This Mesozoic Month: September 2017

In the News

The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2017 meeting was held in late August in Calgary. There have been a few posts from attendees, though not as many as I'd hoped. Check out recaps from Liz Martin-Silverstone and Albertonykus. Alex Hastings presented a poster on dinosaurs in comics and writes about his extensive research. Over at the RMDRC Paleo Lab blog, Anthony Maltese writes about the creation of the Protosphyraena skeletal mount he unveiled at SVP.

Californians can finally relax: they have an official state dinosaur. It's the hadrosaur Augustynolophus [insert hilarious vegetarian joke here]. Read more from Smithsonian and the LA Times.

It's the case of the upside-down ankylosaurs! New research studies the phenomenon of armored dinosaurs being discovered on their backs. Read more at Live Science.

Morturneria seymourensis, an aristonectine plesiosaur that swam the Antarctic seas of the Late Cretaceous, was first discovered more than 30 years ago, but new research has revealed it to be an oddball in the family: a filter feeder, with teeth that interlocked to trap and strain krill and other small food from the water. Read more from Sci-News and Earth Archives.

And while we're talking marine reptiles, meet the mighty Thaumatodracon. Adam S. Smith writes about the newly named rhoemaleosaurid at Plesiosauria.

Around the Dinoblogosphere

If you were a bit thrown by the term "allokotosauria" when Shringasaurus was revealed last month, have no fear. Zach Miller has a new post at Waxing Palaeontological about this clade's history and current roster of beasts.

At Earth magazine, Thea Boodhoo profiles paleontologist Dr. Lisa D. White and her efforts to give youths in underrepresented groups access to the geosciences.

How do paleontologists in the field decide how to conduct their search for fossils? How do they determine the significance of what they find? Adrian Currie writes about the secret epistemology of field work at Extinct.

Victoria Arbour visits the Prehistoric Park at the Calgary Zoo. And if you didn't read her latest Vintage Dinosaur Art post here, get on it! Oh, and ONE MORE THING, vote for Pseudoplocephalus!

At Antediluvian Salad, Duane Nash muses about groundcover in the Mesozoic, especially as depicted in paleoart, and winds up thinking a lot about biocrusts. Definitely worth a read if you're into palaeoart that delves into the more subtle details of an environment.

Public paleoart projects are always worth a look. The Everything Dinosaur blog features a new project to honor Gideon Mantell with a life-size sculpture of an iguanodontid in the town of his birth: Lewes, in East Sussex, England.

At ART Evolved, Herman reviews Naish and Barrett's Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved.

The Empty Wallets Club

Amargasaurus tote bag designed by Levi Hastings, image used here with his permission.

I've long been a fan of Levi Hasting's abstract dinosaur watercolors and screenprints, and have featured his work here often. His new Amargasaurus tote bag is splendid. Perfect for carrying around a collection of dino toys. Pick it up in his Etsy shop.

Dinosaur gathering in my living room. #nevergrowup

A post shared by TRX Dinosaurs (@trxdinosaurs) on Sep 12, 2017 at 10:27am PDT

Have you seen the incredible models and puppets created by TRX Dinosaurs? Here's a pic from their Instagram feed, which also includes some fun videos. Head to the TRX Dinosaurs website, where you can order your own poseable, life-size sculpture of Velociraptor or Deinonychus, or order a custom puppet! They're pricey, but the attention to detail and fidelity to contemporary paleontological knowledge certainly make them worth every cent.

The LITC AV Club

Designer and illustrator Ian Stewart heroically animated the artwork of Ray Troll to make a music video for the Ratfish Wranglers' "Ages of Rock."

Read the excellent post on paleoart from the Royal Tyrrell Museum blog, featuring a look at the process by which the museum and Julius Csotonyi came to the final version of his Regaliceratops illustration. Here's a video to accompany the piece.

Hey. There's a video game called Anatomically Incorrect Dinosaurs. Sounds right up our alley, doesn't it? And doesn't this trailer make sense? Like, total sense?

