Author: Gwangi

My name is Arthur but I go by Gwangi on the blogs and forums, as homage to the old dinosaur and monster movies I love so much. In addition to writing about and collecting toy animals (extinct and extant) I also share my home with a variety of living animals, mostly reptiles but a little bit of everything. I have a lifelong interest in all things nature and natural history and most of my hobbies can be linked to those things in some way. I currently live in Maryland with my wife and daughters. In addition to writing on here I also write magazine articles, typically about local wildlife and aquarium fishes.

All reviews by this author

Review: Caudipteryx (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Caudipteryx Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Oviraptorosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.6 (19 votes)

It’s a bird…it’s a dinosaur…it’s possibly both. It’s the Carnegie Caudipteryx! Although reviewed briefly in 2007 it’s time this stunning oviraptorosaur got the more in depth treatment it deserves. Released in 2006 with several other feathered representations of China’s Yikian formation, this is Carnegie’s take on the small theropod that remains one of the best feathered dinosaur models available.

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Review: Coelophysis (Jurassic Park by Kenner)

Genus: Coelophysis Brand: Jurassic Park, Kenner Classification: Theropod, Theropod (basal) Age: Triassic Type: Action Figure

3.6 (14 votes)

Anyone that has read up on their dinosaurs knows who Coelophysis was. This small, lithe theropod is one of the oldest dinosaurs to have been described. Their massive late Triassic bone beds are among the most famous fossil sites in North America and the genera holds a special place in my heart as one of the only dinosaurs known to have lived in my home state of New York.

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Review: Allosaurus (1988) (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

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

3.5 (22 votes)

Among theropods one of the most popular and well known is the Jurassic Morrison Formation’s Allosaurus, also known from Portugal and possibly Tanzania as well. Though it lived in pop culture in the shadow of Tyrannosaurus, the Allosaurus was arguably a more efficient animal all together.

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Review: Gallimimus (Jasman)

Genus: Gallimimus Brand: Jasman Classification: Ornithomimosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.6 (5 votes)

Gallimimus and ornithomimosauria in general are poorly represented in the world of dinosaur models and toys. Recently CollectA fixed this with their outstanding figure of Deinocheirus but Deinocheirus is only known from scant remains and while it is a marvelous example of the group we could still use more figures of the better known genera.

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Review: Chalicotherium (Bullyland)

Genus: Chalicotherium Brand: Bullyland Classification: Mammal Age: Miocene Type: Figurine

4.7 (6 votes)

To celebrate Bullyland’s highly anticipated re-release of their prehistoric mammal collection I felt it was a good time to review the only Bullyland mammal figure I actually own, the Chalicotherium. For those of you out of the loop on this a brief overview is in order.

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Review: Sinosauropteryx (Dinotales Series 1 by Kaiyodo)

Genus: Sinosauropteryx Brand: Kaiyodo Classification: Compsognathid, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.6 (7 votes)

Over two decades after paleontologist John Ostrom described Deinonychus and subsequently launched the “Dinosaur Renaissance” yet a new genus would be found that would change the public perception of dinosaurs and finally bring forth the last piece of evidence needed to connect dinosaurs to birds.

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Review: Diplodocus (1988) (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

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

4.6 (16 votes)

Diplodocus is one of those all American sauropods every kid grew up with, right alongside Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus. Described in 1878 it is still the longest known sauropod from a complete skeleton. It is no wonder then, that the Carnegie Collection would include this animal in their original 1988 lineup of museum quality replicas.

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Review: Baryonyx (The Lost World: Jurassic Park by Kenner)

Genus: Baryonyx Brand: Jurassic Park, Kenner Classification: Spinosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Action Figure

3.3 (12 votes)

In the world of toy dinosaurs few have suffered like the Baryonyx. Despite repeated attempts to fashion a model of this spinosaurid, only one can be said to have been successful and it was the first ever produced, the Invicta 1989 figure.

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Review: Acrocanthosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Acrocanthosaurus Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd Classification: Allosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.1 (30 votes)

With the 2012 release of the highly anticipated Wild Safari Acrocanthosaurus, I thought it only fitting to do a review on the older Carnegie model, which I have only just recently been able to obtain. Acrocanthosaurus was an early Cretaceous relative of theropods such as Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus.

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Review: Dilophosaurus (Boston Museum of Science Collection by Battat)

Genus: Dilophosaurus Brand: Battat Classification: Theropod, Theropod (basal) Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

3.7 (11 votes)

Before I begin my review of this figure, I would like to confess something. I’m a bit terrified writing this. It took me a fair bit of effort to work up the gumption to write for this blog to begin with, but now I’m trying to tackle a dinosaur toy heavyweight… one of the legendary Battat figures.

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Review: Deinonychus (Tyco)

Genus: Deinonychus Brand: Tyco Classification: Dromaeosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Action Figure

3 (8 votes)

If your average person were hard pressed to name every dinosaur that came to mind we all know the names that would crop up; Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, and since 1993…Velociraptor.

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Review: Polacanthus (CollectA)

Genus: Polacanthus Brand: CollectA Classification: Ankylosaur, Nodosaur, Thyreophoran Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

2.4 (12 votes)

I’m really starting to dig this dinosaur review thing. I’ve always enjoyed writing and learning about, and doing anything that involved dinosaurs, so naturally I would have to give this a try and as you can tell I’ve gotten fond of it. Hopefully my reviews are meeting the standards of the blog, feel free to let me know.

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