This page is mainly for reviewing the accuracy of non-dinosaur paleoart (usually by the artists themselves, but anyone who wants an image scrutinized is welcome to post them for review). Any other image, such as size comparisons or photos of skeletal mounts, can also be posted here to review their accuracy.
If you want to submit paleoart images for accuracy review, place them here as well as links to what you used as references. If you want to participate as reviewer, you can put the page on your watchlist. New images of any type can also be requested by including "Request:" in the section title, and if submitted, such an image will thereafter be reviewed. Sections are archived automatically after some time when a discussion stalls, to encourage speedy responses from both artists and reviewers. It is allowed to revive sections if they have been archived before being resolved, unlike regular talk page archives.
Modifications of previously uploaded amateur restorations to correct anatomical inaccuracies is encouraged (including by others than the original artists), but modifications of historical restorations are discouraged, as these should be used to show historical ideas. Drastic modifications to restorations published in peer-reviewed journals should be uploaded as separate files, so that both versions are available.
Images that have been deemed inaccurate should be tagged with the Wikimedia Commons template "Inaccurate paleoart"[5] (which automatically adds the "Inaccurate paleoart" category[6]), so they can be prevented from being used and easily located for correction. User created images are not considered original research, per WP:OI and WP:PERTINENCE[a], but it is appreciated if sources used are listed in file descriptions (this is often requested during WP:Featured Article reviews).
If image is included for historical value. In these cases the image caption should explain that it is an outdated reconstruction. Historical interest images should not be used in the taxobox, but preferably in a section of the text discussing the history of a taxon.
Criteria sufficient to remove an image:
Images should not speculate unnecessarily beyond what has been indicated by reliable sources. Therefore, depicting overly speculative physical features, behaviors, and pathologies should be avoided, to prevent WP:OR issues. Restorations that show serious pathologies known from fossil evidence are welcome, but should not be used as the main representation of a given taxon. These should instead show healthy, typical individuals, and not focus on unknown areas of their anatomy. Since Wikipedia is an encyclopaedia rather than an art gallery, it is not the place for artistic experimentation, and we cannot include every piece of available artwork.
Image differs appreciably from known skeletal elements.
Example: If Lystrosaurus is reconstructed with four fingers.
Example: If an hesperornithid bird known only from postcranial elements is reconstructed without teeth, a feature made highly improbable by its phylogenetic position.
Image differs appreciably from known non-skeletal elements.
Example: If a restoration of Castorocauda lacks hair.
Image differs appreciably from implied non-skeletal elements.
Example: Scaphognathus should not be depicted without pycnofibres, since phylogenetic bracketing implies that it had them.
Image pose differs appreciably from known range of motion.
Example: Plesiosaurs reconstructed with overly flexible necks.
Exception: If the range of motion is debated in the scientific literature, as is the case with sauropod neck position.
Image depicts a scene which is anachronistic or contradicts known geographic range.
i could argue that, based on the trilophosaurus skeletal, the illustration you showed has actually kind of short arms, and that my depiction is within a natural range of motion for the creature, between the usually depicted limb that's far away back and the other far away forward [9]. So like a mid-step position LiterallyMiguel (talk) 03:17, 10 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Regardless, the point is to ignore Peters' work entirely (found on his blogs "Reptile Evolution" and "The Pterosaur Heresies") since he usually introduces many misinterpretations due to his unorthodox methods. -SlvrHwk (talk) 16:14, 10 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
i mean; ok, but that's not really the point, judging by other skeletals (like the one from its own paper) the arm lenght is fine in my opinion, and its in a natural middle-ground between the usually depicted far-away-back and far-away-forward foot pose, unless there's evidence of teraterpeton's legs being shorter which i haven't found yet LiterallyMiguel (talk) 21:13, 10 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Here are all of this user's uploads (including Teraterpeton, discussed above). I can't speak to the little anatomical details, but they seem quite good artistically. -SlvrHwk (talk) 16:14, 10 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
