The chart is almost complete! I'm happy with my selection of >1m animals, but this is your last chance to request a critter if you think I've missed an important one (no guarantees I'll add it though!).
Keep your eye out for the final chart - there is more to come! 👀
Keep your eye out for the final chart - there is more to come! 👀
December 20, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The chart is almost complete! I'm happy with my selection of >1m animals, but this is your last chance to request a critter if you think I've missed an important one (no guarantees I'll add it though!).
Keep your eye out for the final chart - there is more to come! 👀
Keep your eye out for the final chart - there is more to come! 👀
While Norisophis might be terrestrial, I've let it go for a swim. These will be the only basal snakes I'll illustrate, as the rest are probably quite a bit smaller, and these 1-2m ones are already super tiny on the chart.
December 8, 2025 at 8:54 PM
While Norisophis might be terrestrial, I've let it go for a swim. These will be the only basal snakes I'll illustrate, as the rest are probably quite a bit smaller, and these 1-2m ones are already super tiny on the chart.
We are rapidly approaching the finish line!
December 7, 2025 at 8:46 PM
We are rapidly approaching the finish line!
Known initially from the Bahariya, this animal isn't super well understood due to the lack of fossil remains of the bichir lineage. I've opted for a somewhat less elongated bodyplan compared to modern members of the group, but there are many unknowns!
December 6, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Known initially from the Bahariya, this animal isn't super well understood due to the lack of fossil remains of the bichir lineage. I've opted for a somewhat less elongated bodyplan compared to modern members of the group, but there are many unknowns!
This animal may have been the largest toothed pterosaur here, but again, with such poor material, it is very hard to tell. The skies are filled! Time to take the dive again.
December 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM
This animal may have been the largest toothed pterosaur here, but again, with such poor material, it is very hard to tell. The skies are filled! Time to take the dive again.
I *think* the name comes from the same root word (referring to a dragon-like creature in Iranian and Kazakh mythology) as azhdarchids - but I'm not sure.
Either way, this fish is about a metre and a half from what I can tell. Wouldn't stand a chance against Jeremy Wade.
Either way, this fish is about a metre and a half from what I can tell. Wouldn't stand a chance against Jeremy Wade.
December 2, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I *think* the name comes from the same root word (referring to a dragon-like creature in Iranian and Kazakh mythology) as azhdarchids - but I'm not sure.
Either way, this fish is about a metre and a half from what I can tell. Wouldn't stand a chance against Jeremy Wade.
Either way, this fish is about a metre and a half from what I can tell. Wouldn't stand a chance against Jeremy Wade.
Not quite the 12m wingspan giant from 1999, we now think Ornithocheirus has a much more reasonable, but still impressive, 4-5m wingspan. Also - I've rearranged a few animals in the size chart for a better flow!
November 30, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Not quite the 12m wingspan giant from 1999, we now think Ornithocheirus has a much more reasonable, but still impressive, 4-5m wingspan. Also - I've rearranged a few animals in the size chart for a better flow!
The running pose was very much a tribute to one of Todd Marshall's many incredible crocodylomorph depictions from the early 2010s. Thanks again to Armin Reindl for croc-advice!
November 24, 2025 at 8:58 PM
The running pose was very much a tribute to one of Todd Marshall's many incredible crocodylomorph depictions from the early 2010s. Thanks again to Armin Reindl for croc-advice!
This animal is about half-a-metre to a metre long, so it is one of our smallest ones so far! I'm planning to do a big cleanup of the size chart soon with some reorganising, so keep an eye out for that!
November 15, 2025 at 11:40 PM
This animal is about half-a-metre to a metre long, so it is one of our smallest ones so far! I'm planning to do a big cleanup of the size chart soon with some reorganising, so keep an eye out for that!
It is hard to get a size for a lot of these fragmentary pterosaurs - I've gone for a tentative 4-5ish metre wingspan here.
November 9, 2025 at 8:26 PM
It is hard to get a size for a lot of these fragmentary pterosaurs - I've gone for a tentative 4-5ish metre wingspan here.
While it's our smallest aquatic critter so far, it's still pretty sizeable at around 2-3m in length. Jeremy Wade would have the time of his life in the Kem Kem.
November 8, 2025 at 9:34 PM
While it's our smallest aquatic critter so far, it's still pretty sizeable at around 2-3m in length. Jeremy Wade would have the time of his life in the Kem Kem.
While not larger than Elosuchus, Laganosuchus is still a pretty hefty addition to the roster. I'm finding it trickier to come up with a clean composition for the aquatic section - something I'll keep working on.
November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
While not larger than Elosuchus, Laganosuchus is still a pretty hefty addition to the roster. I'm finding it trickier to come up with a clean composition for the aquatic section - something I'll keep working on.
Perspective was a real pain with this illustration, so there's a solid chance I'll redraw it before I finish the series. Anyways, I've plopped him right down at the bottom of the scene, well away from Spinosaurus - phew!
November 3, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Perspective was a real pain with this illustration, so there's a solid chance I'll redraw it before I finish the series. Anyways, I've plopped him right down at the bottom of the scene, well away from Spinosaurus - phew!
