 = 39.7% decrease.
30 m - 39.7% = 59 feet (18.1 meters).

*82 - 68 = 14.
14/68*100 = 20.6% increase.
30 m + 20.6% = 119 feet (36.2 meters).

Update (2/3/21): The pubis has been stated as being 10% longer than Patagotitan's (Mercedes Benialgo, 2021, para. 4) (Madeleine Muzdakis, 2021, para. 3).

Mercedes Benialgo (2021) (Para. 4) (Translated):

Madeleine Muzdakis (2021) (Para. 3):

Only the holotype of Patagotitan (MPEF-PV 3400) has its pubis (140 cm) preserved (Carballido et al., 2017, Supplementary Materials, p. 34), and I got a length of 47.3 meters for it.

47.3 m + 10% = 171 feet (52.0 meters) for MOZ Pv 1221.
140 cm + 10% = 154 cm for MOZ Pv 1221's pubis.

If the scale bar for the silhouette of the titanosaur in the "Discovery Site and List of Bones" figure picture is 2 meters, then I've obtained a measurement of about 130 cm (at best) for the pubis.

Update (2/9/21): Scale bar is 2 meters, but the pubis length is 166 cm (Discussion, para. 8):

Pubis:
Length: 166 cm.

*Patagotitan Holotype:
140 - 166 = 26.
26/140*100 = 18.6% increase.
47.3 m + 18.6% = 184 feet (56.1 meters).

*New Patagotitan pubis length: 152 cm (Otero et al., 2020, p. 9 Table 2).

152 - 166 = 14.
14/152*100 = 9.2% increase.
47.3 m + 9.2% = 170 feet (51.7 meters).

Dreadnaughtus:
Pubis: 140 cm.
Body Length: 30 cm.

140 - 166 = 26.
26/140*100 = 18.6% increase.
30 m + 18.6% = 117 feet (35.6 meters).

Futalognknosaurus:
Pubis: 137 cm (Calvo et al., 2007, p. 521).
Body Length: 31.1 meters.

137 - 166 = 29.
29/137*100 = 21.2% increase.
31.1 m + 21.2% = 124 feet (37.7 meters).

In total, MOZ Pv 1221 was 170 feet long (51.7 meters), based on the pubis compared to the holotype of Patagotitan. Based on the coracoid, a wider range of 119-207 feet (36.2-63.1 meters) was obtained. I'll go with 51.7 meters, since the authors keep using the pubis length to give their estimate.

As to whether or not MOZ is Argentinosaurus, the authors say that they don't know. Argentinosaurus is extremely fragmentary, so more MOZ bones will have to be excavated to see if it is a specimen of Argentinosaurus ("Discussion" para. 4):

There might be hope yet that MOZ is Argentinosaurus, and that Argentinosaurus coexisted with Giganotosaurus. However, that question will have to remain open.

Link:
Otero et al., (2021):
"Abstract":
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019566712100001X
Link 2:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348461418_Report_of_a_giant_titanosaur_sauropod_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Neuquen_Province_Argentina
Specimen Name:
https://images.app.goo.gl/y3PyKdTeR8oA4e647
Discovery and List of Bones:
https://images.app.goo.gl/6PKmajb6s6KYZZCr5
Coracoid:
https://images.app.goo.gl/tvGwXytxtSigtrT76
Caudal (Tail) Vertebrae:
https://images.app.goo.gl/iveF5JwBh2LqRcG96
Mercedes Benialgo (2021) (Para. 4):
https://www.conicet.gov.ar/cientificos-del-conicet-hallan-un-gigantesco-dinosaurio-cuello-largo-en-neuquen/?fbclid=IwAR0jfIA8pgkgncKmN0Q9HJnV_vlYGU_tD7SpAkNLcTVgFiU885zpa0TlrAs
Madeleine Muzdakis (2021) (Para. 3):
https://mymodernmet.com/dinosaur-fossil-titanosaur-argentina/
Ian Randall (2021):
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9160381/Fossils-98-million-year-old-dino-unearthed-Argentina-largest-land-animal-ever.html
Amy Woodyatt (2021):
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/19/americas/dinosaur-largest-titanosaur-intl-scli-scn/index.html
Bob Yirka (2021):
https://phys.org/news/2021-01-gigantic-dinosaur-unearthed-argentina-largest.html
My 2020 post on (?)Argentinosaurus/giant titanosaur from Candeleros Formation:
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-giant-sauropod-argentinosaurus-from_22.html
My lengths for the other titanosaurs mentioned in this post:
https://psdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2018/12/size-calculations-for-herbivorous.html
Lacovara et al., (2014):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265377777_A_Gigantic_Exceptionally_Complete_Titanosaurian_Sauropod_Dinosaur_from_Southern_Patagonia_Argentina
Link 2:
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep06196
Supplementary Materials:
https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fsrep06196/MediaObjects/41598_2014_BFsrep06196_MOESM1_ESM.pdf
Carballido et al., (2017):
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/284/1860/20171219
Supplementary Materials (Pg. 32-34):
https://figshare.com/articles/Electronic_Supplementary_material_from_A_new_giant_titanosaur_sheds_light_on_body_mass_evolution_among_sauropod_dinosaurs/5297611
Otero et al., (2020) (P. 9 Table 2):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344346605_The_Appendicular_Osteology_of_Patagotitan_Mayorum_Dinosauria_Sauropoda
Calvo et al., (2007) (P. 521):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237289209_Anatomy_of_Futalognkosaurus_dukei_Calvo_Porfiri_Gonzalez_Riga_Kellner_2007_Dinosauria_Titanosauridae_from_the_Neuquen_Group_Late_Cretaceous_Patagonia_Argentina

