Mosasaurus refers to a genus of canglongidae. They are a group of carnivorous marine reptiles, with a huge head, strong jaws and sharp teeth, similar in shape to crocodiles with flippers

Mosasaurus

Pteranodon is a genus of pterosaur that included some of the largest known flying reptiles, with wingspans over 7 meters. They lived during the late Cretaceous geological period of North America in present-day Kansas, Alabama, Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Pteranodon (Animated)

3D scan of a taxidermized dwarf crocodile (*Osteolaemus tetraspis*). Dwarf crocodiles are the smallest species of crocodiles, reaching a maximum body and tail length of ca. 1.7 meters. *O. tetraspis* is an inhabitant of small rivers and pools of freshwater in forests and swampy regions of Western and Central Africa northern Angola and east of the Congo River. 

This specimen cannot be found in the exhibition of the NHM Vienna. Hall 28 of the NHM Vienna is full of other reptiles and 3D models, some of them are visible in the collection [NHMW 1st Zoological Department](https://skfb.ly/ooFCT). 

**Specimen**: *Osteolaemus tetraspis* (Cope, 1861)

**Inventory number**: NHMW-ZOO-HS-1974

**Collection**: Natural History Museum Vienna, 1st Zoological Dept., Herpetology Coll. (curator: Silke Schweiger)

Find out more about the NHMW [here](http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en).

Scanned and edited by Anna Haider (NHMW)

Scanner: Artec Space Spider. Infrastructure funded by the FFG.

Dwarf Crocodile (NHMW-ZOO-HS-1974)

LARGE WHIP SNAKE

- Short slow slithering forward.
- Attack to scare with retraction.

Motion captured at the University of Cyprus using Optitrack motion capture system.

Edited by Sami Sabra.

3D scanning and modelling by Digital Life: http://digitallife3d.org/

For more information, please visit our website: http://3dreptiles.cs.ucy.ac.cy/

© Copyrights Graphics and Virtual Reality Lab

3D Cyprus Reptiles: Large whip snake - SCENE 03

3D scan of a taxidermized Gharial adult female and juvenile (*Gavialis gangeticus*). These reptiles are domestic to Nepal and India and live in freshwater rivers. Even though their appearance may give another impression, these fish-eaters are no threat to humans.

Both of these Gharials cannot be found in the showrooms of the NHM Vienna, but a gharial pair is shown in Hall 28 of the NHM Vienna. They are Number 70 of the NHM Top 100.

![Gavial pair NHM Top100](http://verlag.nhm-wien.ac.at/data/Sketchfab/Gavial%20paar_Top100_klein.jpg) 

©Lois Lammerhuber

**Specimen**: *Gavialis gangeticus* (Gmelin, 1789)

**Inventory number**: Adult NHMW-ZOO-HS-1978; Juvenile NHMW-ZOO-HS-562

**Collection**: Natural History Museum Vienna, 1st Zoological Dept., Herpetology Coll. (curator: Silke Schweiger)

Find out more about the NHMW [here](http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en).

Scanned and edited by Anna Haider & Viola Winkler (NHMW)

Scanner: Artec Leo&Space Spider. Infrastructure funded by the FFG.

Gharial (NHMW-ZOO-HS-1978 & 562)

**Tick (Ixodida order)**
   - Parasitic arachnids that feed on blood.
   - Known for spreading diseases like Lyme disease.

Ticks (order Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids that feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Though tiny, they pose serious health risks due to their ability to transmit diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis. Ticks latch onto hosts using specialized mouthparts, piercing the skin and feeding for hours or even days.

Found in grassy, wooded, and humid environments, ticks are most active during warmer months. They detect hosts through body heat and carbon dioxide, then climb aboard to feed. After engorging, they drop off to continue their life cycle.

Preventing tick bites involves wearing protective clothing, using repellents, and checking for ticks after outdoor activities. Despite their reputation, ticks play a role in ecosystems, but their potential to spread disease makes awareness and prevention essential.

Tick

**Pteranodon ignifalcis: A Breakthrough in Pterosaur Pigmentation**

In 2025, paleontologist Dr. Celeste Navarro led a multidisciplinary team in the Flaming Cliffs region of Mongolia, uncovering a remarkably preserved pterosaur specimen. Named *Pteranodon ignifalcis*—“Fire-Sickle Wing”—this Late Cretaceous flyer exhibited elongated cranial crests, clawed feet, and pigment-bearing integument with iridescent orange and teal hues.

Spectroscopic analysis revealed nanostructures consistent with structural coloration, marking the first confirmed evidence of iridescence in pterosaurs. The find suggests that visual signaling may have played a role in mating or territorial behavior, challenging prior assumptions of muted coloration in aerial reptiles. *P. ignifalcis* reshapes our understanding of pterosaur ecology, offering new insight into the evolution of flight, display, and sensory adaptation in prehistoric skies.

Fire-Sickle Wing - dinosaur

**Red‑Gold Dragon**  
The Red‑Gold Dragon, *Draconis aurumflamma*, is said to have first appeared in the mountain courts of early Zhou‑era mystics, who described it as a creature woven from storm‑light and molten ore. Legends claim emperors sought its favor not for war, but for wisdom: the dragon’s spiraling body was believed to map celestial currents, allowing scholars to predict seasonal shifts and political tides.

Modern folklorists were stunned when a 19th‑century naturalist proposed a semi‑scientific classification, arguing that its serpentine anatomy resembled an evolutionary offshoot of ancient river reptiles. Though unproven, the idea gave the Red‑Gold Dragon a curious place in proto‑mythological biology.

Its most unexpected purpose, however, lies in ritual craftsmanship. Artisans once invoked the dragon not as a guardian but as a muse for precision, believing its coils taught the perfect balance between tension and grace, a philosophy still echoed in calligraphy and martial arts today.

Chinese Red Dragon

> This flag, which hangs on the Museum’s 4th floor, is a veteran of the Museum’s 1920s Central Asiatic Expeditions to the Gobi Desert, where important finds included numerous fossils of ancient reptiles, and the first discovery of dinosaur eggs.

Image and text:
https://tumblr.amnh.org/post/90753779248/happy-independence-day-this-flag-which-hangs-on

Music:
https://archive.org/details/78_the-star-spangled-banner_victor-military-band-francis-scott-key_gbia0016211a/The+Star+Spangled+Banner+-+Victor+Military+Band.flac

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