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Liopleurodon a New Display at Black Hills institute


Troodon

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For those of you that have visited the Black Hills Institute in Hill City SD you know that space is at a premium.  When I heard that they were planning to add a replica of the large Jurassic Pliosaur Liopleurodon ferox , I said where?   Well here it is flying high above.

 

DRNpxr7VAAAWMRD.thumb.jpeg.56f970adb96dc81d845d56e68d507f86.jpeg

 

The new view as you enter

 

DRNpY-rVAAAuHwt.thumb.jpeg.24d1da622f9bd5ff45093a60a9289e42.jpeg

 

 

Getting to this point was not easy.  The replica was not complete and the skull was distorted.

 

Started with a two meter skull

DLfI7YdWAAAd-j7.thumb.jpeg.d5b78b5239cd183e47027049f73dc22f.jpegDL0GyaWWsAATtxB.thumb.jpeg.6cf1d8c05807aea6dca55ecfee7d9c92.jpeg

 

mounting of the scapulae and the created coracoids

DNGUjTDUEAALNSy.thumb.jpeg.6e98a65be7fcab8672f6b7cb1c8a8bca.jpeg

 

positioned the pubes and ischia

 

DNGUzkqVQAAMyhR.thumb.jpeg.ab884bc4cd7979d6e3c98a987fd6971d.jpeg

 

attached to the sacral ribs with a rod going through the “yet to be created” ilia

DNGVQi_UQAA-yVS.thumb.jpeg.75a94d5de198f3b72c82cb00bca92ebb.jpeg

 

attach the created gastralia basket, creating the disassemble circle that will support the massive paddles

 

DNGV1O3WkAAqM-7.thumb.jpeg.990ebfb72d3a3b232bb067ed1ee4bc6e.jpeg

 

Mounting of the ribs

 

DNbEXvuW0AEjb54.thumb.jpeg.5d41a17f9571e5afeab51818eb789659.jpeg

 

Lots of modification to the ribs and lateral spines

 

DNbE2IUXkAA45wE.thumb.jpeg.aab394e5364b3305a22c6fbd715f3a70.jpeg

 

Its South Dakota  cow country

DNf7zw4XUAIM3TP.jpeg.a1deb769f2c955961af9db7336441454.jpeg

 

DNgBV37V4AA2SdP.thumb.jpeg.b6851d9aba4e24bae7f465905be346c0.jpeg

 

Bone corrections being made

 

DNgCPcIW0AAxZfE.thumb.jpeg.97eeac2c888036b703f4029f99d779e9.jpeg

 

 

DNgDDahX4AAoQFj.jpeg

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carving the end of the tail

 

DNgEGhJVAAAll2e.thumb.jpeg.527bf831ac7b3ba60b1efd78d89cd601.jpegDNvViVuXcAEgmVd.thumb.jpeg.c0eacb6616e18e778d46dad5c319bbbe.jpeg

 

added bases for restoring the lateral spines

 

DNvWHZKU8AE9TPa.thumb.jpeg.5aa6ce742a954187710d74a21b1995a9.jpeg

 

skull presented some interesting challenges, not the least of which was the creation of most of the braincase

 

DNvXpFWUIAAoH1C.thumb.jpeg.ee4041dd768fd1d1f4544270b96b460d.jpeg

 

In addition to missing elements from the skull, the right lower jaw was crushed in a rather “ugly” way. Presenting an awkward lateral view

 

DNvZH6LU8AAOEPA.thumb.jpeg.a94652aceb5e376a751a3512f6acb4c6.jpeg

 

we took out the saw and moved the offending portions

 

DNvZTPhUEAASAHw.thumb.jpeg.07f0d7489c91593acc86daa281f8dc26.jpeg

 

And moved them to their correct positions. Not a good idea for an original fossil, but acceptable for a cast

 

DNvY8ocVQAEArt_.thumb.jpeg.3cad7022f59ef1dcec58f7595b7f03cc.jpeg

 

DQzhWQdVoAEMO2e.thumb.jpeg.a50cc50a2c5b02285ad79f7acaa3b7c3.jpeg

DQzhgzOUIAEbu0s.thumb.jpeg.dff871aa0498ec815489b243e5ea5474.jpegDNvYJ-VVwAAZfWY.thumb.jpeg.fc6461c1b6783a6fa0ec0cd5df306261.jpegDQzhwKWUEAA5wgu.thumb.jpeg.340e5e6f416f230ede76ed5b5dc18dae.jpeg

 

photos and dialogue courtesy of Pete Larsen

 

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I love these step by step series of photographs. 

Very interesting and once again thanks for posting, I learn so much from your posts. :)

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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19 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I love these step by step series of photographs. 

Very interesting and once again thanks for posting, I learn so much from your posts. :)

Thank you.  I always find it very interesting to see the process it took to get to the final outcome.   

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Magnificent new acquisition to the museum,thanks for sharing:)!

 

Liopleurodon rossicus is actually invalid taxon and the species was reassigned to genus Pliosaurus.

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LOL! Sometimes, when I walk on the dam at the deep water of our lake; unbidden to my mind comes a flash of a video clip I once saw. In the video reconstruction a peaceful, bipedal dinosaur is searching the seaside rocks for lunch. Bang! Liopleurodon bursts from the water and snatches the hapless creature. Yikes! What a wonderful monster. I really enjoyed the photos of the replica.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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32 minutes ago, *THEO* said:

Magnificent new acquisition to the museum,thanks for sharing:)!