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Size Calculations for Crocodyliformes:

The Percentage Increase/Decrease Method:
1. Take new number and subtract it from original number.
2. Take that number and divide it by the original number and multiply by 100.
3. That number will by your percentage increase or decrease if it's negative.

Ex.: "Stan's" Femur is 130 and has a body length of 12.2 meters. "Wyrex" has a femur length of 132.7 cm.

132.7 - 130 = 2.7.
2.7 divided by (represented by "/") and multiplied by (represented by "*") equals 2.1.
(2.7/130*100 = 2.1)
2.1 is your percentage increase, or 2.1% increase.
12.2 m + 2.1% = 12.5 meters for "Wyrex."

Links:
Percentage Increase/Decrease Method Links:
"Percentage Change - Percentage Increase and Decrease." SkillsYouNeed:

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/num/percent-change.html
"Relative Increase." percentage.calculators.ro:
https://percentages.calculators.ro/15-percentage-increase-from-original-number-to-new-value.php

Model: Florida Alligator:
Skull: 26 cm (10 1/4 inches).
Body: 6 feet.

Link:
Worldwide Wildlife Products. "Alligator Skulls": "10-1/4 Alligator Skull":
https://www.worldwidewildlifeproducts.com/store/pc/10-1-4-inches-Good-Quality-Florida-Alligator-Skull-for-Sale-You-are-buying-this-one-for-59-99-125p7589.htm

1. Cerrejonisuchus:

Skulls (Largest): 31.4 cm (Table 1).

26 - 31.4 = 5.4.

5.4/26*100 = 20.8% increase.

1.829 m + 20.8% = 7 feet (2.2 meters).

Cerrejonisuchus' Total Length: 7 feet (2.2 meters).

Link:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724630903409204

2. Eothoracosaurus:

MSU 3293:
Skull: 89.7 cm (For now).

Cerrejonisuchus:

Skulls (Largest): 31.4 cm.

Body: 2.2 meters.

89.7 - 31.4 = 58.3.

58.3/31.4*100 = 185.7% increase.

2.2 m + 185.7% = 21 feet (6.3 meters).

Eothoracosaurus' Total Length: 21 feet (6.3 meters).

Links:

Carpenter (1983) (Pg. 4 Table 1 [24-33]):

https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Vol_4_1.pdf

Species Name:
Brochu (2004): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40662929_A_new_Late_Cretaceous_gavialoid_crocodylian_from_eastern_North_America_and_the_phylogenetic_relationships_of_Thoracosaurs

Link 2:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/4524750?seq=1

Time:

Fossilworks. "Eothoracosaurus":

http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=176554

Fossilworks. "Eothoracosaurus mississippiensis":

http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=176555

Family Tree:
Lee and Yates (2018) (Figure 1):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6030529/

3. Elosuchus:
Carcharodontosaurus and Elosuchus by David Bonadonna:

Largest Skull: 107.7 cm (Meunier and Larsson, 2017, Table 1).

Eothoracosaurus:

Skull: 89.7 cm.

Body: 6.3 m.

107.7 - 89.7 = 18.

18/89.7*100 = 20.1% increase.

6.3 m + 20.1% = 25 feet (7.6 meters).

Elosuchus' Total Length: 25 feet (7.6 meters).

Link:
Meunier and Larsson (2017) (Table 1):
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/179/1/169/2870024
Picture:
David Bonadonna:
http://www.davidebonadonna.it/project/342/

4. Sarcosuchus:
Sarcosuchus vs. Suchomimus:

1. MNN 604:

Skull: 150 cm (Sereno et al., 2001, pg. 1518 Table 1).

