As we all know, Triceratops is a staple of any dinosaur collection. CollectA’s standard sized line may have a Triceratops, but its cartoonish, caricature design leaves much to be desired – and adding a baby Triceratops figure doesn’t help. It may have taken some time, but in 2010, the company finally gave ol’ three horns a proper spot in their...
In any decent line of dinosaur figures, there is often a steady rate of progress as the quality of figures improve. For some, the application of paint is neater or more elaborate; for others, the heightened level of research before design results in a more scientifically sound reconstruction. Even the dinosaurs from Procon CollectA, notorious for their simple “kid-friendly” figures,...
The Procon CollectA line has released a number of exotic creatures for its prehistoric line, many of them associated with super-star paleontologist Paul Sereno. Typically these are only smallish figures for their “small” to “large” product lines; large “deluxe” figures tend to be only popular species that collectors will presumably be more comfortable with. With 2010’s Jobaria, CollectA has taken...
When it comes to dinosaur figures, many collectors favor pieces that possess either high levels of scientific accuracy, or eye-catching aesthetic embellishments. The dinosaurs produced by CollectA (formerly Procon, and Epixx in Europe) are generally lacking in these crucial traits. Their emphasis on obscure species has granted them some distinction in recent years, but their toys still have a long...
Achelousaurus was a ceratopsian that lived during the Campanian stage of the late Cretacious period. It is named after the Greek river deity, Achelous who, according to myth, had his horn broken off during a fight with the famous Greek hero, Hercules. The skull of Achelousaurus has a low, flat boss (or lumpy mass of bone) on its...
Available from Amazon.com here. Tsintaosaurus was a duck-billed dinosaur, or hadrosaur, that lived in China about 84 to 71 million years ago. Like many Lambeosaurs, Tsintaosaurus is believed to have sported a fancy crest on its head. In this case, the crest is a skinny rod that stuck out above of the dinosaur’s face much like a mythical...
Pachyrhinosaurus was a ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the Campanian age of the late Cretacious in what is now Canada. It was the largest of the “thick nosed” ceratopsians and is recognized by the fact that its skull sports no nose horn, just a large lumpy mass of bone. Some scientists believe that this would have been the...
Review and Photos by Nicholas Anning (“Brontozaurus”). Edited by Plesiosauria. CollectA/Procon is somewhat unique among dinosaur toy companies in that they have an extensive range of dinosaur toys which represent relatively obscure dinosaurs. While these toys seem to vary in quality (to say the least), they at least deserve points for trying. Which brings us to today’s subject, the deluxe...
Chasmosaurus is a fairly well known ceratopsian that lived in Canada during the Campanian era of the Late Cretacious. It’s characterized by a distinctly tall and wide frill accompanied by three horns on its face. At least three individual species of this dinosaur are known due to variation amongst frills and horns on various skulls. Chasmosaurus would...
The skull of Dracorex was found in the Hell Creek Formation in the United States and dates back to the Maastrichtian age at the very end of the age of dinosaurs. Its full name, Dracorex hogwatsia, translates to “Dragon King of Hogwarts” which pretty much makes it the coolest official name in science ever. The reason for this...
Review and photos by Griffin Tenontosaurus was an Iguanodontid ornithopod dinosaur that lived in the Western United States during the early Cretacious period. In life it would have co-existed with dinosaurs like Iguanodon, Dienonychus, Utahraptor and Acrocanthosaurus. Thanks to a Tenontosaurus skeleton discovered with Dienonychus chew marks on its bones in addition to Dienonychus skeletons nearby, the idea of pack-hunting...
Photographs by Suspsy Muttaburrasaurus was an iguanodontid ornithopod from the Lower Cretaceous of Australia. It was seven metres long and its hallmark was a domed snout. Scientists suggest that Muttaburrasaurus had enlarged nasal caves, some even think that it had inflatable sacs for courtship displays or sounds. There are not many Muttaburrasaurus figures out there. To be honest, I only...
