The order Plesiosauria has always caught our attention, especially the members of the Elasmosauridae family.
And how not to! It is impossible not to imagine the latter in a chase in the middle of the sea, with their small heads, their sharp teeth, their wide body and, of course, their long and flexible neck.
Finally, we have added to the WONDER collection the emblematic Thalassomedon (“lord of the seas”), an elasmosaurid plesiosauroid through which we want to honor this family of marine reptiles so iconic and worthy of admiration.
Thalassomedon lived in the territory that is now North America during the Late Cretaceous period. Among the most relevant characteristics of its anatomy are its 12 meters in length, as well as its long neck made up of about 60 vertebrae.
Curious fact: its neck measured about 6 meters in length; that is, half its extension!
What is the buildable 3D wooden model of Thalassomedon by WONDER Artistic Models like?
Designed to scale 1:20, this elasmosaurid plesiosaur measures 60x20x8cm.
In its design we sought to represent in the most anatomically accurate way possible a representative of the genus Thalassomedon with many opportunities for customization, thanks to the incorporation of articulated assemblies in its head and neck.
Here we tell you in detail the most relevant anatomical characteristics of Thalassomedon, which we have captured in our first model of the order Plesiosauria.
Small head
One of the peculiar characteristics of Thalassomedon was its small head compared to the great length of its body: the 47 cm length of the skull contrasts with the 12 meters of total length of its body.
In addition, its skull had certain curves and reliefs that posed an interesting design challenge for Simón, our founder and designer.
To achieve these profiles we use the creation of layers of pieces that, in addition to helping to recreate the reliefs, add the necessary robustness to give organicity to the model.
The head has two points of articulation at the base of the neck, so you can move it from right to left and from up to bottom to achieve the poses you want.
Sharp teeth
The teeth of this plesiosauroid were long, measuring about 5 cm (2 in). Despite the small size of the model’s skull, we did not want to stop representing these iconic teeth, since they are a relevant feature that also provides a lot of personality to the model.
So we decided to include them in the most anatomically precise and, at the same time, aesthetically artistic way.
Very long neck
It could be said that this is the main characteristic element of this giant of the seas.
The 62 vertebrae that make up the neck of Thalassomedon are represented in our model. In addition, we managed to design assemblies in such a way that the curve of the neck is quite customizable, which gives you a lot of creative freedom when assembling your model.
You can curve the neck in different directions, recreating a deep dive, an upward push or a movement in the middle of a curve. Without a doubt, the neck of this model is one of the most striking elements that adds a lot of versatility.
Wide and flattened thorax
According to scientists, the rib cage of this elasmosaurid plesiosaurid was wide, tending towards a flat shape.
In the buildable 3D model from WONDER Artistic Models you can appreciate the robustness of its rib cage, designed in such a way that it accurately conveys the corpulence of this area while still looking elegant and artistic.
Large and strong fins
The fins between 1.5 and 2 meters long of this lord of the seas are another of its most relevant characteristics.
The beautiful details of this bone structure are represented with delicate lines on the wood, so that they help to imagine with even greater precision what the members of Thalassomedon were like.
In addition, the fins of the model can rotate on their own axis, and the front ones can rotate in 2 positions.
Small but robust tail
The caudal vertebrae of our wooden 3D model represent the robustness of this small but very functional tail.
It is designed with a slight downward curve, which allows harmony to be generated with the rib cage. This delicate line adds organicity to the model.
At the base or wherever you want
The model includes a base on which you can pose it, but it is also designed so that you can hang it and display it as if it were in the middle of the sea with the inclination you prefer.
You will have the creative freedom you want to pose your model as you wish.
Each new model that is added to our collection implies a new challenge, many learnings and the even greater growth of the enormous admiration we feel for these forms of life that we have the pleasure of representing.
In the case of Thalassomedon, its peculiar profiles and, above all, its characteristic neck, have undoubtedly taught us a lot about anatomy and design, and have greatly amazed us.
We hope you liked the final result! If you want to add this incredible Thalassomedon model to your home museum, click here.