thanks!, i also wonder what other species could be in need of a good paleo-art, like i did with Puercosuchus, which even with how interesting it is, there's ZERO other drawings of it i the internet! LiterallyMiguel (talk) 21:14, 10 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Several skeletal reconstructions and diagrams done of Ornithoprion based on the figures provided in Zangerl's 1966 description. I've talked about this over in the Discord and these should be distinct enough to be Creative Commons, but let me know if they need to be differentiated further (and of course if there are any anatomical issues). No photos of the fossils are available on commons (Or anywhere but the description, for that matter) and even then they are quite severely crushed, so I'm not sure what can be done besides closely copying the figures in the paper to accurately represent them. I'm working on finishing up an extensive rewrite of the currently very barebones page for this guy, so I thought it could use some images besides the frankly horribly inaccurate life restoration I did a couple of years ago. Gasmasque (talk) 05:25, 8 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Will correct, good catch! The paper is from before the name change, so it must have just slipped my mind to adjust that while doing this. Gasmasque (talk) 06:54, 15 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Zangerl's original figures show the two with a gap between them, and it is suggested that the rostrum was articulated and flexible and not fused to the Meckel's. If this illustration seems implausibly exaggerated or confusing then it can be changed, but I do want to emphasize that this was an apparently flexible structure. Gasmasque (talk) 22:12, 23 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
An additional fossil illustration and life reconstruction of another eugeneodont called Paredestus. There isn't a ton published on this guy, but the dentition described in the paper is extremely unique, and I thought it was worth doing a life reconstruction (based primarily off of other recons published for edestoids). Gasmasque (talk) 16:12, 5 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
A Bunch of Restorations that I forgot to have reviewed
Skull anatomy and osteoderms look OK for Turfanosuchus, but I'm wondering about the limb proportions and stance. Based on the known limb proportions [11] and other gracilisuchids [12], the forelimbs should be much shorter than the hindlimbs. Lythronaxargestes (talk | contribs) 18:12, 23 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry for taking so long to reply, I can definitely see that and certain things were corrected later on including removing osteoderms on the tail and removing claws on the outer two digits on the front limbs. I should be able to fix this later today along with the proportions on the other Asian taxa in the family that I’ve yet to upload to wikimedia. SeismicShrimp (talk) 14:56, 6 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The difference between the mandrill and the Geikia is that the former is still recognisably blue-on-red... the latter is just straight-up violet. I'm OK with a less vibrant purple. Lythronaxargestes (talk | contribs) 14:20, 31 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Don't have any comment on these but looking at Commons you don't seem to have got around to uploading the Youngina drawing we were discussing on Discord a few months back. Hemiauchenia (talk) 03:47, 7 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Got a bit busy with stuff so I never finished it but all it needs are osteoderms so maybe like 10-20 minutes of work. I can get Youngina and both of the Temnospondyls I have on commons done later today. SeismicShrimp (talk) 12:03, 7 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Unclear what is claw and what is soft tissue in the forelimbs of Yonghesuchus, not even clear if the forelimbs have claws at all. Separating them with linework (as in the hindlimbs) or different colors would be a simple fix. Skye McDavid (talk) 15:00, 7 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
My traditional pen + pencil reconstruction of Amananulam sanogoi, largely based on modern sea snakes and alethinophidians such as boas. No species within this family have genus/species pages with artwork, to my knowledge, and only one has a created page. This is my first time ever using wikipedia to submit my own artwork, and while I may fear some aspects of this reconstruction are too speculative, I may be able to make minor edits per your suggestions. While I plan to color this, I'm uploading the uncolored version first as it may be easier on the eyes and more anatomically digestible.
Edit: this specific individual is a female, hence the lack of spurs. Lythronax246 (talk) 21:04, 7 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I think all of these look good. I can't recall ungual counts off the top of my head for non-archosaurian archosauromorphs, but thats a minor and fixable detail if incorrect. IJReid{{T - C - D - R}}17:31, 12 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
In at least the largest specimen of Prolacerta, the femur is a good 50% longer than the humerus [14]. The opposite seems to be true here? Or is it the posture? Also, Figure 9 in the paper has a new skull reconstruction that gives it somewhat larger eyes and a mild overbite. Lythronaxargestes (talk | contribs) 03:46, 21 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Very few waves in a tsunami crest, which does make it a bit less visually dramatic. Whether that is an issue with this piece that makes it need revisions or not, I cannot say, but it is something others should keep in mind when reviewing this piece. IJReid{{T - C - D - R}}17:30, 12 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
