the imaginary pterosaur im

agin

osau

rus.

wor

dpre

ss.c

om

by helder da rocha

the making of Tupuxuara leonardii

Helder&da&Rocha&

•  Ar#st&&&Scien#st&(theater,&music,&literature,&illustra3on,&sculpture,&computer&science,&electronics…)&

•  Foam&sculpture&&&paleoart&since&04/2012&•  The&Imaginary&Pterosaur&–  SelfFfunded&project:&pterosaur&reconstruc3ons&–  1&skeleton&in&AprilFMay&2012&(Guidraco)&–  3&skulls&in&JanuaryFFebruary&2013&(Anhanguera,&Tupandactylus,&Dsungaripterus)&

–  1&skeleton&in&MarchFApril&2013&(Tupuxuara)&

Pterosaur&reconstruc3ons&

•  Sources&used&–  Fossil&photographs&(one&or&more&views)&– Drawings&&&diagrams&– Descrip#ons,&publica3ons&&&other&research&

•  Goals&– Accuracy&&&detail&–  Lightness&&&resistance&–  Flexibility&to&assemble&in&different&posi3ons&

•  Time&to&produce&a&model&–  Skulls:&3F7&days&–  Full&skeletons:&4F6&weeks&

Main&source:&ICMF&1502&(Iwaki,&JP)&•  Everything&except&pelvis,&carpals,&tarsals,&fingers,&toes,&dorsal&vertebrae,&preFpubis&

•  Other&sources:&ar3cles&and&unpublished&material&

•  Detail&is&limited&by&resolu3on&of&the&sources&

Skull&

Sources:&&Mostly&paratype&IMNH&1502&&

(Iwaki&Coal&and&Fossil&Museum,&Japan)&&&ar3cles&on&Tupuxuara*&

*&Detailed&references&to&sources&in&separate&document&available&in&website&

Source:&ICMF&1502&(Iwaki,&JP)&

Resolu3on&of&skull&details&is&limited&since&the&fossil&is&not&fully&prepared&&Will&use&other&sources&&&infer&appearance&as&closely&as&possible&

Material:&5mm&XPS&foam&board&

1.0&x&1.2&m&

Transfer&to&&foam&board&

Cut&out&

Mold&and&shape&

Paste&together&&&let&dry&

I&call&this&a&3D&sketch&

Palate&

& &&&&&&Sources:&&&&&1)&ICMF&1502&

&&&&2)&Pinheiro&&&Schultz&2012&

Iwaki&Sources&

I&reflected&this&view&to&make&a&symmetric&palate&

Transfer&to&foam&board&

Cut&out&

Flat&sketch:&will&add&detail&from&photos&which&show&other&angles&&&references&on&thalassodromids&

Fold,&mold,&afach&

Add&detail&

Skull&details&

Sources:&ICMF&1502&and&other&Tupuxuara&fossils&

All&details&are&obviously&limited&by&what&I&can&see&and&infer&from&the&sources,&and&my&limited&knowledge&of&cranial&anatomy&

Finished&skull&

ICMF&1502&

Stained&with&coffee&

Coffee&

Palate&

External&3D&details&based&on&photos&of&the&Iwaki&specimen&Internal&3D&details&based&on&ar3cles&(Pinheiro&&&Schultz&2012)&

Material&used&

1.  One&100&x&120&x&0.5&cm&sheet&of&XPS&foam&board&

2.  Some&pieces&of&0.3&cm&XPS&foam&board&

3.  Less&than&100g&of&PVA&(polyvinyl&acetate)&glue&&4.  Less&than&100&ml&of&modeling&paste&(acrylic&resin)&

5.   Epoxi&resin&(very&lifle&–&for&reinforcing&the&beak&3p&and&jaw&ar3cula3on)&

6.   Coffee&powder&(for&stains)&

Height&(without&mandible):&34&cm&Height&(with&mandible):&36&cm&Width:&12.5&cm&Length&:&103&cm&Weight:&250&g&Time&to&produce:&5&days&

Further&improvements&may&include&•  Fixes&(in&case&befer&sources&are&provided)&•  Resistance&(layers&of&epoxi&–&which&will&also&triple&the&weight)&

Cervicals&

ICMF&1502&&(six&views&of&each&vertebra)&

Sources&

With&six&views&they&could&also&be&modelled&&reasonably&well&in&3D&in&a&computer&

Cut&out&the&parts&&(“sketchFcut”)&

Assemble&

Hollow&vertebra&

Compare&

Atlas/axis&&&&5th&cervical&

Sternum&

ICMF&1502&(only&two&views)&

Transfer&to&foam&board&

Only&two&views&as&sources!&

Invisible&dimensions&es3mated&by&shadows&in&the&source&(may&be&incorrect)&

Notarium&(thoracic&vertebrae)&

ICMF&1502&(four&views)&

Notarium:&fused&thoracic&vertebrae&

Add&detail&

Test&connec3ons&

Compare&to&source&

Notarium&

Cervicals&+&notarium&

Scapulocoracoid&

ICMF&1502&(six&views)&

Copy&from&source&&

&&cut&out&

Research&(distal&view)&

Finished&&foam&work&

Wing&phalanges&

ICMF&1502&(four&views)&

Wing&&phalanx&#1&

Wing&phalanges:&bone&ends&

Wing&metacarpal&

ICMF&1502&(four&views)&

Cut&&roll&carve&burn&

Hollow&bone&made&of&foam&sheet&is&more&resistant&to&bending&than&if&carved&out&of&solid&foam&

