The unusual theropod Cryolophosaurus is the largest carnivorous dinosaur from the Early Jurassic and the most complete dinosaur known from Antarctica. This fascinating dinosaur is one of two new additions to the Carnegie Collection line in 2010. Their second offering, the first ever Carnegie ichthyosaur, is another figure to look forward to this year.
The most distinctive feature of Cryolophosaurus is the transverse fan-like crest situated above the eyes. There are also two low ridges formed by the nasal bones, that run along the top of the narrow skull in front of the crest. These cranial characteristics are beautifully an accurately restored in the Carnegie figure, clearly based on the fossil skull material. In-keeping with its probably function as a display structure, Safari have chosen a bright blue colour for the front of the delicate ridged crest.
The front of the skull is unknown for Cryolophosaurus so some conservative artistic license has been used to fill in the missing portion. The open mouth is finely detailed with sharp teeth of many sizes and a fleshy sharp-tipped tongue.
The figure is about 24cm long. The overall pose is relatively static with both feet widely spaced and placed firmly on the ground. The body is held horizontally, but the long tail sweeps gently downwards to support the figure with its tip, in a tripod pose. The three fingered hands are reaching forwards and the head is raised up and to the right.
A golden brown hue forms broad stripes along the neck, flanks and tail. A darker brown runs along the top of the spine and the (unpainted?) underside is a very light green. The throat region has a nice dewlap that adds character to the model. This is highlighted in light blue, very much like the recent Diplodocus in the same line. The eyes are gold with black pupils, the mouth is pink and the teeth are white. The claws, including the hallux on the inside of each foot, are picked out in beige.
The sculpt gives a nice indication of the underlying bony anatomy – the hips bulge out a little, as do the scapular regions. The skin is rough and wrinkled, in particular, a line of wrinkled skin runs along each side of the tummy between the base of the arm and the leg. This seems to be one of the signatures of Carnegie sculptor Forrest Rogers and has been noted in the vast majority of Carnegie figures.
Is summary, this is a awesome rendering of a really interesting species – a great addition to the Carnegie Collection line. It should be available to purchase shortly and I’ll add links here when the time comes. I’d like to thank Safari for sending an early sample of this figure for The Dinosaur Toy Blog to review.
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So beautiful
[…] very spindly (almost emaciated?) and relies on a ram-rod like tail-prop to make it stand up. The Carnegie Cryolophosaurus is ably reviewed by Plesiosauria here so you can compare the two and make up your own […]
I think the real animal was a little over 20 feet long.
So apparently the scale on this figure is 1:25. Is it too big to pass as a 1:40 figure?
No puedo opinar porque los dinomaniacos de España no lo veremos por lo menos hasta Septiembre.
Parece que es del mismo tamaño que el Baryonix de Safari Carnegie.
Lo importante es que esté como dice en la crÃtica del modelo bien hecho. ´
PodÃan sacar de Safari como cualquier otra marca. el famoso Gigantoraptor seguramente lo harÃan bien. Hecho a escala de 1:40
How the hell did you get one already? I thought this one doesn’t come out until April???
I hate molded bases on toys. It really lessens their play value for me. I find that figures such as this Cryolophosaurus can often be made to stand bipedally through the judicious bending of ankles.
Its not ‘fat assed’, but it is shown in an unnaturally leg splayed position – once again, due to the need to keep the figure standing – even with the ‘three point stance(!)
Stringer PVC materials that would enable even these critters to stand properly ARE available – Kinto Favorite figures have used them, as has Procon, Papo (Allosaur and Spino come to mind) and even Bullyland.
The only thing I can think of is that this would increase the cost – as if Carnegie prices weren’t high to begin with.
But if they weren’t lazy and cheap, they COULD remedy this problem – and the legs are too skinny (especially the ankles) anyway, so bulking them up just a bit would not detract from the ‘realism’.
Rogers’ Theropod sculpts also suffer from a lack of definition (and thinness) in the hand/finger/claws and foot/toes/claws area as well.
Call it what you will, but this one is clearly a defect in the accuracy of the sculpts, along with the ankle.