While this restoration isn't used in the Megatherium article proper, it is widely used elsewhere, including at the collage in the infobox of Xenarthra. Looking at the head, there are a number of issues. 1. While this was a popular historical paleoart meme, Megatherium almost certainly didn't have a protrusible tongue based on a 2010 study of its hyoid bones [15]. 2. Megatherium probably had a prehensile upper lip similar to that of a black rhinoceros, see this 2006 paper which has a good restoration [16], which isn't shown in this image. The first issue and probably the second issue are fixable with editing. Hemiauchenia (talk) 07:38, 12 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Not the easiest angle to show this snout morphology from, but I've updated the image to show something like in that paper, what do you think, Hemiauchenia? If that's fine, I'll fix the landscape image too. FunkMonk (talk) 22:48, 13 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Looks fantastic. In addition to the landscape the Xenarthra collage will also need fixing [18] (which just a simple job of replacing the original with your fixed version) Hemiauchenia (talk) 04:07, 14 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I found exactly same skeletal reconstruction in DeviantArt.[19] Is image uploader same as original author? Also found some description of article of Vishnuictis which is citation needed, is somewhat similar to description in this deviant. (difference is upper length being 3.4 m instead of 2.4 m) Ta-tea-two-te-to (talk) 15:10, 17 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The fish from the Yixian Formation is excellent and sorely needed. Although I'm not sure about the big dark box on the left-hand side of the labeled version. A Cynical Idealist (talk) 23:26, 26 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, the premaxilla is too short for what's preserved (which is not nearly the entire thing), causing the eyes to be too far back. The bulging eyes also don't seem very likely, especially considering that they depicted here as being larger than the orbits. Not sure about the external ear opening either. It is nice to see a hupehsuchian restored with normal-looking paddles though, some of our current reconstructions are really badly shrinkwrapped there. --Slate Weasel [Talk - Contribs] 17:48, 15 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Telmatosaurus should be reviewed at WP:DINOART. IIRC early diverging hadrosauromorphs wouldn't have had the Edmontosaurus-like hands but not sure and don't have time to double-check at the moment. Skye McDavid (talk) 16:07, 29 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I agree with the above points. The right arm seems out of the comfortable range of motion. I'll also add that the tail is much too long based on related taxa. -SlvrHwk (talk) 04:24, 30 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Inabtanin looks nice. I wonder if the 'finger' part of the wing should be longer, considering how long the first wing phalanx is. The background might also be distractingly saturated. Could it be lightened a little? -SlvrHwk (talk) 04:44, 13 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Two illustrations of mekosuchines. The first one displays the diversity of the group, comparing Paludirex, Quinkana, Mekosuchus and Baru darrowi (to scale). The other is a size comparisson of Quinkana fortirostrum with a human based on the estimates of Flannery (1990) and Sobbe et al. (2013).
I also got a skull recon in the works but that will take some more time to finish and recieve feedback from a first hand source so really thats not relevant right now.Armin Reindl (talk) 21:07, 26 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
A sketch of Equus ovodovi using colored and mechanical pencils on paper
A colored-pencil sketch of Equus ovodovi, taking into account the general cranial proportions of Equus coliemensis (the only Sussemione with skull material) and the general body and limb proportions of zebras and wild asses, the clades most closely related to Sussemiones. Coloration primarily inspired by Asiatic and African wild asses. Dynamoterror1011 (talk) 17:32, 27 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Gracilisuchus generally looks fine, but the lower jaw seems too tall. There is some crushing in MCZ 4117 but the thinness of the lower jaw is fairly consistent across specimens. Either way, this is a substantial improvement over the current image. Lythronaxargestes (talk | contribs) 02:55, 28 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hello everyone, if you know the subject of mosasaurs, you have most likely already come across this image of Dimitri Bogdanov reconstructing a Tylosaurus proriger, which was even used in certain studies. Although reconstitution seems good for the body, it is still very bad and obsolete for the tail. I therefore suggest that a user skilled in editing can correct this error, so that it can be used appropriately in an article. Amirani1746 (talk) 21:51, 31 August 2024 (UTC)
Here's the file in question :[reply]
I wonder if we even need it anymore, since there are many other accurate restorations of it here? Won't be easy to edit since the entire posture is outdated. FunkMonk (talk) 00:00, 1 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Surprisingly, not that much ! There's only two reconstruction of T. proriger on Wikimedia : one which is slightly more recent (2015) than this one (2007). It doesn't appear to have ever been discussed here, but is probably, although a bit bendy, more on par with modern understanding of their anatomy. The second one is from 2022 and passed review, but presents the inconvenient of not using a white background. If somebody could correct that, that would be useful to replace the one from 2007. Both are from Bogdanov.
