Author: DinoToyBlog

Dr Adam S. Smith (aka 'DinoToyBlog' here, and 'DinoToyForum' on the Dinosaur Toy Forum) is a curator and palaeontologist at the Nottingham Natural History Museum, Wollaton Hall, UK. Adam launched the Dinosaur Toy Blog in July 2007 and followed it up with the Dinosaur Toy Forum in January 2008, and the Animal Toy Forum in December 2012. He is particularly interested in marine reptile figures, especially plesiosaurs. Adam also runs The Plesiosaur Directory website and has published several popular articles and technical papers on fossil marine reptiles. He is a children's book author with 'The Plesiosaur's Neck' (2021) and 'The Tyrannosaur's Feathers' (2023).

All reviews by this author

Review: Stegosaurus (Desktop model by Favorite Co. Ltd, sculpted by Michael Trcic)

4.9 (7 votes)

I recently decided to give in to a long-lasting urge and purchased my first ever desktop dinosaur models. Given the considerable price tag on some of these statues, it can be a big decision, especially in these days of online shopping when it’s difficult to know if it’s really worth it, and when there’s risk of damage during transit.

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Review: Plesiosaurus (Papo)

Genus: Plesiosaurus Brand: Papo Classification: Plesiosaur Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

2.8 (24 votes)

The exciting news in 2010 that Papo was to release a plesiosaur, their first ever marine reptile, was quashed quickly when I saw the early publicity photograph. The picture revealed a disappointing Nessie-like concoction with a chubby body and a swan-like neck. In the flesh, the Papo Plesiosaurus evokes mixed feelings.

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Review: Prehistoric Life Toob (Safari Ltd)

Genus: Andrewsarchus, Arsinoitherium, Doedicurus, Homo neanderthalensis, M. primigenius, Macrauchenia, Mammuthus, Megatherium, Smilodon, Woolly mammoth Brand: Safari Ltd. Classification: Cat, Elephant, Hominid, Mammal Age: Eocene, Miocene, Oligocene, Pleistocene, Pliocene Type: Set, Tube

4 (10 votes)

Safari Ltd has released several new tubes in 2010, or Toobs, to be funky but grammatically incorrect, each of which contains a selection of prehistoric critters. But before we pour these new toobs out for review, let’s take a look at one of the existing toob sets.

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Review: Deinosuchus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Deinosuchus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd. Classification: Crocodile Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.3 (22 votes)

Review by Cordylus, photos by Plesiosauria
There aren’t many prehistoric crocodilian figures, but out of the very few there are, the Carnegie Collection Deinosuchus stands out.

Deinosuchus was a big alligator (well technically it wasn’t an alligator- but it was more closely related to alligators than to crocodiles) from prehistoric Texas.

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Review: Cryolophosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Cryolophosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd. Classification: Theropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.4 (21 votes)

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.

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Review: Liopleurodon (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Liopleurodon Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Classification: Plesiosaur, Pliosaur Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.9 (24 votes)

One of the first new releases of 2010 is the Liopleurodon from Safari’s rapidly growing and excellent quality Wild Safari line. This is Safari’s first replica of the infamous Jurassic sea monster, originally made famous for its appearance in Walking with Dinosaurs over a decade ago.

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Review: Maiasaura (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Maiasaura Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd. Classification: Hadrosaur, Ornithopod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.6 (15 votes)

The discovery and description of fossil hadrosaur nesting grounds in the Cretaceous of North America provided some of the best evidence for parental care in dinosaurs. The association of fossils at the so-called ‘egg mountain’ site in Montana included eggs, babies and adults of a single species of dinosaur; crushed egg shells indicated that the babies spent time in the nest after hatching and were probably looked after by adults of the same species.

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Review: Feathered Dinos Tube (Safari Ltd)

Genus: Apatosaurus, Beipiaosaurus, Caudipteryx, Chasmosaurus, Dilong, Microraptor, Pachycephalosaurus, Protoceratops, Psittacosaurus, Sinornithosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor Brand: Safari Ltd. Classification: Ceratopsian, Ceratopsian (basal), Chasmosaur, Diplodocoid, Dromaeosaur, Oviraptorosaur, Pachycephalosaur, Sauropod, Therizinosaur, Theropod, Tyrannosaur Age: Cretaceous, Jurassic Type: Set, Tube

4 (21 votes)

Safari Ltd have produced several tubes (or ‘toobs’ as they call them) that contain a diverse selection of mini-dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. These tubes are a great choice for the indecisive amongst us. Why pick one single large dinosaur when you can get an entire tube of small dinosaurs for the same price.

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Review: Brachiosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Brachiosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd. Classification: Macronaria (basal), Sauropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.3 (18 votes)

The Brachiosaurus is one of the few original Carnegie Collection sculpts, as far as I can tell, that has remained unchanged (with the exception of a new paint job) since it was released in 1987. As explained by Randy Knol on the Dinosaur Collector Site, the majority of figures from the original line have been tweaked or retired.

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Review: Tyrannosaurus rex (Papo)

Genus: Tyrannosaurus Brand: Papo Classification: Theropod, Tyrannosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.6 (24 votes)

Review by megaraptor1000, photos by dinotoyforum
Papo has produced some stunning, if inaccurate, toys in their short time in the model dinosaur industry. Today I will be reviewing one of their larger pieces, the Tyrannosaurus rex. I apologize in advance to Jurassic Park worshipers for bashing their little Rex, I don’t hate him, I am just a bit critical.

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Review: Tapejara (Wild Safari Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Tapejara, Tupandactylus Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Classification: Pterosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.3 (10 votes)

Tapejara is a pterosaur from the Cretaceous deposits of Brazil. Historically, several species have been referred to this genus, each species was differentiated based on the shape and size of their head crests. Safari’s offering shows a tall semicircular crest and a long prong protruding from the back of the head, this arrangement is characteristic of the species Tapejara imperator.

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Review: Saltasaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Saltasaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd. Classification: Sauropod, Titanosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.8 (16 votes)

Titanosaurians are a quite poorly known group of sauropod dinosaurs from the Cretaceous Period. Saltasaurus, from Argentina, is one of the better known representatives of this group and it provided the first conclusive evidence for osteoderms (bony armour) in a sauropod; many titanosaurians are now known to have been armoured.

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