Elosuchus:

Skull: 107.7 cm.

Body: 7.6 meters.

107.7 - 150 = 42.3.

42.3/107.7*100 = 39.3% increase.

7.6 m + 39.3% = 35 feet (10.6 meters).

Link:
Sereno et al., (2001) (Pg. 1518 Table 1):

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11672584_The_Giant_Crocodyliform_Sarcosuchus_from_the_Cretaceous_of_Africa

2. BC-156:
Skull: 172.7 cm (Bone Clones).

Deinosuchus:

Skull: 167.6 cm.

Body: 11.8 m.

167.6 - 172.7 = 5.1.

5.1/167.6*100 = 3% increase.

11.8 m + 3% = 40 feet (12.2 meters).

Link:
Bone Clones:

https://boneclones.com/product/sarcosuchus-imperator-supercroc-skull-BC-156
Time Period:
Barremian and Older:
Douiret Formation:
Loeuff et al., (2010) (Pg. 753-754, 756-757):
http://doc.rero.ch/record/293777/files/S0016756810000178.pdf
El Rhaz Formation:
Bertozzo et al., (2017) ("Introduction"):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5480399/
Loeuff et al., (2012) (Pg. 3 and 8):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284617900_Between_Tendaguru_and_Bahariya_on_the_age_of_the_Early_Cretaceous_dinosaur_sites_from_the_Continental_Intercalaire_and_other_African_formations
Others:
Souza et al., (2019) (Pg. 2-3, and 5):
https://paleontologia.ufes.br/sites/paleontologia.ufes.br/files/field/anexo/souza_et_al._2019_-_sarcosuchus_0.pdf
Barremian-Aptian:
Contessa, Michela. Paleontological studies of Cretaceous vertebrate fossil beds in the Tataouine Basin (southern Tunisia). Pg. 12-13. 2013:
http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/5240/1/Contessi_Michela_tesi.pdf

Aptian-Albian:
Dridi (2018):
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1464343X18301778?via%3Dihub
Albian:
Contessa, Michela. Paleontological studies of Cretaceous vertebrate fossil beds in the Tataouine Basin (southern Tunisia). 2013:
http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/5240/1/Contessi_Michela_tesi.pdf
Notes:
Age:
Pg. 14: Albian.
Fossils:
All: Pages 20-29; Sarcosuchus: Pg 25-26, 28; Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and ornithopod: Pg 27-29).

Sarcosuchus' Total Length: 35-40 feet (10.6-12.2 meters).

5. Deinosuchus:
Deinosuchus vs. Albertosaurus or Gorgosaurus:

Skull: 5.5 feet/5 feet 6 inches (167.6 cm) (Prehistoric Planet Store) (Bay State Replicas).

Sarcosuchus holotype:

Skull: 150 cm.

Body: 10.6 m.

150 - 167.6 = 17.6.

17.6/150*100 = 11.7% increase.

10.6 m + 11.7% = 39 feet (11.8 meters).

Deinosuchus' Total Length: 39 feet (11.8 meters).

Link:
Prehistoric Planet Store:

http://www.prehistoricstore.com/item.php?item=1475

Bay State Replicas:

http://www.baystatereplicas2.com/product/deinosuchus-skull/

6. Purussaurus:

Skull (Mandible): 175 cm (Aureliano et al., 2015, "Introduction" p. 4).

Sarcosuchus Specimen 2:

Skull: 172.7 cm.

Body: 12.2 m.

175 - 172.7 = 2.3.

2.3/172.7*100 = 1.3% increase.

12.2 m + 1.3% = 41 feet (12.4 meters).

Purussaurus' Total Length: 41 feet (12.4 meters).

Link:
Aureliano et al., (2015) ("Introduction" p. 4):

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0117944

7. Stomatosuchus:
Skull from Paleofile:

Skull: 2 meters (Stromer, 1925, pg. 1) (Stromer, 1933, pg. 45).

Purussaurus:

Skull (Mandible): 175 cm.
Body: 12.4 meters.

175 - 200 = 25.

25/175*100 = 14.3% increase.

12.4 m + 14.3% = 47 feet (14.2 meters).

Stomatosuchus' Total Length: 47 feet (14.2 meters).

Links:
Stromer (1925) (Pg. 1):

https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Abhandlungen-Akademie-Bayern_30_0001-0022.pdf

Stromer (1933) (Pg. 45):

https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Abhandlungen-Akademie-Bayern_NF_15_0001-0055.pdf
Skull Pic:
Paleofile:
https://images.app.goo.gl/uwizbwGoJxtrJgsNA