20152022
Honestly, in the English wiki, the 2007 image is barely used anymore aside from the Mooreville Chalk and the Matanuska Formation, so we could just remove the earliest recon and substitute them the more recent ones. Tylosaurus has a substantial research history article, and (although a bit skinwrapped) the 2007 recon seems to be pretty accurate to the knowledge of the animal at the time, so it could maybe be used in that article as an historical interpretation, and as such it is probably better to keep it as it is currently. Larrayal (talk) 04:20, 1 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
There's also this NT one already with a white background that would be pretty easy to fix the tail of for use in cladograms:[20] Perhaps should also not show individual fingers and hide teeth? FunkMonk (talk) 05:25, 1 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
A skull reconstruction and size comparisson of Paranacaiman. The skull reconstruction features a generalized skull shape and is based on a reconstruction of the holotype skull table. Missing sutures are inferred based on the general anatomy of close relatives like Acresuchus, Purussaurus neivensis and Mourasuchus atopus.Armin Reindl (talk) 12:57, 1 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Reconstruction as a plioplatecarpine following recent phylogenetic studies, updating from previous reconstructions as a mosasaurine. Head is based on Lingham-Soliar (1991), while body proportions are based on the Los Angeles Platecarpus skeleton. Macrophyseter | talk21:53, 1 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I've been working on a bunch of stuff this week with a focus on a few archosaurs and a bunch of cynodonts, but I saw this guy got published so I decided to drop what I was doing to get a quick life restoration out. I'll be putting the rest of my stuff up for review in the next few days, expect around 10-15 taxa. SeismicShrimp (talk) 20:41, 5 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Just before someone jumps in to say the canine should be covered, Tasmanian devils often have exposed canines (as I like to point out). FunkMonk (talk) 09:12, 6 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The American mastodon I drew recently, the Borston's is an older drawing that someone on the WikiPaleo Discord server asked I post here, leaving them both here for review now. Olmagon (talk) 00:57, 6 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Some of these were uploaded more than a year ago but for whatever reason never got reviewed. Others were completed around that time but weren't uploaded. I was hoping to add Macrocnemus to this collection but I'm not sure if (or when) I'll ever get to that. The two multi-specimen diagrams are restricted to those with published length estimates or mostly complete skeletons. The Trachelosauridae (Dinocephalosauridae) chart is similarly confined to only the genera with sufficient size information to avoid OR (as much as I wanted to add the two taxa named last year...).
I see no major anatomical issues. I wonder, however, if it would be more appropriate to restore Pectodens in a walking posture. Likewise, I wonder if a standing, not sitting posture for Langobardisaurus would be less misleading wrt its limb proportions. Lythronaxargestes (talk | contribs) 03:41, 18 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Two diagrams for Inabtanin (a new putative azhdarchoid) plus Moganopterus and Pterodaustro—two ctenochasmatids that have been on my to-do list for quite some time.
Can you show an overlay of the skull of Pterodaustro over your silhouette? I'm confused by what's going on with the back of the skull, as the mandible seems to articulate significantly below the level of where I'd expect the quadrate to be. Lythronaxargestes (talk | contribs) 03:51, 18 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Lythronaxargestes / Skye McDavid, see here. I think the issue is that Pterodaustro is just a weird animal? It's also worth mentioning that there is some skull shape variation in the various fossils and reconstructions, which is why I referenced one of the most recent published ones. -SlvrHwk (talk) 19:10, 18 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
a 3d skeletal reconstruction of cladoselache using updated methods and information of cladoselache and its realtives to fill in gaps and fix certain elements EvolutionIncarnate (talk) 2:30, 11 september 2024
skeletal reconstruction of cladoselache, a composite of C. fyleri & C. kepleri
Hello. It's been a while. If I may, can I ask for a review of my drawing? This time I tried to reconstruct an Echovenator... I mostly based the reconstruction from here for the skull [22] and this restoration on Wikipedia for the body Xenorophidae . I am aware that I am kind of playing safe and giving the head not much tissue? But I want to make the reconstruction a bit conservative since we dont know how big are the tissue especially the one that involve in echolocation in primitive toothed whale... So that is my reasoning for the reconstruction. Is my image good enough to be put at the Echovenator page? Thank you...
I am sorry if I assume wrongly, but if there are no major issues, is it good enough to be use for the Echovenator page? DD (talk) 13:04, 23 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hello. I made a quick reconstruction depicting Zhenghecaris as a peytoiid radiodont. This interpretation is backed by Zeng et al. (2017), Moysiuk and Caron (2019), and Moysiuk and Caron (2021). Specifically, Zeng et al. described additional elements of the cephalic complex in the form of isolated lateral elements similar in construction and overall form to Zhenghecaris. The appendages are based on Cambroraster, as is the body. The background elements of the reconstruction are Isoxys and Eoredlichia. Prehistorica CM (talk) 09:35, 17 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hello. I would be happy to undertake the task if some reference images could be provided. Stuff like skeletal reconstructions, description on how the animal would have looked in life, this sort of thing. Paleo Miguel (talk) 23:02, 20 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hello. Thank you for reply! The paper decribing Owadowia include a photos of holotype specimen. The most distinctive feature for this taxon is the short and massive snout.
