Dinopedia Image Policy

Purpose

This Image Policy defines how visual materials are selected, labeled, and presented on Dinopedia. Its purpose is to ensure scientific accuracy, transparency, and consistency across all dinosaur and extinct animal entries, in line with academic and museum standards.

Dinopedia is a reference-focused educational database. Images are used to support understanding of fossil evidence and scientifically grounded interpretations, not to provide definitive or speculative depictions.

General Principles

All images on Dinopedia must adhere to the following principles:

  • Images must be educational and non-sensational
  • Visuals must not exaggerate anatomy, behavior, or appearance
  • Fossil evidence is prioritized over artistic interpretation
  • Reconstructions must be clearly distinguished from physical evidence
  • Image presentation should remain valid under long-term scientific scrutiny

Image Categories and Disclosure Standards

1. Fossil Specimens

Definition:
Photographs of original fossils or casts of fossils, including bones preserved in situ or isolated skeletal elements.

Examples:

  • Fossilized bones
  • Partial skeletons
  • Fossils embedded in rock matrix

Disclosure Requirement:
No special disclosure required.

Rationale:
These images represent direct physical evidence from the fossil record and are universally understood as such in academic and museum contexts.

2. Skeletal Mounts and Skeletal Reconstructions

Definition:
Mounted skeletons or skeletal diagrams reconstructed from fossil material, including composite reconstructions based on multiple specimens.

Examples:

  • Museum skeletal mounts
  • Composite skeletal diagrams
  • Digitally reconstructed skeletons without soft tissue

Disclosure Requirement:
Individual image disclosure is not required when used as feature images or inline illustrations.

Recommended Caption (when captions are used):

  • “Skeletal mount of [Taxon] (composite reconstruction)”

Rationale:
Skeletal reconstructions are evidence-based representations derived from fossil material. Their use without explicit disclaimers aligns with standard practice in museums, textbooks, and scientific publications.

3. Life Reconstructions (Paleoart)

Definition:
Illustrations or renders depicting the organism as it may have appeared in life, including skin, coloration, posture, and environment.

Examples:

  • Scientific paleoart
  • Digital life restorations
  • Artistic reconstructions with soft tissue

Disclosure Requirement:
Disclosure is mandatory.

Accepted Caption Formats:

  • “Life reconstruction of [Taxon], based on fossil evidence.”
  • “Scientific paleoart reconstruction of [Taxon].”
  • “Appearance inferred from skeletal remains and comparative anatomy.”

Rationale:
Soft tissues, coloration, and behavior are not directly preserved in the fossil record and must be inferred. Clear labeling prevents misinterpretation while maintaining educational value.

4. AI-Generated Images

Definition:
Images generated using artificial intelligence tools, including skeletal reconstructions or life restorations.

Disclosure Requirement:

  • If the image is a life reconstruction, it must follow the same disclosure rules as other paleoart.
  • Explicit mention of AI generation is optional and left to editorial discretion.

Rationale:
Scientific validity depends on anatomical accuracy and proper labeling, not on the production method.

Feature Images and Thumbnails

  • Fossil photographs and skeletal mounts may be used as feature images without additional disclosure.
  • Life reconstructions used as feature images must still be identifiable as reconstructions through captions, surrounding context, or placement within the article.

Feature image placement does not change the scientific classification of an image.

Image Placement Guidelines

  • Fossil and skeletal images are preferred for sections addressing taxonomy, discovery, and anatomy.
  • Life reconstructions should complement, not replace, fossil evidence imagery.
  • Reconstructions should not appear in sections dedicated solely to fossil record documentation without clear labeling.

Global Disclosure Statement

Dinopedia includes the following site-wide clarification:

“Illustrations labeled as reconstructions represent scientific interpretations based on available fossil evidence. Soft tissues, coloration, and behavior are inferred and not directly preserved.”

This statement applies to all relevant images across the site.

Editorial Responsibility

All images published on Dinopedia are reviewed for:

  • Anatomical plausibility
  • Scientific neutrality
  • Appropriate labeling
  • Consistency with current paleontological consensus

Images that do not meet these standards are excluded.

Policy Scope

This Image Policy applies to all visual media across Dinopedia, including database entries, featured images, thumbnails, and supplementary illustrations.

The policy may be updated as scientific standards and best practices evolve.