This is one of the tiniest of our animals so far, I think only beat out by Leptostomia. Big thanks to @arminreindl.bsky.social for help with some anatomy details!
November 2, 2025 at 5:30 PM
This is one of the tiniest of our animals so far, I think only beat out by Leptostomia. Big thanks to @arminreindl.bsky.social for help with some anatomy details!
This is the smallest dinosaur here! I'm certain there must have been birds around, but as far as I can tell, no fossils have been found, or at least, none have been clearly identified.
October 3, 2025 at 9:23 PM
This is the smallest dinosaur here! I'm certain there must have been birds around, but as far as I can tell, no fossils have been found, or at least, none have been clearly identified.
With such fragmentary material, like many of these pterosaurs, it is hard to get a size estimate, but I've tentatively sized this critter to a 3-4m wingspan.
October 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM
With such fragmentary material, like many of these pterosaurs, it is hard to get a size estimate, but I've tentatively sized this critter to a 3-4m wingspan.
And that's the second largest dinosaur in the ecosystem - not quite as impressive as the titanosaur, but nonetheless very cool and that tail stretches right across the scene.
September 30, 2025 at 9:04 PM
And that's the second largest dinosaur in the ecosystem - not quite as impressive as the titanosaur, but nonetheless very cool and that tail stretches right across the scene.
The specimens indicate a small-ish animal, of about 3m or so. I find these freshwater plesiosaurs so interesting - it seems like the Bahariya has its own critter, though those appear to be polycotylids, where these ones are leptocleidids.
September 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The specimens indicate a small-ish animal, of about 3m or so. I find these freshwater plesiosaurs so interesting - it seems like the Bahariya has its own critter, though those appear to be polycotylids, where these ones are leptocleidids.
It's nice to start filling out the skies again! There are quite a few similar looking toothed pterosaurs, so Anhanguera won't be alone for long!
September 26, 2025 at 8:26 PM
It's nice to start filling out the skies again! There are quite a few similar looking toothed pterosaurs, so Anhanguera won't be alone for long!
The file size for this size comparison image keeps getting bigger - will have to do something about that! Anyways, Elosuchus is a large animal, attaining lengths of over 7m, a full metre longer than any living crocodile.
September 17, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The file size for this size comparison image keeps getting bigger - will have to do something about that! Anyways, Elosuchus is a large animal, attaining lengths of over 7m, a full metre longer than any living crocodile.
🦖 Daily Paleo 🦖; Afrotapejara zouhri
From Late Cretaceous Kem Kem Formation, Morocco, "African Tapejara" (really creative, guys) is a tapejarid pterosaur with a 5 meter wingspan known from bits of the rostra and mandible. Like other tapejarids, it was likely frugivorous
Art by Brennan Stokkermans
From Late Cretaceous Kem Kem Formation, Morocco, "African Tapejara" (really creative, guys) is a tapejarid pterosaur with a 5 meter wingspan known from bits of the rostra and mandible. Like other tapejarids, it was likely frugivorous
Art by Brennan Stokkermans
September 16, 2025 at 8:16 PM
🦖 Daily Paleo 🦖; Afrotapejara zouhri
From Late Cretaceous Kem Kem Formation, Morocco, "African Tapejara" (really creative, guys) is a tapejarid pterosaur with a 5 meter wingspan known from bits of the rostra and mandible. Like other tapejarids, it was likely frugivorous
Art by Brennan Stokkermans
From Late Cretaceous Kem Kem Formation, Morocco, "African Tapejara" (really creative, guys) is a tapejarid pterosaur with a 5 meter wingspan known from bits of the rostra and mandible. Like other tapejarids, it was likely frugivorous
Art by Brennan Stokkermans
When reconstructing an critterthis poorly known, I tend to go for a more conservative appearance, taking into account relatives from similar times/places. Unfortunately, footprints are incredibly difficult to assign, and ornithopod footprints aren't dissimilar from theropod ones.
September 16, 2025 at 7:28 PM
When reconstructing an critterthis poorly known, I tend to go for a more conservative appearance, taking into account relatives from similar times/places. Unfortunately, footprints are incredibly difficult to assign, and ornithopod footprints aren't dissimilar from theropod ones.
Carcharodontosaurus taking a nap while some young Afrotapejara sit close by.
#Carcharodontosaurus #Afrotapejara #Dinosaurs #Pterosaurs #Blender #Blender2.79
#Carcharodontosaurus #Afrotapejara #Dinosaurs #Pterosaurs #Blender #Blender2.79
September 16, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Carcharodontosaurus taking a nap while some young Afrotapejara sit close by.
#Carcharodontosaurus #Afrotapejara #Dinosaurs #Pterosaurs #Blender #Blender2.79
#Carcharodontosaurus #Afrotapejara #Dinosaurs #Pterosaurs #Blender #Blender2.79
And with that, the size chart enters a new frontier! It will likely keep stretching out to the sides, as well as further down - but I think we've hit the upper limit with that titanosaur.
September 15, 2025 at 8:12 PM
And with that, the size chart enters a new frontier! It will likely keep stretching out to the sides, as well as further down - but I think we've hit the upper limit with that titanosaur.