Generally speaking, I do not see any serious anatomical errors. The snout is short and massive, the skull looks wide, but this is probably due to the perspective that is presented. In my opinion it is great and looks very natural. Thanks for taking on this reconstruction! Aventadoros (talk) 17:31, 23 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Decided to make one more radidont that took longer than expected. To model the appendages I downloaded the raw CT data, put it into Blender, and modelled the podomeres and endites to follow the holotype, as well as referencing the description of course. I gave it 4 sets of GLS associated with reduced flaps, although reduced flaps are not preserved, and the GLS are incompletely known. I feel that this is reasonable speculation given the apparently elongate neck region. I put the setal blades on the dorsal surface of the flaps as well, which I believe better represents the fossil evidence, where in Shucaris they are seemingly only associated with the flaps, rather than the trunk. Something similar is also seen in Amplectobelua and Lyrarapax. Regarding the Erratus, I gave it generic, upward facing frontal appendages given its phylogenetic placement, even though this area is completely missing in the fossils.
Regarding the existing appendage illustrations, I wish to suggest (and if they choose to ignore these comments it does not bother me,) that the relative proportions of the podomeres be changed slightly to better reflect the holotype. I will admit that not every appendage presented in the description looks alike, but most commonly, and also in the holotype, there is a very distinct increase in podomere height, starting at the first DAR (distal articulated region, "claw") podomere, maxing out at the joint between the 3rd and 4th DAR podomere, and shallowing out until the 7th DAR podomere. Here, the podomeres are rectangular and tall - but towards the distal portion they are almost completely square in profile. Importantly, the shaft podomeres are shorter than the succeeding podomeres, and the second shaft podomere (BP1 in the description) is wider at the bottom then at the top, similar to amplectobeluids. The first shaft podomere (BP2) is even shorter and more elongate. Wawrow's model already presents this quite well. Altogether, this is what gives Shucaris appendages their very distinct crook-shape, which you can see in most fossils ascribed to it. This is what gives it the name "ankylosskelos" ("curved leg"). I think it would be best if the representative diagrams show this very important characteristic of the appendage. As far as I know, Wawrow is planning to make these adjustments to their model soon. Sorry for the paragraph Prehistorica CM (talk) 04:53, 24 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Carbonodraco lundi
Elliotsmithia longiceps
Haqelpycnodus picteti
Khirtharia inflata
Limnocyon verus
Trypanognathus remigiusbergensis
Turfanosuchus dabanensis
Gyrodus hexagonus
Rhodotheratus parvus
Reiszorhinus olsoni
Eothyris parkeyi
Tseajaia campi
Yonghesuchus sangbiensis
Notobrachyops picketti
Bothriceps australis
Youngina capensis
Thabanchuia oomie
Kourerpeton bradyi
Prolacerta broomi
Palaeotherium medium
Size chart of a selection of the many sp. of Palaeotherium
Yixian Formation fish
Yixian Formation fish with labels
Telmatosaurus that was originally gonna be Qianjiangsaurus but then a skeletal came out
A little late reconstruction of Inabtanin alarabia
.png)
Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum
Ticinosuchus ferox
Erpetosuchus granti
Brachyprosopus broomi
Eodicynodon oosthuizeni
Vaughnictis smithae
Epoidesuchus tavaresae
Nanxiongilambda yei
Impumlophantsi boonstrai
Tanystropheus spp. size
Tanystropheus spp. specimens
Augustaburiania size
Langobardisaurus size
Langobardisaurus skull
Trachelosauridae size
Dinocephalosaurus specimens
"Protanystropheus" size
Trachelosaurus size
Pectodens size
Inabtanin size
Inabtanin skeletal
Moganopterus size
Moganopterus skeletal
Pterodaustro size
Zhenghecaris shankouensis
Taikicetus
Regnellites
DiBgd's one
![[7]](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/776947525252939780/1225583180120195112/Teraterpeton.png?ex=6621a848&is=660f3348&hm=13845c7d648261a5ef62047c527cdf34491632f1cf576bca086fc624808658fc&){kind=link}
![[9]](https://www.reptileevolution.com/images/lepidosauromorpha/diadectidae/lepidosauriformes/Trilophosaurus588.jpg){kind=link}
![[12]](https://academic.oup.com/view-large/figure/99825050/zlx01104.jpg){kind=link}
![[13]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palaeoloxodon-Species-Scale-Diagram-SVG-Steveoc86.svg){kind=link}
![[17]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pleistocene_SA.jpg){kind=link}
![[18]](https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Xenarthra.jpg){kind=link}
![[20]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tylosaurus_BW.jpg){kind=link}
![[21]](https://i.imgur.com/uablMYQ.jpeg){kind=link}
