Palaeontological Reconstructions Part I: The Xiphactinus
Bringing prehistory to life with palaeo-sculptures
Xiphactinus Audax Skull (2022) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Imagining Extinct Life
As discussed in our previous Stories, fossils are at the center of the CFDC experience, but it can be difficult to imagine what an extinct animal looks like based on the fossil alone, especially when only part of the specimen is available.
Replicas
Although replicas give us a better idea of what a complete skeleton would have looked like, they still leave a lot to the imagination, as they typically only include bones.
Iguanodon (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Palaeo-Sculptures
This is where palaeo-sculptures come in. Inspired by scientific research, artists create lifelike reconstructions to show what an animal would have looked like when it was alive.
The Xiphactinus
The CFDC's Adolfo Cuetara has created a number of palaeo-sculptures to showcase local prehistoric animals. The first one we'll look at is a life-size sculpture of a Xiphactinus, an enormous prehistoric fish that used to roam the seas that covered Cretaceous Manitoba.
Xiphactinus Fragments (2022) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Researching Fossils
Unlike fossil replicas, which just create copies of fossils, sculptures require more research to get the details right. Fortunately, the CFDC's collection has many fossils to use as reference material, and several scientific publications were available to guide the process.
The Steel Base
Once the necessary anatomical information was confirmed, the reconstruction process could begin. The first step for this 4.5-meter-long fish was to create a steel base that would support its weight.
The Metal Mesh (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
The Mesh
The steel base was then wrapped in a metal mesh to create a base layer.
Fiberglass and Vinyl Ester (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Completing the Base Layer
Next, the mesh was covered with fiberglass and vinyl ester resin to fill in the gaps and create a smooth base.
Once the base layer was completed, the finer details, such as the scales and teeth, were modelled in an epoxy resin.
Painting the Xiphactinus (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Realistic Scales
The Xiphactinus sculpture was then painted to resemble real fish scales, and a clear coat was added to protect the sculpture from the elements.
Realistic eyes were created with a clear polyester resin.
Transporting the Xiphactinus 1 (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Transporting the Sculpture
Given the size of the sculpture, transportation and installation required some creative thinking too.
Transporting the Xiphactinus 2 (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Imagine coming across this monster on your morning commute!
Installing the Xiphactinus 1 (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
Installation
Once it arrived, the Xiphactinus was lifted onto a cement base with the help of a crane.
Here you can see some of the steps that went into constructing the base.
The Xiphactinus (2023) by Canadian Fossil Discovery CentreCanadian Fossil Discovery Centre
The Xiphactinus's New Home
You can visit the Xiphactinus sculpture at its home in Milne Park, Morden, complete with steps for viewing the fish's interior and taking selfies.
