HOME | DD

Dontknowwhattodraw94 — Tyrannosaurids and their feathers

#albertosaurus #tyrannosaurus #tyrannosauridae #dontknowwhattodraw94 #nanuqsaurus
Published: 2017-06-29 21:14:55 +0000 UTC; Views: 29111; Favourites: 544; Downloads: 131
Redirect to original
Description With all the fuzz around Tyrannosaurid scales I guess we were all a bit shaken up, not really because of Bell et al. (2017)  itself but more because of the media going full JP fanboy. Luckily there were lots of other replies to give a more nuanced look at the paper so there's that. With that all in mind I decided to draw some Tyrannosaurids again, because I hadn't drawn one a while before the paper and after the paper I hadn't drawn any others either 
because I was waiting for all the blogposts, journals and opinions and busy with finals.
Now that I've seen enough about it and I also have the actual time to do some free time drawing it was time to grab the pencils and fineliners again. 

So, with Tyrannosaurus showing a wide distribution of scales I'm off the densely feathered wagon and will go for mostly scaly with sparse feathers based on Witton as well as this by
You might also be aware of Carr et al. (2017) and their Tyrannosaurid facial integument, but their arguments for it aren't particularly strong so I partly disagree and go for keratinized skin on the face like a crocodile, but with a full set of lips.

Also, be aware that even though Tyrannosaurus might be mostly scaly, the scales could also not even be true scales but reticula as in birds (modified feathers that look like scales) which means it not always has to be a reptilian look for Tyrannosaurids. Maybe not even Tyrannosaurus itself when not fully grown or depending on the location of the population. (or even the seasons)

That's why I have a fully feathered Nanuqsaurus here because this Alaskan dwarf species would probably turn into an icicle during winter if it wasnt feathered. There's also a partly feathered Albertosaurus of which we have officially described scale imprints too now, but they're only from the abdomen and Gorgosaurus (which is same-sized and has remains from the same region as Albertosaurus) has some on the tail. These two animals are however inbetween Nanuqsaurus and Tyrannosaurus so how feathered would they be? I went for something inbetween the two, because 1. there's a way larger part of the body we have no impressions whatsoever from and 2. I just wondered about how feathers would retreat during Tyrannosaurid evolution. What I drew here is something similar to how I drew rexes before, but the coat itself is not as dense. Again, this might've varied too for reasons I mentioned earlier.


To get a good look of what we now all have of Tyrannosauroid integument, there's this nice shart.
Related content
Comments: 197

FiliusTonitrui In reply to ??? [2019-03-02 22:19:26 +0000 UTC]

I did not say it would be impossible for the teeth to be covered, I said it is not certain that they were covered. The foramina count and pattern shows us that it had lip tissue, but how long were the lips is another story and, by the time being, open to speculation.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

CoelurosaurianArtist In reply to ??? [2017-07-03 00:00:42 +0000 UTC]

Lips are still in the realm of realism to me.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FiliusTonitrui In reply to CoelurosaurianArtist [2017-07-03 00:21:18 +0000 UTC]

Well I still think ahort lips are possible, but not large, teeth covering ones.

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

CoelurosaurianArtist In reply to FiliusTonitrui [2017-07-03 16:27:38 +0000 UTC]

That could be plausible too.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FiliusTonitrui In reply to CoelurosaurianArtist [2017-07-03 16:33:41 +0000 UTC]

I doubt since there would be only a small area for it to develop.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

GRIMBLETOOTH In reply to FiliusTonitrui [2017-07-03 01:14:47 +0000 UTC]

Mind if I ask why exactly?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FiliusTonitrui In reply to GRIMBLETOOTH [2017-07-03 16:41:14 +0000 UTC]

