Review and photographs by Indohyus, edited by Suspsy
Over the last few years, toy companies have become more and more willing to be adventurous with their choice of species to be immortalized in plastic. CollectA is a great example of this, with one of the widest varieties of dinosaur and other prehistoric animal figures around. I dare say many of us have been introduced to these creatures thanks to CollectA. I am certain that goes for today’s figure too: Rugops.
From the Late Cretaceous of Niger, Africa, Rugops was a 6 m long carnivore, an abelisaurid, related to the huge Majungasaurus and the ever popular Carnotaurus. Rugops was key in showing that the landmass that would become Africa was still connected to Gondwana at the time, giving us a better knowledge of plate tectonics over time. Its armoured head, which featured a weak bite and plentiful blood vessels, suggests it may have been a scavenger, feeding on the meals of larger predators like Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. Little is certain about this animal, as only the skull has been found, but it is enough to base this figure on.
On to the facts of the figure. It is a relatively small dino, being only 5.5” long and 2.6” high. Its colour scheme is predominately maroon, with yellow and black spots over the body. It’s a good look, if feeling a little reminiscent of fellow CollectA abelisaur Majungasaurus. The pose isn’t the most dynamic, with the body being almost a straight line until the head, and having a slight kink in the tail. As ever, what it’s doing is up to your imagination, whether it’s spotted a potential meal, spotting danger or just being perplexed. It’s up to you!
Accuracy is difficult to talk about for Rugops, for as mentioned earlier, it is only known from a skull. From what is known about abelisaurids, this figure is accurate. A short skull with a small crest and bony extensions over the eyes, all features found in the known fossil material. The remainder of the body is accurate to most abelisaurids, with short forelimbs (though they could be shorter) and long hind limbs. The tail is also about right for an abelisaurid, not too long or short. It has the same bumpy skin associated with Carnotaurus, a piece of artistic licence that is often used for abelisaurids. Overall, there’s little to complain about given the little available fossil material there is for this animal.
While many may overlook this figure for being a small and slightly dull figure, I really recommend this. Its small size makes it great for children and adults, especially if they lack space for larger figures. If you are into African dinosaurs or just like this figure in general, pick it up. It won’t disappoint.
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First!
Also, there is one thing that was forgotten (though I forgive ya on this :P) … pronation on the hands.