Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
A few months ago I stumbled upon pictures of several dinosaur figures made by the French company Starlux while I was reading through the “Recent Acquisitions” thread in the DTF. I looked up this company and found that they had made a great array of dinosaurs as well as some very obscure and rarely depicted prehistoric animals.
Author: Lanthanotus
Lanthanotus goes by the name Dennis in analogue life and lives with his small family in Germany. His serious interest in dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures began in early primary school when he either got a dinosaur book for birthday or found some dinosaur book in the school library – whatever came first. As with a lot of things that caught one’s attention during childhood or youth, the interest slumbered for many years before coming back with force. Lanthanotus joined the Dinosaur Toy Forum in 2015 and ever since enjoyed catching up with recent scientific findings and collecting and reviewing toy figures. Outside the computer Dennis works as an educator and frequently travels the world with his family to contribute to his other passion: herpetology. He published several articles and holds lectures on monitor lizard biology.All reviews by this author
Review: Microceratops (Johan Scherft)
5 (2 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
It’s been a while since I promised you another review of a papercraft model, but here it is, Johan Scherft’s interpretation of Microceratops. Now, if you wonder why this name isn’t italicised here or why Google redirects you to a species of parasitic wasp rather than to a ceratopsian dinosaur the explanation is, that Microceratops is in fact an insect species and because of this, the few small parts of a ceratopsian dinosaur fossil found in Mongolia and decribed 1953 by Bohlin were renamed Microceratus by Mateus in 2008.
It’s been a while since I promised you another review of a papercraft model, but here it is, Johan Scherft’s interpretation of Microceratops. Now, if you wonder why this name isn’t italicised here or why Google redirects you to a species of parasitic wasp rather than to a ceratopsian dinosaur the explanation is, that Microceratops is in fact an insect species and because of this, the few small parts of a ceratopsian dinosaur fossil found in Mongolia and decribed 1953 by Bohlin were renamed Microceratus by Mateus in 2008.
Review: Himalayasaurus (Age of the Dinosaurs by PNSO)
3.6 (8 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Just recently, the Chinese company PNSO stirred the DinoToyBlog community with the release of their first dinosaur (and some not so “dinosaur”) figures, especially because they became available via Amazon, thereby lowering the costs and challenges of overseas deals by a good share.
Just recently, the Chinese company PNSO stirred the DinoToyBlog community with the release of their first dinosaur (and some not so “dinosaur”) figures, especially because they became available via Amazon, thereby lowering the costs and challenges of overseas deals by a good share.
Review: Spinosaurus (Replica-Saurus by Schleich)
2.6 (7 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Today I want to introduce you to a figure so obsolete that one can almost only recognize it by the big sail set on the somewhat generic theropod body: the Spinosaurus from Schleich’s Replica-Saurus 1:40 line, released in 1993.
Today I want to introduce you to a figure so obsolete that one can almost only recognize it by the big sail set on the somewhat generic theropod body: the Spinosaurus from Schleich’s Replica-Saurus 1:40 line, released in 1993.
Review: Tyrannosaurus rex (Museum Line by Bullyland)
2.5 (10 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
According to the dinosaur books I read when I was a child, Tyrannosaurus rex was the ultimate bane of the Cretaceous. Every other dinosaur had best fled to save its poor hide once the king of tyrants strolled by.
According to the dinosaur books I read when I was a child, Tyrannosaurus rex was the ultimate bane of the Cretaceous. Every other dinosaur had best fled to save its poor hide once the king of tyrants strolled by.
Review: Giganotosaurus (TipToi by Ravensburger)
2.4 (5 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Large carnivores are always worth a headline, be it a shark attack or a prehistoric discovery in a country as neglected by international news media as Australia. Back in 1995 the world’s public was introduced to a dinosaur species which had been discovered two years before in the endless wastes of Patagonia by Rubén Dario Carolini, who is also the species’ namesake: Giganotosaurus carolinii.
Large carnivores are always worth a headline, be it a shark attack or a prehistoric discovery in a country as neglected by international news media as Australia. Back in 1995 the world’s public was introduced to a dinosaur species which had been discovered two years before in the endless wastes of Patagonia by Rubén Dario Carolini, who is also the species’ namesake: Giganotosaurus carolinii.
Review: Velociraptor (Dakin)
2.4 (5 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Back in the pre-JP era, TV documentaries about dinosaurs were a rare sight on German TV. As a dinophile, it was a viewing obligation when the public TV station aired a four part series about dinosaurs in 1991. The documentary’s title was–you probably guessed it–Dinosaur!
Back in the pre-JP era, TV documentaries about dinosaurs were a rare sight on German TV. As a dinophile, it was a viewing obligation when the public TV station aired a four part series about dinosaurs in 1991. The documentary’s title was–you probably guessed it–Dinosaur!