Crowdfunding Spotlight

Last minute campaign alert! This one closes on September 30, so be quick about it. Especially if you're a fan of Victorian art and design giant William Morris (he of the Arts and Crafts movement fame). Especially if you're a fan of his famous "Strawberry Thief" pattern - because now, it's got dinosaurs in it. Pledge at Kickstarter for your pocket square, necktie, or scarf!

A Moment of Paleoart Zen

I'm in a sauropod mood and I just can't shake it, so this month let's bask in the glories of this Diplodocus piece by Stevie Moore. Available as a print from his on-line shop, too!

Diplodocus carnegii illustration be Stevie Moore, shared here with his permission.

Slimbridge Wetland Centre

This trip happened back in early August, but I haven't had time to do the write-up until now. I've been quite impressed by the London Wetland Centre, which I've now been to several times. Upon hearing that the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) had another wetland centre set up in closer proximity to the Bristol/Bath region (where I am currently based), I naturally had to make the time to visit.

This other wetland centre is the Slimbridge Wetland Centre, the oldest of these WWT nature reserves. The London Wetland Centre had set a high bar for quality, but wow. Slimbridge exceeded my expectations and blew me away.

My Slimbridge trip started off with a series of amphibian exhibits near the main entrance. Here are some red-eyed tree frogs in their signature daytime posture.

A yellow-banded poison-dart frog.

A blue poison-dart frog.

I previously commented that the London Wetland Centre likely houses more species of captive waterfowl than anywhere else I've been to. Slimbridge easily broke that record. Here are a pair of Bewick's swans.

Some greater white-fronted geese.

I'll come back to the waterfowl in a moment, but it's also worth mentioning that Slimbridge additionally houses every species of extant flamingo. Here are some Andean flamingos. They share their exhibit with James's flamingos, though I failed to spot any.

Back to the waterfowl, here's a ruddy shelduck.

There are even some nice mammal exhibits here. One pond is set aside for Eurasian beavers, though they rarely emerge from their lodge during the day.

I found the displays for small rodents particularly impressive. All too often, zoo enclosures for small rodents resemble glorified hamster cages, but Slimbridge's water vole and harvest mouse exhibits did a great job of simulating their natural environments. Though I didn't spot the voles on this trip, the harvest mice put on a good show, and I was eventually able to get a decent picture of one.

Like its London counterpart, the Slimbridge Wetland Centre is more than a zoo. It also serves as valuable habitat for wildlife. Wild common shelducks were, well, a common sight. (To avoid confusion, I will specify whenever wild individuals are pictured in this post.)

A common crane, a species that is not common in the wild in the UK. This is one of the wetland centre's captive individuals, but wild ones are sighted somewhat regularly at Slimbridge. (I was not so fortunate on this trip, however.)

A pair of ashy-headed geese, a species of strange-looking South American waterfowl.

A Cape Barren goose, a species from southern Australia and one of the rarest waterfowl in the world.

A freckled duck, another Australian species.

Most of the wild birds I saw were too far away to take good photos of using my digital camera, but here's a small taste of what the wetland centre has to offer. The majority of species pictured here are black-tailed godwits. There are also a good number of northern lapwings and black-headed gulls.

Some snow geese, with both the white and blue color morphs represented.

A bar-headed goose. This species is well known for migrating over the Himalayas at high altitudes. They have been recorded flying at heights of over 7.2 km.

A pair of Australian wood ducks. They are not closely related to the North American wood duck, but they do also nest in tree hollows.

A southern pochard, looking rather devilish with its red eyes.

A comb duck. The males of this South American species have an unusual display feature.

A flock of greater flamingos, the third of the wetland centre's flamingo species. Note also the Cape teal in the foreground.

Across from them are the lesser flamingos.

An Argentine ruddy duck. The males of this species are infamous for having a phallus that can equal their own body length when erect.

Some black-necked swans and a photobombing (wild) common wood pigeon.

A coscoroba swan, actually more closely related to the Cape Barren goose than to true swans.

A wild rook and Eurasian jackdaws. Common species here, but unfamiliar to a North American like me.

