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: 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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Review: Plateosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Plateosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Prosauropod Age: Triassic Type: Figurine

4.3 (18 votes)

This Plateosaurus, with “1994” stamped on its tummy, is fast becoming one of the older figures in the Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd. Plateosaurus is from the Triassic of Germany and is classified as a prosauropod dinosaur, that is, a close relative of the later large long-necked sauropods.

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Review: Beipiaosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Beipiaosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Therizinosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.5 (30 votes)

Beipiaosaurus is a therizinosauroid, although it is not included within the family Therizinosauridae because it is more ‘primitive’. Fossils of therizinosaurs have confused palaeontologists for many years. Their fragmentary remains were originally allied with prosauropods because of their long necks, backwards-facing hips, peg-like teeth suited for a herbivorous lifestyle, and other anatomical features.

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Review: Diplodocus (2008) (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Diplodocus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Diplodocoid, Sauropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.8 (22 votes)

Although the 2008 Diplodocus has been featured several times on this blog already, it has never been reviewed, so it’s time to make amends with a photographic walkaround and short review.

This is Safari’s second attempt at a Diplodocus and this version is a much improved affair.

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Review: Nigersaurus (Wild Safari collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Nigersaurus Brand: Safari Ltd, Wild Safari Classification: Diplodocoid, Sauropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.8 (22 votes)

As coincidence would have it, two separate companies (Procon and Safari) released a Nigersaurus figure this year. The current review will concentrate on the offering from Safari’s rapidly maturing and increasingly impressive Wild Safari line. I won’t be comparing the two figures directly, but it is worth noting in passing that Procon’s rival pales in comparison to this superior Safari replica.

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Review: Deltadromeus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Deltadromeus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Ceratosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.3 (19 votes)

Fossil remains of this slenderly built and long-legged theropod are known from Late Cretaceous deposits of northern Africa. It is another quite obscure species as far as dinosaur toys go, maybe Safari picked it out to demonstrate that they are keeping up with palaeontological research, Deltadromeus was named and described in detail in 1996; the Carnegie figure was produced the following year.

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Review: Sinraptor (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Sinraptor Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Allosaur, Theropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.6 (10 votes)

Sinraptor is a medium-sized theropod from the Late Jurassic of China, named and described in 1994. Despite the name, it is not a member of raptor family (Dromaeosauridae) and it is actually related to the allosaurs, considered to be close to their ancestral form.

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