We’re all well aware that dinosaurs came, and still do come, in all manner of odd forms. But even the famous therizinosaurs, with their huge claws, bulgy bellies, and small heads, might well have considered tiny little Yi qi to be the oddest one of all.
Yi, which boasts the shortest name of any dinosaur, is part of a tiny clade of unusual maniraptoran coelurosaurs from Late Jurassic China known as scansoriopterygids. At roughly the mass of a grey parrot (380 grams est.), Yi is the largest scansoriopterygid yet discovered. As with its cousins Epidexipteryx and Scansoriopteryx, the third fingers on Yi’s hands were extremely long and may have helped to support membranous gliding planes of skin. But unlike any other dinosaur, Yi also possessed long, pointed wrist bones that extended back from its forearms. Mind you, it’s still not clear whether these styliform elements were actual solid bone or cartilaginous rods calcified by fossilization, but in any case, they appear to have evolved in order to help support Yi‘s leathery wings. Similar styliform elements can be found in many extent animals such as colugos, anomalures, and flying squirrels, all of which are gliders, not flyers. Whether or not Yi could flap its wings and truly fly is an ongoing debate, but regardless, it has secured its place in the paleontological hall of fame by being the first known dinosaur to travel through the air on wings of skin instead of feathers.
Which brings me to the subject of this review, Yiyi the Yi by PNSO. He is posed rather majestically atop a small branch: leaning forward with his head turning to the left, his wings spread wide apart, and his tail feathers held out behind him. This gives him a height of around 5 cm, a length of 7.5 cm, and a wingspan of 8 cm. His feathery body is coloured bright orange with a yellow underbelly, dark grey for the wings and muzzle, yellow and bright green tail feathers, and black eyes.
As you can see in the photo below, my figure has an unfortunate blotch on the right side of its head. Incidentally, the only known Yi fossil was examined by an electron microscope in twelve places for melanosomes. The results indicated that Yi’s plumage was mostly black with a yellowish-brown hue on the head. Something for PNSO to take note of should they ever opt to create a larger version of this animal. CollectA and Safari might also want to do the same!
Yiyi’s base is light brown painted over with dark brown. His feet are painted rather sloppily with the exact same shade of dark brown, and it makes them look bad. Moreover, PNSO opted to use an extension of the branch Yiyi is standing on as a support for his body. Wouldn’t do at all to have a figure that sags, after all. But said extension is the exact same colour as the part of Yiyi’s wing that it is connected to, making it a good idea that has been poorly executed.
”Salutations, my dear Yiyi!”
While Yiyi’s paint applications are flawed, nothing bad can be said about his sculpting. His head and body have a fuzzy coat of feathers and the four large feathers on his tail are nicely detailed. His wings have a wrinkled, leathery texture similar to a bat’s. Their outspread pose allow for a perfect view of the different-sized fingers and the styliform elements. Small as Yiyi may be, he has no difficulty standing out amongst the other feathered dinosaurs on my shelf!
Yiyi the Yi probably isn’t the best miniature PNSO has produced, but I would say that he’s definitely one of the most unique. I’ve been dying for a figure of this genus ever since it was first revealed back in 2015, so truth be told, I’m perfectly willing to forgive Yiyi’s paint flaws on account of how pleased I am to finally own a Yi. Hopefully, this won’t be the last one to be made (again, please take note, CollectA and Safari!). In the mean time, if you too are fond of strange and unusual and beautiful species of dinosaur, then I reckon Yiyi is worth the purchase.
Disclaimer: links to Ebay and Amazon on the DinoToyBlog are affiliate links, so we make a small commission if you use them. Thanks for supporting us!
PNSO’S Yi qi paleosculpt might disappoint some, but, I’m happy to know that there, Even, IS, a figurine available of the unearthly, Yet,Delightfully Adorable “YiQi” Bird!
Safari ltd’s Paleoart figurines have been steadily improving in quality and accuracy since the early 2,000’s, with some of the Dinosaur and megammal figures rivaling,(and, in the latest Velmongs – Velociraptor mongoliensis – surpassing) Schliech, PNSO’s depiction of Yi qi is very reminiscent of a freaky Pterodactyl+Archaeopteryx toy from the 1970’s that we were forced to accept, AS, an Archaeopteryx. Here’s the weird thing; It was as If It’s artist Was being “Prophetic” of the discovery of Yi qi! The sculpture had a Bird’s head with a backcurved crest, Archaeornis’s feathered Tail, and a Pterosaur’s wings. It’s probably partially inspirational to a Fantasy Cockatrice I designed decades ago called “Myxaterapteryxes klugixis” that’s a “Dead Ringer” for Yi qi. (a design concept that I thought impossible in a Real animal!)
I have NO trouble imaging flocks of lively, technicolored, little Yi qi birds flitting about the forest canopy calling out; “Yee-Kee, Yee-Kee, Yee-Kee” in rapid, Cartoony, squeaky little voices!
As happy as I am to see a Yi qi this one fails to impress, one of the lesser PNSO minis. Great review all the same.
Thanks!
Good review. Personally, the figure would have been fine as a ‘first-time model’, but unfortunately, the vastly superior Kaiyodo iteration was alrady avaliable. That paintjob on the stick is possibly the biggest blunder PNSO has made in its history (aside from shutting down, of course).
Then again, it is still the first toy of Yi qi, so I’d get it if any younger relatives were interested in this species.
Am I missing something or does this thing have a third leg?
Did you read the review?
Ah, I see now. Sorry, just skimmed it for the first read, I’ll admit. That paint application (and even the choice to have the branch there at all) are a bit unfortunate lol Interesting choice from PNSO there.
It is a very strange dinosaur in its appearance rivals other dinosaurs such as deinocheirus and therizinosaurus. Sincerely Zhao Chuang and the PNSO brand should make a PVC figure of this rare dinosaur in larger size.
It is perhaps not this figure one of the most fortunate of the PNSO minis.