An Orinoco goose, a very terrestrial waterfowl species that rarely swims or flies.

A pair of red shovelers.

A flock of the fifth flamingo species here, the Chilean flamingo.

A crested screamer. Despite appearances, this is yet another waterfowl.

This immature common shelduck vexed me to no end until I finally figured out what it was.

American flamingos. That's all six flamingo species covered!

Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioner: for Hair Growth (Rinse)

The benefits  of using apple cider vinegar to condition the hair

1. Apple cider vinegar is one of nature’s most powerful remedies, and can be used to help the hair to grow without the need for chemical products.

2. By using todays remedy you can replace your existing conditioner with this cheap alternative, which naturally smoothes the hair follicles and restores the ph. balance

3. The potassium, pectin, calcium, and malic acid within the vinegar boosts the health of the hair, and is easily absorbed into the hair cuticle.

4. It also refreshes and cleans the hair, removing dirt, grease or debris which may be built up over time.

5. This remedy can also be used with our famous baking soda shampoo.

Recipe

You Will Need

4 Tablespoons Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

10 Tablespoons Warm Water

2 Drops Lavender Essential Oil (Optional)

A Small Bowl

Method

In the small bowl add all of the ingredients and mix together well.

You now have a completely natural conditioner. Lean your head back and pour this rinse over your entire scalp, allowing it to run through to the ends of the hair.

Let this sit on the hair for 2 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Do not get this mixture in your eyes.

You can use any essential oil to add a natural smell to the rinse if you wish.

6. Apple cider vinegar has a very powerful smell, but this will disappear after the hair is rinsed. The hair will smell fresh.

7. The vinegar restores the acid mantle which is important for healthy hair growth. By re balancing the hairs Ph, it becomes smoother, easier to manage and less likely to break.

8. Split ends are less likely to happen when using this remedy. This works even better when used with baking soda shampoo. Please see our other video to learn more.

9. Alpha-Hydroxy acid contained within the vinegar also exfoliates the scalp, removing dead skill cells and itchiness. It destroys bacteria and fungus which may have infected the skin too.

10. To learn more about natural hair remedies, please see our other videos and articles. 

Contrast Between Worldly and Spirit-enhanced Marital Intimacy©

This morning I got around to reading the talks by Elder Russell M. Nelson and his wife Wendy at the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults at BYU in January 2017. I was particularly interested in sister Nelson’s remarks.(1) As a marriage and family therapist and professor for twenty-five years, she gave the young adults “four truths about love and marriage.” I commend the entire talk to you, but I am reproducing #4 here which contrasts the difference between worldly sex and spirit-enhanced marital intimacy. She builds her ideas on a statement from Elder Parley P. Pratt who said the Holy Ghost “increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use.”(2) She concentrates on the effects of the Spirit on our passion and affections, but I would also stress the last part of his statement, that the Spirit will adapt them by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use.” Obviously there are unlawful uses of the passions and affections and according to Elder Pratt it is one of the Spirit's roles to help us adapt them to a lawful use before God. All that sister Nelson says below is consistent with these wonderful insights from Elder Pratt. Enjoy!

***

Truth #4: For true marital intimacy, the Holy Ghost needs to be involved. It is simply not possible to have the kind of intimate experiences outside of marriage that you can have within because the Spirit will not be present. 

Elder Parley P. Pratt taught that the Holy Ghost has the ability to increase, enlarge, expand, and purify “all the natural passions and affections.” Just imagine: He can purify your feelings! Therefore, anything that invites the Spirit into your life, and into the life of your spouse and your marriage, will increase your ability to experience marital intimacy. It really is as simple, and as profound, as that! 

On the other hand, anything that offends the Spirit will decrease your ability to be one with your spouse. Things such as anger, lust, unforgiveness, contention, immorality, and unrepented sin will reduce your attempt for marital intimacy to be something that is nothing more than a sexual experience. 