Because  New Fossil Reveals Tyrannosaurids Were LIPLESSWell, at least that the chances of tyrannodaurids being lipless were way higher than expected.
That is it guys, most of the paleo community was wrong about the oral tissue of T. rex and it's closest relatives, and it turn out that what I tought was the proof of the presence of at least tiny lips (foramina) had, in fact, the same use of the ones from crocodiles. It has literally JUST BEEN PUBLISHED. Like... TODAY (03/30/2017). Since this is a very important discovery let me tag some people first:
:icontomozaurus:
:iconarvalis:
:icontyranttr: (I know I already sent this to you Jake, but whatever)
:iconfredthedinosaurman:
:iconhunterstrait: (You'd better rethink your "The real lipless/featherless T. rex" deviation after all)
:iconspinoinwonderland:
:icondontknowwhattodraw94:
:iconswordlord3d: (you once told me that you were not a great fan of lips, or at least covered teeth, in T. rex. Therefore I am sure you will find this interesting)
:iconmarkm98:
:iconvalia2305:
:iconthedubstepaddict:

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

GRIMBLETOOTH In reply to FiliusTonitrui [2017-07-04 01:57:27 +0000 UTC]

Oh, ok, I'll look into it.  

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FiliusTonitrui In reply to GRIMBLETOOTH [2017-07-04 02:45:26 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

HellraptorStudios In reply to ??? [2017-07-01 20:24:18 +0000 UTC]

Great work indeed. I myself belive that Tyrannosaurus and Albertosaurus had less feathers on their bodies, but thats me. I like this look as well. Two thumbs up

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to HellraptorStudios [2017-07-03 22:15:53 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

GigaBoss101 In reply to ??? [2017-07-01 06:48:04 +0000 UTC]

I really disagree with the whole 'no feathers' argument that people through around. If Elephant birds can survive in Madagascar, i'm pretty sure Tyrannosaurus can survive in a far cooler environment. Let's focus on the bird found in amber, which is far more interesting, and gives us more insight than this whole scaled argument ever could.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to GigaBoss101 [2017-07-01 16:31:10 +0000 UTC]

Of course there are more interesting things, but with the media being everything but nuanced I find it worthy to spend some time on this.
And a 500 kg bird from a hot climate isn't really comparable with a +8 ton theropod that possibly lived all over North America. 

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

GigaBoss101 In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-07-08 04:18:36 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I guess.
But, I guarantee you, if all birds were extinct and we discovered their fossils, that people would have thought ostriches and all that were scaly because of their size.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to GigaBoss101 [2017-07-08 12:29:11 +0000 UTC]

That's going to depend on if we found feathered fossils. Pretty sure all scientists would agree feathers for all birds because phylogenetics with only the fanboys denying it, as we saw with large Dromaeosaurids before the Velociraptor and Dakotaraptor quill knobs were discovered.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Glavenychus In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-07-01 22:28:02 +0000 UTC]

Wouldn't say all of North America even tentatively, we have yet to find any presence of Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurids either in the northeastern or southeastern regions of the US.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Glavenychus [2017-07-03 22:16:44 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I shoul've said that a bit more precise...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Glavenychus In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-07-04 02:25:35 +0000 UTC]

It's okay, at least you're close on that we do have tyrannosaur presence anyway, albeit smaller tyrannosauroids.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Waldbeere In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 21:38:13 +0000 UTC]

I still believe in denser integument for the big boi but you make everything look realistic amd lifelike.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Waldbeere [2017-07-01 16:31:19 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Norththeicewing In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 18:17:41 +0000 UTC]

NANUQASAURUS MY FAVORITE!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Norththeicewing [2017-06-30 18:47:05 +0000 UTC]

Glad to hear

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Libra1010 [2017-06-30 18:00:33 +0000 UTC]

She's a nice beastie, yeah

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Libra1010 In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-07-01 14:18:38 +0000 UTC]

 Unless of course it's YOU she fancies getting her teeth into! 

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Dinosaurguy10 In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 14:16:37 +0000 UTC]

what about Yutyranus?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Dinosaurguy10 [2017-06-30 17:47:54 +0000 UTC]

It's not that much of a big animal. They weigh less than Albertosaurus-sized Tyrannosaurids and also lack the wide torsos which makes it easier for them to lose heat. 

