Described in 2012, Ichthyovenator is the first definitive spinosaurid to be discovered in Southeast Asia. Its name means, appropriately, ‘fish hunter.’ Even for a spinosaurid, it was particularly weird-looking due to the fact that it had not one, but two sails on its back.
CollectA’s 2014 Ichthyovenator measures 18 cm long. The main colour is dark green with a beige underbelly, and dark brown spots and stripes. The head, neck, and hands have airbrushed brown, the eyes are sky blue, the teeth are white, and the hind claws are black. The earth-shaped stand is the usual light brown.
This individual is sculpted in the act of dining. It is hunched over with its head and tail turned to the left, and held firmly in its narrow jaws is a metallic silver and sky blue fish that it has presumably plucked out of a body of water. Unfortunately, the fish is not very detailed. Its eyes and mouth are but tiny divots and its body is entirely smooth. To be fair, it would be terribly difficult for any artist to carve a lot of detail into such a small object.
Besides, the Icthyovenator itself is quite well-sculpted. The skull is the right length and shape for a spinosaurid and the hands are properly aligned. The skin is covered in a fine network of scales and wrinkles. The gap between the first and second sail on its back makes it look like another theropod has bitten a clean chunk out of its vertebrae. And in light of the Ichthyovenator‘s similarities in appearance and diet to a crocodilian, the artist has chosen to give it three rows of triangular osteoderms along its neck and back. These merge into a single row about halfway down the tail. It’s a good look.
The CollectA Ichthyovenator is not the most spectacular model in the 2014 assortment, but it’s a distinctive and intriguing creature that should look good in any collection. And it’s great to be getting a wider variety of spinosaurids.
Thanks go out to FaunaFigures.com for this and many other dinosaur figures, where is is available for purchase!
Also available from Amazon.com here and Amazon.co.uk here.
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It’s a shame about the absurdly wide hips, which seem to be a recurring issue with Collecta theropods, with this one being particularly bad. It’s quite a nice figure otherwise.
According to CollectA, the wide hips are to help improve stability in their theropods. They know that this is a concern among fans, however, and they are going to work on it.
Another commendable attempt by CollectA to represent an obscure species in toy form! Though I’d think interested collectors should take caution of its vulnerability to lean forwards.
I’m really hoping that doesn’t happen to mine.
It is commendable the work of Collecta but we must point out that the icthyovenator the following are preserved fossils:
The holotype MDS BK10-01 15 includes penultimate dorsal vertebra, the neural spine of the last dorsal vertebra, the first and second caudal vertebrae, five sacral vertebrae found in the incomplete joint two iliums, right pubis, and two dorsal side ischiums postérieure1 .
It is commendable the work of Collecta but we must point out that the icthyovenator the following are preserved fossils:
L’holotype MDS BK10-01 à l’antépénultième 15 vertèbre dorsale I realized, l’épine neurale of vertèbre dernière dorsale, secondes et les premières flow vertebrates, vertebrates cinq Incomplete sacrées découvertes in articulation, deux iliums, pubis droit et deux ischiums une côte dorsale postérieure1.