So, to recap: While worldly sex is under the influence of the world and the adversary and involves carnal, sensual, and devilish passions, God-ordained marital intimacy is under the influence of the Spirit and involves Spirit-enhanced and purified passions. The truth is, the more pure you are, the more marvelous your marital intimacy will be. 

With worldly sex, anything goes. With marital intimacy, exquisite care is taken to avoid anything and everything—from language to music to movies—that offends the Spirit, your spirit, or your spouse’s. 

While worldly sex is lustful and kills love, marital intimacy generates more love. 

Worldly sex degrades men and women and their bodies, while marital intimacy honors men and women and celebrates the body as one of the great prizes of mortal life. 

With worldly sex, individuals can feel used, abused, and ultimately more lonely. With marital intimacy, spouses feel more united and loved, more nurtured and understood. 

Worldly sex ravages and eventually ruins relationships. Marital intimacy strengthens marriages. It supports, heals, and hallows the lives of spouses and their marriage. 

Worldly sex has been likened to the toot of a flute, while marital intimacy has been likened to the grandeur of an entire orchestra. 

Worldly sex becomes a total obsession because it never fulfills its promises. God-ordained marital intimacy is glorious and will continue eternally for covenant-keeping husbands and wives. 

In short, marital intimacy endorsed by the Spirit is blessed by the Lord and is sanctifying.

Let's think together again, soon.

Notes:

1.  Wendy Watson Nelson,  “Love and Marriage,” address at the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, 8 January 2017, Brigham Young University. Available online at:

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2017/01/love-and-marriage?lang=eng 

2.  The entire statement of Elder Pratt is highly recommended. It is found in Parley P. Pratt, Key To the Science of Theology, (4th ed.), pp. 96-97.    

Vintage Dinosaur Art: How Tough was a Tyrannosaurus?

The Q&A format is a very popular one for children's dinosaur books, and indeed I've covered a few during my invaluably spent time writing for LITC. However, this one's a little special, and that's because it was sent to me by long-time reader Herman Diaz via airmail, all the way from the US. Cheers, Herman! Dating from 1989, it's very typical of the era, and features quite a number of entertaining tropes...not least a probably-quite-explicable fixation on the titular Tyrant Reptile.

How Tough was a Tyrannosaurus? was illustrated by Richard Courtney, a prolific author and illustrator of children's books, whose work has featured here before. The illustrations, while stylised and ever-so-slightly cartoonish, are nevertheless par for the course for the late '80s, throwing in a few anatomical anomalies (what is going on inside Rexy's mouth?) and often clearly inspired by other artists, especially Sibbick. The bright colours are quite wonderful and still look great - far superior to the dull green-and-brown murkosaurs that would have featured in books 10 years prior - and no doubt added significantly to the book's kiddie appeal. As for the text? Well, it's by Paul Sereno. He knows what he's talking about.

Happily, the book features a notable number of full colour, double-page spreads of animals in their environment, although they are often highly anachronistic for no very good reason. It'd be understandable if animals were being grouped in clades, or compared across time, and indeed such illustrations do appear; however, much of the time the scenes just seem to be anachronistic for the sake of it, as above. So, Protoceratops (clearly quite Sibbick-inspired) and Warioviraptor share space with the later Corythosaurus, the even later Tyrannosaurus and Ankylosaurus, and the much earlier ASS-tro-don (tee hee hee). Of particular interest here is the none-more-'80s Oviraptor, which apart from being not especially birdlike (which had been done at the time), also features a conspicuous nose horn. This was the result of a quite understandable misinterpretation of a broken crest, and the popularity of Sibbick's very reptilian restoration in the Normanpedia. Rexy, meanwhile, appears to be having a polite discussion with the corythosaurs, although I hear that Rexy tends to be rather blunt in conversation, like a Rotterdammer.