Review: Pterodactyl (Tyco)
4 (4 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Some Saturday back in the late 1980s’, my parents dragged me to a big mall (by 80’s European standards) in a nearby city to buy those things that boys age 11 or 12 like most: clothing, shoes, and such.
Some Saturday back in the late 1980s’, my parents dragged me to a big mall (by 80’s European standards) in a nearby city to buy those things that boys age 11 or 12 like most: clothing, shoes, and such.
Review: Monanthesia and Cycadeoidea (CollectA)
5 (13 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Greens, stems, and leaves, but no teeth, no blood, no gore . . . no wonder plants seldom provide more than background for movies or our dinosaur collections. Day of the Triffids (1962) is the classic plant horror film par excellence, where seemingly harmless plants attack and kill humans and charge to take over world domination within days (for those of you that can’t stand classic B-movies or modern semi-quality TV adaptations of them, Splinter may be a more thrilling choice, though the antagonist is !SPOILER ALERT!
Greens, stems, and leaves, but no teeth, no blood, no gore . . . no wonder plants seldom provide more than background for movies or our dinosaur collections. Day of the Triffids (1962) is the classic plant horror film par excellence, where seemingly harmless plants attack and kill humans and charge to take over world domination within days (for those of you that can’t stand classic B-movies or modern semi-quality TV adaptations of them, Splinter may be a more thrilling choice, though the antagonist is !SPOILER ALERT!
Review: Corythosaurus (Replica-Saurus by Schleich)
3.8 (11 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
When the term hadrosaur is combined with a toy, it usually results into a Parasaurolophus. While this genus may still not be as overrepresented as some carnivorous theropods, it easily exceeds all other hadrosaur renditions in number.
When the term hadrosaur is combined with a toy, it usually results into a Parasaurolophus. While this genus may still not be as overrepresented as some carnivorous theropods, it easily exceeds all other hadrosaur renditions in number.
Review: Thyreophoran (Furkan)
4.3 (4 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Remember that long lost time when you had to search for an unknown term in a tremendous lexicon, through library research or by making contact with friends via mail in paper form (because phone calls were so expensive), post being delayed by two weeks and another two until you got an answer?
Remember that long lost time when you had to search for an unknown term in a tremendous lexicon, through library research or by making contact with friends via mail in paper form (because phone calls were so expensive), post being delayed by two weeks and another two until you got an answer?
Review: Deinonychus Hatchling (Johan Scherft)
3.3 (3 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Following my review about the Styracosaurus hatched from a chocolate surprise egg, I’ll introduce you to a “real” hatchling in this review, just the right thing to put some Mesozoic spice to your upcoming Easter celebrations–the model of hatching Deinonychus by talented Netherlands artist Johan Scherft.
Following my review about the Styracosaurus hatched from a chocolate surprise egg, I’ll introduce you to a “real” hatchling in this review, just the right thing to put some Mesozoic spice to your upcoming Easter celebrations–the model of hatching Deinonychus by talented Netherlands artist Johan Scherft.
Review: Styracosaurus (Ferrero Kinder Überraschung)
3 (2 votes)
Review and photographs by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
“Styracosaurus?! Someone messed up the title, that’s obviously a Triceratops, isn’t it?” Well, let’s discuss this at a later point. This tiny figure is one of eight prehistoric reptiles dating back to 1978 and hatched out of those famous “Kinder Überraschung” chocolate eggs (“surprise eggs”).
“Styracosaurus?! Someone messed up the title, that’s obviously a Triceratops, isn’t it?” Well, let’s discuss this at a later point. This tiny figure is one of eight prehistoric reptiles dating back to 1978 and hatched out of those famous “Kinder Überraschung” chocolate eggs (“surprise eggs”).
Review: Prehistoric Landscapes Cycad by Safari Ltd.
4.9 (10 votes)
Review and photographs by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Here comes another (unfortunately retired) one of the prehistoric plants produced by Safari Ltd, the other two being reviewed here. I did not include it in the first review as my usual retailer didn’t have it in stock anymore and it took some time to find one for a reasonable price.
Here comes another (unfortunately retired) one of the prehistoric plants produced by Safari Ltd, the other two being reviewed here. I did not include it in the first review as my usual retailer didn’t have it in stock anymore and it took some time to find one for a reasonable price.
Review: Dimorphodons (REBOR)
3.7 (10 votes)
Review and photographs by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Here comes a review I’m really excited about! Well, not about the review itself, but the models. When I first encountered REBOR while reading the Dinosaur Toy Forum, I was thrilled by the level of detail and the paint jobs on their models, but being not too keen about toothy theropods, I did not decide to buy any of them.
Here comes a review I’m really excited about! Well, not about the review itself, but the models. When I first encountered REBOR while reading the Dinosaur Toy Forum, I was thrilled by the level of detail and the paint jobs on their models, but being not too keen about toothy theropods, I did not decide to buy any of them.