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#eoraptor #xiphactinusart
Published: 2019-04-21 14:32:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 3137; Favourites: 146; Downloads: 15
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Description
The early dinosaur Eoraptor lunensis from the late Triassic of Argentina, described by Sereno et al in 1993 on a fairly well-preserved skeleton belonging to a small animal about 1 meter long. The fossils come from a rich Ischigualasto formation where "dawn plunderer" was one of a few early dinosaurs. The formation is also called the "Valley of the Moon" because of the characteristic environment, where the species name of the dinosaur came from.
Overall, Eoraptor was a light and agile animal, with very long legs. Judging by two types of teeth (upper typical for predatory theropods and lower leaf-shaped), the animal fed on small animals and plant material. Some authors have interpreted it's big eyes as juvenile trait, but Sereno showed that the holotype was an adult. It is possible that Eoraptor, avoiding encounters with much more dangerous neighbors, was active in low light conditions.
The classification of the Eoraptor is the subject of dispute. There were two dominant points of view: the dinosaur belonged to either a basal theropod or sauropodomorph (which in particular specifies heterodonty). The latest 2017 analysis placed Eoraptor among the basal theropods.
In this drawing, I decided to deviate from the normal model and draw vertical pupils. Now the dinosaur was somewhat similar to reptilian dromaeosaurid reconstructions from 80-90 years. However, usually this form of the pupil is characteristic of nocturnal animals, so the choice fell on it is not casual. Tail ornamentation is speculative.
EDIT: Thanks to guys from Discord paleocommunity I fixed caudofemoralis muscle and made some other adjustments.
EDIT 2: Newly scanned version.
Technical pencil HB, 2019.
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Comments: 6
DrTheropod [2019-04-25 20:20:37 +0000 UTC]
Really awesome drawing! You don't think feathers were an ancestral trait for dinos?
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Xiphactinus In reply to DrTheropod [2019-04-26 17:31:23 +0000 UTC]
Thank you very much! Filamentous integument in early dinosaurs (and ornithodirans as whole) is kinda controversial topic. We have examples of non-coelurosaurian dinosaurs with proven prescence of insulating covers, as well as pterosaurs. Homology of these traits is not proven, however it's possible. Final point is that early ornithodirans were active and agile animals. So I think, insulating integument in early ornithodirans is quite possible. This Eoraptor is scaly because I wanted to show aestetically "scaly and outdated" appearance, but also as an another side of integument matter.
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DrTheropod In reply to Xiphactinus [2019-04-27 17:04:35 +0000 UTC]
Very cool. I love the drawing and I admit its totally possible it would've been a scaly little boi.
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Philoceratops [2019-04-24 20:37:35 +0000 UTC]
Very nice reconstruction! The slit pupils are a neat touch!
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