thomastapir on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/thomastapir/art/Alopisaur-Study-144269765thomastapir

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Alopisaur Study

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Description

Not a shark or an ichthyosaur or a mosasaur or a thalattosuchian or even a derived placodont, but a true theropod dinosaur converging on a thresher shark. The thresher-like "caudal fin" is actually derived from the animal's muscular hind limbs and hyperattenuated toes, with at least the top lobe terminating in a venomous spine. Habitat should realistically be pelagic, but I can't help thinking of it as another "flooded rainforest"-type creature.

Not the most graceful drawing of all time, but I've been trying to get this idea on paper forever and was so pumped to finally nail the basic pose that I jumped right into refining it. It's also pretty contrast-y, but for me that aspect kind of works with the glossy slickness I was going for. In this regard, the tail is a little dull by comparison.

UPDATE:
See ~whalewithlegs's vastly superior value-modified version of this drawing at ([link]), and my revised take on the Alopisaur concept at ([link]).
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Comments35
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commander-salamander's avatar
I love the way the hind quarters look so twisted, like thick ropes of muscle. Fantastic concept!