So, we know that Protoceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Astrodon all lived alongside one another, maybe. But - did other animals live alongside the dinosaurs? They sure did! Althoughs Pteraspis certainly bloody didn't, as it was around in the Devonian period. Although chopped off by my scanner in the above image, the two Pteraspis are being chased by an Ichthyosaurus, which is every bit as absurd as depicting non-avian theropods fighting sexy sexy caveladies in fur bikinis. Neobatrachus, meanwhile, is a genus that I must confess I hadn't heard of before now, but is apparently a genus of frogs native to Australia. As in, extant frogs. I'm sure there's a good reason that I'm ignorant of for it to appear here, in which case please let me know in the comments. The skin textures on the edmontosaurs appear to owe something to the Sibbick's Normanpedia version, although they aren't anywhere near as wrinkled and pachyderm-like.

I know Protoceratops is everyone's favourite dinosaur, so here's another illustration of the perpetually breeding, pointy-faced, squat little fellow. I always enjoy how the adult Protoceratops always looks quite outraged in illustrations like this - maybe it's shocked at how suspiciously clean those hatchlings are.

Before Baron et al. had to come along and throw a spanner in the works, we neatly divided dinosaurs into two camps - the red team (Saurischia) and the blue team (Ornithischia). Eggs were eggs, a spade was a spade, we doffed our caps to our social betters, and everyone knew their place. The Edmontosaurus here, posed as it is, is definitely reminiscent of the Normanpedia version; the others (including an unremarkable Rexy, excised by my scanner) aren't so much, although the strangely round frill of the Triceratops is notable.

Given the anachronistic nature of the animal gatherings in this book, it's clear that no one can be considered safe from Rexy's clutches. Here, he bursts from the trees towards Parasaurolophus, which at least lived in the Late Cretaceous. Again, I love the vibrant colours here, perfect for a children's book without being over-the-top, and greatly increasing the liveliness of a scene that's already filled with movement. Also, Rexy's colours remind me of the original Jurassic Park toy T. rex. I love Rexy's active pose, right foot swinging into action, the arms ready to clutch the prey. The squared-off jaw is a bit weird, though; it reminds me of a novelty Easter egg box (specifically, the Lion bar one).

Given Rexy's time-travelling carnivorous rampages, it's important for the discerning dinosaur to carry suitable protection. Here we see a remarkably late instance of the 'angry pineapple' Ankylosaurus, with a uniform covering of armour plates and a coffee bean tail club (albeit with longer legs than earlier versions). By this time, depictions based on Euoplocephalus/Scolosaurus were becoming more commonplace, and I remember them being prevalent in the 1990s. Courtney also provides yet another illustration of Triceratops where its horns are erupting from directly behind its eyes, for some reason.

Of course, it wasn't just Rexy that threatened the Peaceful Plant-Eaters (TM) of 1980s and '90s dinosaur books; one also had to beware roving gangs of dromaeosaur land-piranhas. The Saurolophus, being depicted at a larger size than most animals in this book, gains a pleasing level of fleshy detail - careful shading and detailing gives it a real sense of muscular bulk. Which isn't helping one bit in the face of an onslaught from a mob of reptilian Deinonychus (which lived millions of years earlier on a different continent - oh well, ho hum). [EDIT: D'oh - of course the type species S. osborni was from Canada, but still lived many millions of years later than Deinonychus. Thanks to James Appleby in the comments.] I do like the foamy spittle emerging from the herbivore's mouth, suggesting that this may be a sick individual, although it does draw attention to some teeth that probably shouldn't be there.

All this drama, and we still haven't answered the most important question of all - just how tough was a Tyrannosaurus, anyway? Well, here's your answer:

"Many flesh-eating dinosaurs were fast and agile, bringing down prey several times their own weight. However, the huge, powerful jaws, the strong hind limbs, and - most important - the great size of Tyrannosaurus made the "tyrant" dinosaur the most terrifying flesh-eater that ever lived."

Too right - Rexy was one terrifying murderous crocobird. Fittingly, in a book filled with strange anachronisms, this proclamation of Rexy's awesomeness is accompanied by an illustration of Our Hero preparing to sink his teeth into...Oviraptor. Better than a Devonian fish, I suppose.

And finally...David Norman, is that you?