 

Liopleurodon rossicus is actually invalid taxon and the species was reassigned to genus Pliosaurus.

 I checked and they have changed the name since these pictures were taken to L. ferox

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6 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

LOL! Sometimes, when I walk on the dam at the deep water of our lake; unbidden to my mind comes a flash of a video clip I once saw. In the video reconstruction a peaceful, bipedal dinosaur is searching the seaside rocks for lunch. Bang! Liopleurodon bursts from the water and snatches the hapless creature. Yikes! What a wonderful monster. I really enjoyed the photos of the replica.

thanks and I really enjoyed your daydream of what life might have been in Jurassic times

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Amazing how much work goes into something like this!  I haven't been to BHI for about 9 or 10 years.  About time for another visit.

 

RB

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Hey, now wait a second.  Didn't I just see you in Tucson a few days ago, and now you have made your way to South Dakota?  I imagine you took these pix well before yu posted them huh.  

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1 hour ago, jpc said:

Hey, now wait a second.  Didn't I just see you in Tucson a few days ago, and now you have made your way to South Dakota?  I imagine you took these pix well before yu posted them huh.  

Pictures take by Pete

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 07/02/2018 at 12:33 PM, Troodon said:

carving the end of the tail

 

DNgEGhJVAAAll2e.thumb.jpeg.527bf831ac7b3ba60b1efd78d89cd601.jpegDNvViVuXcAEgmVd.thumb.jpeg.c0eacb6616e18e778d46dad5c319bbbe.jpeg

 

added bases for restoring the lateral spines

 

DNvWHZKU8AE9TPa.thumb.jpeg.5aa6ce742a954187710d74a21b1995a9.jpeg

 

skull presented some interesting challenges, not the least of which was the creation of most of the braincase

 

DNvXpFWUIAAoH1C.thumb.jpeg.ee4041dd768fd1d1f4544270b96b460d.jpeg

 

In addition to missing elements from the skull, the right lower jaw was crushed in a rather “ugly” way. Presenting an awkward lateral view

 

DNvZH6LU8AAOEPA.thumb.jpeg.a94652aceb5e376a751a3512f6acb4c6.jpeg

 

we took out the saw and moved the offending portions

 

DNvZTPhUEAASAHw.thumb.jpeg.07f0d7489c91593acc86daa281f8dc26.jpeg

 

And moved them to their correct positions. Not a good idea for an original fossil, but acceptable for a cast

 

DNvY8ocVQAEArt_.thumb.jpeg.3cad7022f59ef1dcec58f7595b7f03cc.jpeg

 

DQzhWQdVoAEMO2e.thumb.jpeg.a50cc50a2c5b02285ad79f7acaa3b7c3.jpeg

DQzhgzOUIAEbu0s.thumb.jpeg.dff871aa0498ec815489b243e5ea5474.jpegDNvYJ-VVwAAZfWY.thumb.jpeg.fc6461c1b6783a6fa0ec0cd5df306261.jpegDQzhwKWUEAA5wgu.thumb.jpeg.340e5e6f416f230ede76ed5b5dc18dae.jpeg

 

photos and dialogue courtesy of Pete Larsen

 

Absolutely amazing the precision,size and quality of this model.

Props! :) 

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That is one awesome job to have making a model that large especially a dinosaur.

The step by step pictures are nice to see what it takes to get such a lovely specimen.

Thank you so much for posting.

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  • 1 month later...

A bit late to the party, but man that is a great cast! Looks really cool! :drool:

 

Liopleurodon was my favorite marine reptile when I was a kid. But that was mainly because I believed the BBC size estimate of 25 meters. So that was mainly why I loved the creature, because it was so impressive IMO to look at something so huge. When I realized that this size was greatly exaggerated, I have to say with all honesty that I was a bit sad. Though 6-7m isn't small (or even the 12m), it is definitely not as marveling as 25. I still love this creature though, and am eagerly awaiting an opportunity for me to obtain a fossil of it!

 

Anyways, enough about my little personal story, let's go back to the cast we have here! Frank, do you maybe know on which fossil(s) this cast is based on?

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Max

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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  • 2 months later...
On 4/3/2018 at 8:27 AM, Max-fossils said:

A bit late to the party, but man that is a great cast! Looks really cool! :drool:

 

Liopleurodon was my favorite marine reptile when I was a kid. But that was mainly because I believed the BBC size estimate of 25 meters. So that was mainly why I loved the creature, because it was so impressive IMO to look at something so huge. When I realized that this size was greatly exaggerated, I have to say with all honesty that I was a bit sad. Though 6-7m isn't small (or even the 12m), it is definitely not as marveling as 25. I still love this creature though, and am eagerly awaiting an opportunity for me to obtain a fossil of it!

 

Anyways, enough about my little personal story, let's go back to the cast we have here! Frank, do you maybe know on which fossil(s) this cast is based on?

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Max

Sorry for the late response did not see your post.   Very nice story and its easy to see why you love this creature.  All I know its from Russia and if I can remember I will ask Pete the next time I see him.

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Visited BHI and took a couple of photos.  Boy they need more space everything is jammed together and these are beautiful specimens  

 

IMG_8229.JPG.1cdb895b9c34c944a5ad86fd870cdb61.JPGIMG_8228.JPG.434ce5d1cb7041a589281702787e6a41.JPG

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