As for me, I’ve got my Favorite Allosaurus, and if the head of the Cryolophosaurus is roughly the same size as I am hoping it is, I will be doing a ‘head transplant’ to get a worthy Cryo.
I suppose the main reason I’m not concerned about the “tripod” pose using the tail for support is because the resin statues of theropods I have outnumber the PVC or vinyl ones from museum lines like Battat or the Carnegie Museum about 2 to one with most of the resin ones in horizontal walking poses anyway (usually with them mounted on bases).
I would love to see more complete remains of Cryolophosaurus for a clearer idea of whether it was closer to Dilophosaurus or to Allosaurus.And as far as stance goes,if they go through the effort of sculpting an ammonite in the jaws of the Ichthyosaurus,then maybe they will eventually have whatever theropod they turn up with down the line have a molded base.
You should read the interview with rogers in prehistoric times.
The sculpt “flaws” are not her fault at all – she’s just doing what she’s told. It’s all on the carnegie museum.
I know at least papo and procon have their figures feet way oversized to stand – which, to me, is a much larger inaccuracy than simple having ankles that might be too thin.
Nope,it didn’t get censored out.But yes,I do think this is truly a fine plastic toy,er I mean “model” of Cryolophosaurus ellioti.As for the tail,I really couldn’t say if it’s too long or not since most of it unknown,but from the top angle,it seems to be comparable to Dilophosaurus if I’m looking at it right.
This is a must-buy. Well done, Forrest! An almost flawless sculpt!
If it is a coelophysoid that explains why it’s lanky. But it really isn’t a problem, crylophosaurus wasn’t exactly the fatarse that tyrannosaurus+co. were.
I’m so glad you said ‘arse’, in spite of your nationality…also, yes, I quite agree.
I’m pretty sure the other version gets censored out 😛
“FAT-ASSED”
Very nice sculpt, though a little too far toward the old allosauroid body form than I would like. Cryolophosaurus has been shown to be a large “coelophysoid.” It’s also very thin! The poor thing must be starving! 🙂
I’d say the slender body marks it as being an advanced dilophosaurid, as opposed to a tetanuran!
Looks great! The teeth on this guy look particularly well-defined.
Quite a beauty. Nice colour.
I don’t know if the tail is too long (it’s closely related to Dilophosaurus), maybe only a fraction.
The tripod pose is very acceptable this way, but the body is very slender though and this makes its legs widely spaced.
A 1000 pound beast like this could also use some extra muscle in its legs.
It must be hungry 😉
I’m imagining this as being about the same size as the Carnegie Baryonyx- am I right?
yes, very similar.
You know. With a little bit of work. Hot water, bending. This might just balance on its own two feet. The overlong tail I suppose has to be for the tripod stance to work.
I’ve found other Carnegie/Safari figure designed in this three-point stance can be bent into bipedal poses.
BTW- where/how did you manage to get hold of this plesiosauria? It hasn’t been officially released yet and isn’t due until May.
Have they actually found all of the tail?
Sure beats the attempt by procon. I’ll be getting it for sure when it’s available to the masses!
Well, time for me to eat some crow, I suppose.
This is a beautiful figure (marred only by the overlong tail and its inability to stand on its own. Also the detail in the claws and feet seems to be a little ‘soft’ on Rogers’ sculpts)
The review partly neglects to more thoroughly address this sculpt’s biggest plus – the head. The discussion of the shape of the crest is adequate enough (its indeed beautiful), but to me the most amazing part is the detail of the jaws – particularly the shape of the teeth, which are no longer stubs as seen in the infamous Giganotosaurus.
While the pose is reminiscent of the Giganotosaurus, I would argue that the detail of the head is light years ahead of the Giga’s. That head is too narrow with stubby teeth, and it just doesn’t look ‘right’ head-on (Giga’s head profile is OK).
In any event, this is a worthy sculpt. Once I get it I will compare sizes and explore the possibility of grafting this head onto the body of the Kinto PVS Allosaurus (a relative), which can stand on its own.
The head sculpt alone is worth purchasing this sculpt (and y’all know how critical I have been of Carnegie Theropods in the past).
Great figure. Mindful of the Carnegie Giganotosaurus. Cool. Can’t wait to get a couple….