Ginger Water: for Weight Loss

Royal Tyrrell Museum

The Royal Tyrrell Museum has been on my bucket list for a long time, not only for its world-renowned paleontological collections but also for its role in the plot of the now-defunct Tyrannosaur Chronicles. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to visit when I learned that it was one of the field trip destinations during SVP 2017.

Among the natural history museums I've been to, the Tyrrell is unusual in how it has a single main pathway that forces visitors to pass through most of the exhibits in a specific order, instead of having many disparate galleries spread apart that visitors can selectively visit as they wish. Upon first entering the exhibition halls, visitors are immersed in a depiction of life in the early Maastrichtian of Alberta. The main stars here are a group of Albertosaurus models representing different life stages, inspired by the Dry Island bonebed.

There are also some models of smaller animals for patient visitors to find, such as this Aspideretoides, a soft-shelled turtle. A Didelphodon (which I don't have pictures of) is depicted as an arboreal, opossum-like animal, a portrayal that has likely been outdated by findings of more complete specimens. Who should I talk to in order to get a model of Albertonykus added to the exhibit? :)

Following the diorama, the fossil displays proper begin. The first part of the exhibitions provides an introduction to the basic concepts and methods used in paleontology. It's also an excuse to give visitors a small taste of some of the museum's most impressive specimens in its collections. Here are 25 specimens of the gar Atractosteus preserved together.

A small wing off to the side (one of the few displays at the Tyrrell that it's possible to skip past, not that a first-time visitor should or would skip anything) showcases notable specimens that have recently been scientifically examined. Here is the skull of Regaliceratops.

A lovely specimen of Rhamphorhynchus with preserved wing membranes.

A Struthiomimus skull.

The skull of Latoplatecarpus in palatal view.

Back out along the main visitor pathway, an excellent specimen of Gorgosaurus. As part of the field trip, we were given behind-the-scenes tours of the museum collections, and I can say there's far more where this came from!

A cast of the Tyrannosaurus specimen nicknamed "Black Beauty".

The original skull of "Black Beauty".

A mounted skeleton of Dromaeosaurus.

After the introductory exhibits is "Grounds for Discovery", a newly-opened display featuring some of the museum's most exceptional specimens. This being the Royal Tyrrell, selecting the "most exceptional" specimens must have been an incredibly tough choice. However, I'll wager most everyone would agree that the holotype of the recently-named Borealopelta had this in the bag.

The skull and forelimb material of an unnamed pantodont mounted in life position.

Here is the lower jaw of Leptacodon, a lipotyphlan. I found this to be a creative way of exhibiting small mammal specimens.

This is Promioclaenus, a hyopsodontid.

The head and neck of Nichollssaura, an Early Cretaceous leptocleidid plesiosaur.

The rest of the museum is framed as a journey through time, with exhibits arranged in chronological order. Before visitors enter the "time tunnel", they can get a view from an elevated walkway of a mammoth being menaced by saber-toothed cats, giving them a glimpse of where they will end up.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Cambrian material on display, along with a diorama of Cambrian fauna at over ten times their actual size. However, neither the lighting nor the size of the specimens are conducive to obtaining good photographs.

Looking down to the floor below reveals the dinosaur hall, a tantalizing peek at what's to come. Here is a Camarasaurus, the sole sauropod at the museum.

The backside of Triceratops.

The obligatory Tyrannosaurus. Fans of the Tyrannosaur Chronicles blog (so... only me then?) will remember this as Traumador's mother.

However, there is much to go through first before one reaches the Mesozoic. Here is a depiction of a Devonian reef, which reminds me of the marine dioramas that used to be at the Smithsonian. A shame that they are not planned to return following the ongoing renovations of the paleontological displays there.

I thought the globes that accompanied each exhibit were a nice touch, showing how the Earth's landmasses have changed over time.

Easily missed next to the much larger Dimetrodon (not pictured here) is Mesenosaurus, a small varanopid synapsid.

Off to the side is the Cretaceous garden, mainly home to plants similar to those that were alive during the Cretaceous. If you're lucky, you may also spot some animals that inhabit the garden, such as this fire-bellied toad.