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Luca9108 In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 12:35:39 +0000 UTC]

Looks great!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Luca9108 [2017-06-30 17:48:00 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Xiphactinus In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 09:04:39 +0000 UTC]

Great work, my friend!   I like how you showed a variety of covers within the collection. And, of course, a very good Nanuqsaurus. It is especially interesting that he is shown with a summer coat, not as usual.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Xiphactinus [2017-06-30 09:46:50 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!
I'm not so sure if a white wintercoat is that necesarry actually. The only large predators that are white today are polar bears and arctic wolves. Late Cretaceous Alaska wasn't as cold as it is today and even though there was obviously snow during winter I don't really see a reason to make Nanuqsaurus white. After all the average gray wolf isn't white, same for cougars, lynxes, tigers etc. and they do just fine. Nanuqsaurus didn't live in an open environment like polar bears or arctic wolves so I guess something brown-ish would do just fine in the forests and such it lived in. Sneaking up to prey from between the trees would've made this animal quite invisible enough from a distance, I think. And during winter it was dark for months, so it was quite well hidden anyway. Predators have better night vision than their prey.

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

Xiphactinus In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-06-30 10:04:14 +0000 UTC]

I just said that most reconstructions do not consider the fact that you said. They are almost always white or very light.  

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Xiphactinus [2017-06-30 10:24:52 +0000 UTC]

It seems so. I'm guilty of it too though. My last Nanuqsaurus was completely white too, feathered toes and all.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Xiphactinus In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-06-30 09:49:33 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for the reminder! I sometimes forget important things...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

AntFingers In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 08:05:37 +0000 UTC]

Oh wow, a nanuqsaurus, don't see many of them in art. Which is a shame, they're my favourite tyrannosaurs.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to AntFingers [2017-06-30 08:11:26 +0000 UTC]

They're quite underrated, yes. But so many dinosaurs are...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

AntFingers In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-07-01 02:39:37 +0000 UTC]

It's criminal, nanuqsaurus is literally a polar bear in tyrannosaur form. Then there's citipati and shantungosaurus that get no recognition despite how badass they are.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

candelediva In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 07:03:54 +0000 UTC]

The Mainstream Media responsible for Paleontology discoveries should be fired and replaced with actual people who don't suck the cocks of JP

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Dinosaurguy10 In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 06:25:42 +0000 UTC]

THIS IS SO GUD

T rex was this big?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Dinosaurguy10 [2017-06-30 08:13:08 +0000 UTC]

This is a Sue-sized animal, so the average rex would be a bit smaller.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dinosaurguy10 In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-06-30 08:32:36 +0000 UTC]

woah mayn

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TheDerpasaur In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 05:01:00 +0000 UTC]

Interesting

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Gorgomoloch In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 03:47:15 +0000 UTC]

I believe Tomozaurus captured it best.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Gorgomoloch [2017-06-30 08:14:23 +0000 UTC]

His chart is more of a summary of everything we have so I don't think he actually thinks the average Tyrannosaurid looked like that. (I could be wrong of course)

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Gorgomoloch In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-06-30 14:00:09 +0000 UTC]

True

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Constrict0r12 In reply to ??? [2017-06-30 01:31:20 +0000 UTC]

Where. THE F*CK. Have you been? Also cool dinos

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Constrict0r12 [2017-06-30 08:14:43 +0000 UTC]

School, man, school.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Constrict0r12 In reply to Dontknowwhattodraw94 [2017-06-30 19:43:15 +0000 UTC]

Oh. Ok. Schools good.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Paleop In reply to ??? [2017-06-29 23:41:22 +0000 UTC]

You beautiful bastard!  You've done it!
THIS IS THE GREATEST TYRANNOSAUR ART I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Dontknowwhattodraw94 In reply to Paleop [2017-06-30 08:15:52 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, man
Well, there are some influences from your models so there's that  

👍: 0 ⏩: 1


<= Prev | | Next =>