Otodus megalodon is a difficult shark for me to get excited about, despite my love of cartilaginous fishes. Although captivating in concept (a gigantic whale-hunting shark with 7” teeth) there aren’t enough remains of it to really…well…sink your teeth into. Just teeth and vertebrae.
Age: Miocene
Review: Stegodon (TNG)
4.9 (38 votes)
Most prehistoric proboscideans followed the same basic body plan: a big body on big legs and a big head with big ears and a big nose. Even ones with comparatively small ears and noses like Deinotherium still had them bigger than any other group of mammals.
Review: Gryposuchus (Jurassic World Epic Evolution, Wild Roar by Mattel)
4.5 (35 votes)
Now here’s something unprecedented from Mattel. No, not a prehistoric pseudosuchian most people have never heard of. Mattel likes those, and this is that too. What makes this one unique is that it represents an animal that lived during the Cenozoic. The era immediately following the Mesozoic and the one in which we’re currently living.
Review: Evolution of Humanity (Tama-Kyu)
4 (22 votes)
Review and images by bmathison1972; edited by Suspsy
Prehistoric and primitive hominids are not rare in the animal toy market, but evolutionary sets of them are. The first, and probably the most popular, was called Evolution of Man, produced by Bullyland in 1999.
Review: Macrauchenia (MPC)
4 (53 votes)
“If MPC Ran the Zoo”…
Macrauchenia looked like it could have inspired some of the creatures in a Dr. Seuss book, if its history of paleoart is anything to go by. First described in 1838, the “long-necked llama” hasn’t achieved the same level of fame as some of its mammalian contemporaries from the Miocene and Pleistocene; however, its lanky legs, long neck, and peculiar trunk make for a very distinct image, and have earned the genus at least a few toys over the decades.
Review: Ceratogaulus (MPC)
3.9 (24 votes)
A truly rare genus in the hobby to this day, MPC’s vintage figurine marks a bold move from a company most famous for its imitations – although the toy is perhaps showing its age with some design choices.
MPC (Multiple Products Corporation) is a well-known brand among experienced dinosaur collectors; their prehistoric line from 1961 and 1962 was widely sold through stores and catalogs for decades.
Review: Titanochelon bolivari (1:20 Miocene Collection by Signatustudio)
4.9 (11 votes)
Review and images by bmathison1972; edited by Suspsy
Signatustudio is a line of animal replicas made by artist J. Miguel Aparicio out of Spain. Most of his models are in the 1:20 scale and represent the fauna of Eurasia, including the Iberian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, Tibetan Plateau, and Euro-Siberian regions.
Review: Giant Wonambi (Lost Kingdoms Series A by Yowie)
3.6 (11 votes)
I love picking up rare species on the toy market, especially where they are part of groups that are rarely made. As mentioned previously, snakes are incredibly rare on the toy shelves, likely because they don’t vary too much so don’t sell well.
Review: Konobelodon (Eofauna)
5 (42 votes)
Eofauna only came onto the scene in 2017, and after five years, their wares can still be counted on just two hands. But darned if they haven’t shown themselves to be the very best company of all when it comes to prehistoric proboscideans.
Review: Livyatan (PNSO)
4.9 (30 votes)
In a last bid for survival, the smaller whale wrenches itself free from Requena’s grip and darts away, its mangled tail gushing thick clouds of red with each stroke. Requena immediately gives chase and in no time is closing in on her waning victim.
Review: Megalodon (Soft Model by Favorite Co. Ltd.)
3.9 (7 votes)
Review and photos by Zim, edited by Suspsy
Otodus megalodon is probably one of the most well-recognized prehistoric animals of all time due to our fascination of giant versions of animals, in this case, sharks. Though it is frequently depicted as an oversized great white shark due to the resemblance between their teeth, many experts now agree that this is due to convergent evolution rather than a close relation.
Review: Megalodon (Age of the Dinosaurs by PNSO)
3.7 (26 votes)
This is no mere great white copy; Patton the Megalodon is a grade-A movie monster, a hulking brute with commanding shelf presence.
Let’s face it: people love apex predators. We’re scared of them, sure, but we also admire them and get excited by them.