The animal residents are there to keep insect pests in check, but some of the plants themselves contribute to the effort as well. Here are some carnivorous pitcher plants.

A very large specimen of Shonisaurus gets an entire exhibition area to itself.

Then the main dinosaur hall comes into view. Here, visitors are no longer funneled along a single path and have more freedom to wander around the hall, and there is much to see. Starting out in the Jurassic, an Allosaurus is mounted finishing off a Camptosaurus.

Ornitholestes. Note the retractable second toes and lack of a nasal crest.

Stegosaurus needs no introduction.

Moving onward into the Cretaceous, one of the few specimens of Confuciusornis that can be seen outside of China.

To paraphrase one of my undergraduate instructors, Thomas Holtz, "one does not visit the Tyrrell to look at casts of Morrison dinosaurs" (or, for that matter, at that single Confuciusornis, as nice as it is). The stars of the show are the locals. Here, a Euoplocephalus defends itself from an Albertosaurus.

The skull of Edmontonia.

One corner of the dinosaur hall is devoted entirely to ceratopsians, which is unsurprising considering how many have been found in Alberta. Here is Chasmosaurus.

The horn-less, frill-less ceratopsian Psittacosaurus, another rare exception to the otherwise Canadian lineup.

The skull of Leptoceratops.

Pachyrhinosaurus.

Styracosaurus.

Centrosaurus.

Anchiceratops.

Albertaceratops.

Moving away (but not too far away) from the ceratopsians, a pair of Stegoceras.

Basilemys, a large turtle.

Gorgosaurus looms over a Centrosaurus carcass.

Prosaurolophus hugs a tree.

Myledaphus, a Cretaceous freshwater guitarfish. Myledaphus teeth are commonly found, but fossils that preserve the rest of their bodies (such as this one) are far less so (which is unsurprising, given that they are cartilaginous fish).

The skull of the crocodylian Leidyosuchus.

The tibia of an azhdarchid pterosaur. The arrow is pointing to an embedded Saurornitholestes tooth.

The skull of Ankylosaurus.

The Cenozoic section of the museum returns to funneling guests down one path, but, after being mentally blown away by the dinosaur hall, most visitors are probably grateful for some order. Here is Simoedosaurus, a choristodere. At around this point in the gallery, there are also some live animals to look at (including a Florida soft-shelled turtle and some gar), though I was unable to get good photographs of them.

Even here, you haven't seen the last of the dinosaurs! This is an Eocene coraciiform.

A Gomphotherium.

As visitors near the exit, Glossotherium says, "Bye." Ground sloths really like waving. (I regret not taking a picture of the sign on this one, because it was almost impossible to find out which genus it was! Almost no one else on the internet had identified it as anything more specific than "ground sloth".)

I didn't take as many decent photos during the aforementioned tour of the collections as I'd have liked, but I at least got one of this iconic Dromiceiomimus/Ornithomimus specimen, currently not on display.

This specimen is notable not only for its well-preserved, articulated skeleton, but also for the fact that it preserves carbonized traces of forelimb feathers on the bones of its forearm where they once attached. See if you can spot them!

A specimen of Prosaurolophus with a patch of scales preserved.

A pond just outside the museum entrance, complete with a fountain and a leaping ichthyosaur.

I wouldn't be surprised if this pond was the most lushly-planted area here for miles around. Unsurprisingly, local wildlife, such as this cedar waxwing, was taking advantage.

Scenery more typical of the Albertan badlands.

Some marked trails near the museum provide the opportunity to experience the badlands more directly if one wishes. Trekking on one such trail, I spotted this vesper sparrow.

Ground squirrels were a common sight. This appears to be a Richardson's ground squirrel, though I may be wrong.

One of many Pachyrhinosaurus models surrounding the museum.

All in all, my first visit to the Royal Tyrrell did not disappoint. I hope that it is not my last. After all, there is still one thing that I haven't managed to accomplish on this trip, and that is seeing the original specimens of Albertonykus! I suppose that's going on the bucket list as a revised entry...