Wing&metacarpal&

Arms&(humerus,&ulna/radius)&

ICMF&1502&(four&views&each)&

Humerus&

Ulna:&cut&out&

Ulna:&roll&

Rolled&ulna&&&humerus&

Bone&ends&

Finished&humeri&

Finished&radii&&&ulnae&

Legs:&femur,&3bia/fibula&

ICMF&1502&(four&views)&

Cut&&&roll&

Carve,&shape&

Femora&&&3biotarsi&

This&skeleton&(except&for&the&pelvis)&is&fully&based&on&the&Iwaki&ICMF&1502&specimen&&Some&bones,&such&as&the&#bia&(where&only&one&was&available),&were&duplicated&

Complete&&ICMF&1502&

reconstruc3on&

Pelvis&/&sacrum&

Not&available&in&ICMF&1502&Used&unpublished*&source&

(Thalassodromid,&possible&Tupuxuara)&

*&I&am&not&authorized&to&reveal&the&source&at&this&moment&

Sketch&on&foam&board&

Cut&out&

Sacrum&

Free&dorsal&&&sacral&vertebrae&

Comparing&with&source&

Afaching&pelvis&

Making&three&dorsal&vertebrae&

Shaping&pubis&&&ischium&

The&wrist&(carpals&&&pteroid)&

Not&available&in&ICMF&1502&Source:&Kellner&&&Tomida&2000&

(Anhanguera&piscator)&

The&goal&

Studying&the&sources&

Four&distal&carpals&(two&pairs)&

Distal&&&proximal&syncarpals&

Nine&wrist&bones&(Considering&the&carpals&unfused)&

I&kept&the&carpals&just&lightly&connected&(silicone&rubber)&and&unfused&

Tail&

Not&available&in&ICMF&1502&Source:&Kellner&&&Tomida&2000&

(Anhanguera&piscator)&

A&plas3c&axis&

11&caudal&vertebrae&

Fingers&&&&&&&&&Not&available&in&ICMF&1502&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sources:&&&

1)&Unpublished&(Thalassodromid)&&2)&Wellnhofer&1978&(Pteranodon)&3)&Eck&et&all&2011&(Tapejara)&

Fingers&and&metacarpals&

(not&sure&about&how&to&assemble&this)&

Feet&Not&available&in&ICMF&1502&&&&&

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Sources:&&

&1)&Unpublished&(Thalassodromid)&&2)&Wellnhofer&1978&(Pteranodon)&3)&Eck&et&all&2011&(Tapejara)&4)&Kellner&2004&(Tapejara&ankles)&

Distal&tarsals&&(from&Tapejara:&Kellner&2004)&

Proximal&view&

Posterior&view&

Metatarsi&

Right&foot&

Oops…&wrong&side&for&5th&finger&

The Imaginary Pterosaur #5 Tupuxuara leonardii

Tupuxuara&leonardii&•  140&individual&parts&•  Length&from&beak&to&toe:&215&cm&•  Wingspan:&450&cm&•  Skull:&length:&103&cm,&weight:&250&g&•  Total&weight&of&the&model:&0.95&kg&•  Time&to&produce:&33&days&

Final&remarks&about&the&process&

•  These&reconstruc3ons&are&more&an&inves#ga#ve&process&than&one&aimed&at&producing&a&final&result&– Preference&to&work&on&individual&parts&(even&if&they&may&not&be&visible&in&the&final&result)&

– Working&with&available&data&and&seeking&the&most&accurate&result&within&these&limita3ons&

– Con#nuous&research&(try&to&work&with&available&sources,&throw&away&parts,&remake&them&if&befer&sources&show&up)&

Acknowledgements&•  This&was&a&selfFfunded&project*.&I&made&it&and&paid&for&it.&But&it&wouldn’t&be&possible&without&the&help&of&several&other&people&who&also&contributed&with&it.&Special&thanks&to&–  Hebert&Bruno&Campos,&for&access&to&the&Iwaki&sources&and&paleontological&assistance&

– Mark&Wi_on,&Felipe&Pinheiro,&and&the&Wikipaleo&group&for&help&with&the&missing&parts&and&access&to&publica3ons&

*&If&you&wish&to&contribute&to&future&projects,&contact&me.&You&can&contribute&financially&by&ordering&a&model,&buying&scale&sculptures&or&prints,&or&dona3ng&via&PayPal&(all&these&op3ons&will&be&available&soon)&

References&

•  I&am&keeping&the&references&used&in&all&reconstruc3ons&in&a&separate&file&available&for&download&at&imaginosaurus.wordpress.com&(downloads&sec3on)&because&it’s&easier&to&keep&up&to&date.&

www.imaginosaurus.wordpress.com

helder.darocha@gmail.com +55 11 9 9291 0567