Cryolophosaurus ellioti
Cryolophosaurus ellioti is one of the larger and more charismatic theropods to emerge from the early Jurassic.
The only cryolophosaurus fossils currently known were discovered in Antarctica, and this is where the “cryo” part of its name comes from, meaning “frozen” or “cold”. It is known mostly from a femur and skull, and these two elements of its skeleton offer a fantastic look into a theropod whose linage is still debated. It’s skull shows many advanced characteristics associated with later Jurassic dinosaurs, and bears a distinctive crest for which it gets its name. Interestingly though, the femur and other fossils display primitive characteristics of basal theropod dinosaurs.
The cryolophosaurus holotype fossils do give us a peak into another characteristic of this intriguing animal - it occasionally bit off more than it could chew! When palaeontologists were first examining its skull, they discovered not one - but two species of dinosaur bones! Cryolophosaurus had died apparently choking during a meal.
Our cryolophosaurus, sculpted by Creature Sculp Studio is posed feeding its hatchlings an unfortunate lizard in a scene inspired by modern birds. It is also speculatively feathered, but with good reason. Although Antarctica would have been much farther North and thus closer to the equator in the time of cryolophosaurus, the environment would have been much more temperate, with cool to potentially freezing winter months.
Our model comes in 6 separate pieces as a standard offering. The adult cryolophosaurus which is is separated as a head and neck, a main body including the legs and finally the tail. The unfortunate lizard, and the base, which has been separated in two to allow for easier painting of the hatchlings in the nest.
The cryolophosaurus when assembled is approx 60cm long accounting for the curve of the tail, or approx 50cm without accounting for this curve. It is approx 21cm tall with the base and approx 30cm wide if you include the sweep of the tail.
Cryolophosaurus ellioti is one of the larger and more charismatic theropods to emerge from the early Jurassic.
The only cryolophosaurus fossils currently known were discovered in Antarctica, and this is where the “cryo” part of its name comes from, meaning “frozen” or “cold”. It is known mostly from a femur and skull, and these two elements of its skeleton offer a fantastic look into a theropod whose linage is still debated. It’s skull shows many advanced characteristics associated with later Jurassic dinosaurs, and bears a distinctive crest for which it gets its name. Interestingly though, the femur and other fossils display primitive characteristics of basal theropod dinosaurs.
The cryolophosaurus holotype fossils do give us a peak into another characteristic of this intriguing animal - it occasionally bit off more than it could chew! When palaeontologists were first examining its skull, they discovered not one - but two species of dinosaur bones! Cryolophosaurus had died apparently choking during a meal.
Our cryolophosaurus, sculpted by Creature Sculp Studio is posed feeding its hatchlings an unfortunate lizard in a scene inspired by modern birds. It is also speculatively feathered, but with good reason. Although Antarctica would have been much farther North and thus closer to the equator in the time of cryolophosaurus, the environment would have been much more temperate, with cool to potentially freezing winter months.
Our model comes in 6 separate pieces as a standard offering. The adult cryolophosaurus which is is separated as a head and neck, a main body including the legs and finally the tail. The unfortunate lizard, and the base, which has been separated in two to allow for easier painting of the hatchlings in the nest.
The cryolophosaurus when assembled is approx 60cm long accounting for the curve of the tail, or approx 50cm without accounting for this curve. It is approx 21cm tall with the base and approx 30cm wide if you include the sweep of the tail.