Author: Suspsy

Suspsy has lived in Canada all his life. One day when he was in kindergarten, his teacher did a lesson on dinosaurs and put up some giant cutouts on the wall. Suspsy immediately began pretending to be a Tyrannosaurus rex at playtime, and continued to do so for many subsequent playtimes. Since then, he has acquired two degrees, worked many different jobs, travelled to many fantastic locations, fallen in love, gotten married, and settled down to raise a family, but his passion for dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals has never waned.

All reviews by this author

Review: Triceratops (Jurassic Park 2009 by Hasbro)

Genus: Triceratops Brand: Hasbro, Jurassic Park Classification: Ceratopsian, Chasmosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Action Figure

2.3 (15 votes)

The dinosaur toy community received a big surprise in the summer of 2016 with the news that Universal had taken away the Jurassic Park license from Hasbro and given it to Mattel. Whether or not this is a boon or a bust remains to be seen, although I have difficulty envisioning anything worse than the embarrassing Jurassic World line.

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Review: Ouranosaurus (CollectA)

Genus: Ouranosaurus Brand: CollectA Classification: Iguanodont (basal), Ornithopod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3 (17 votes)

Ouranosaurus is instantly recognizable by virtue of its tall neural spines, which supported either a sail or possibly a hump. Residing in Africa during the Late Cretaceous, it was long thought to be part of the iguanodontid family. However, it is now thought to have been a basal hadrosauroid.

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Review: Pterosaur (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Anhanguera Brand: Safari Ltd, Wild Safari Classification: Pterosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.3 (12 votes)

In 2003, a new species of African pterosaur was unveiled by paleontologist Paul Sereno. Discovered in the southern Sahara, the animal’s 16-foot wingspan and sharp teeth enabled it to soar down from the skies and snatch up fish some 110 million years ago.

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Review: Eotyrannus (CollectA)

Genus: Eotyrannus Brand: CollectA Classification: Theropod, Tyrannosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

1.7 (17 votes)

Eotyrannus, the “dawn tyrant,” was discovered in the fossil-rich Wessex Formation on the Isle of Wight, UK. It is one of the earliest known tyrannosaurs, and while it was a far cry from the likes of Tyrannosaurus rex, Tarbosaurus, and Zhuchengtyrannus, it must have been a formidable predator in its own right.

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Review: Edmontonia (Recur)

Genus: Edmontonia Brand: Recur Classification: Ankylosaur, Nodosaur, Thyreophoran Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.2 (25 votes)

The last of the review samples sent to me by Recur is their 2015 rendition of the heavily armoured nodosaurid known as Edmontonia. Let’s see what this one has to offer, shall we?

Like all Recur toys, this Edmontonia is quite large.

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Review: Pteranodon (CollectA)

Genus: Pteranodon Brand: CollectA Classification: Pterosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.1 (11 votes)

Pteranodon is not only the most famous pterosaur, but also the best known. More than 1,000 fossil specimens have been uncovered, including both male and female individuals. Males were larger and possessed the familiar blade-shaped crests while females were smaller, had short, rounded crests, and wider hips for laying eggs.

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Review: Sterrholophus Marsh AKA Triceratops (Recur)

Genus: Sterrholophus, Triceratops Brand: Recur Classification: Ceratopsian, Chasmosaur Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.3 (28 votes)

In 1891, the legendary O.C. Marsh bestowed the name Sterrholophus (“solid crest”) to a ceratopsian that would later be determined to be a specimen of Triceratops. That Recur would choose to use this obscure synonym for one of their toys is pretty strange, but I’ve been informed that they will be employing “Triceratops” in future.

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Review: Iguanodon (CollectA)

Genus: Iguanodon Brand: CollectA Classification: Iguanodont (basal), Ornithopod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.2 (17 votes)

Discovered in England by Gideon Mantell in 1835, Iguanodon was the second dinosaur to be formally named. Over the years, it has been depicted by paleoartists as a huge and horned lizard, then as an upright and rather dignified-looking biped, and most recently, as a quadrupedal browser that was capable of rearing up on its hind legs.

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Review: Carcharodontosaurus (Recur)

Genus: Carcharodontosaurus Brand: Recur Classification: Allosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

4.1 (28 votes)

The frightful Carcharodontosaurus derives its name from its razor-sharp teeth, which resemble a great white shark’s. Although it shared its range in Late Cretaceous Africa with Spinosaurus, the two animals probably avoided conflict by pursuing different prey.

Recur’s rendition of Carcharodontosaurus stands 12.5 cm tall and measures about 21 cm long.

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Review: Oviraptor (CollectA)

Genus: Oviraptor Brand: CollectA Classification: Oviraptorosaur, Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.6 (16 votes)

Oviraptor is one prehistoric animal that’s been saddled with a terribly inaccurate name (Basilosaurus has the same problem). It was dubbed the “egg thief” because its remains were found atop a nest of eggs that was assumed to belong to Protoceratops.

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Review: Deinosuchus (Recur)

Genus: Deinosuchus Brand: Recur Classification: Crocodile Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine

3.9 (28 votes)

Deinosuchus was a giant alligatoroid (which is NOT the same as an alligator!) that inhabited the coasts of North America around 80 to 73 million years ago. Along with Purussaurus from South America and Sarcosuchus from Africa, it’s a contender for the title of Biggest Crocodyliforme Ever.

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Review: Edmontonia (CollectA)

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

3.3 (14 votes)

Edmontonia is named after the Edmonton Formation (now called the Horseshoe Canyon Formation) in which it was found. As a nodosaurid, it lacked a bony club at the end of its tail, but made up for that with its formidable array of shoulder spikes.

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