Collecta has been bringing out prehistoric animal tubes over the last few years, and while some gave us some great new designs, others have just given us miniature versions of models they already have. This is a case of the latter, as they have released these small versions of their ancient mammals. And two odd balls. Each is based on...
In part 1 of this review we looked at 12 dinosaur toys (and one pterosaur) from Panini’s Prehistoric Animals line. In part 2 we pick up where we left off to complete the full set of 24 toys. Figure numbers 13 to 15 are a trio of marine reptiles, and their dark blue colour works very well for aquatic animals....
Life as a prehistoric predator, even one as powerful and ferocious as Smilodon fatalis, was far from easy or enjoyable. A recent study done on thousands of specimens collected in California found that 4.3% of them had sustained trauma to their backs and shoulders. This is most likely a result of them having to wrestle heavy game like bison and...
Photographs and review by ‘Resurrection of the dinosaurs,’ edited by Suspsy Bullyland is well known for its range of prehistoric animal models for an old museum line, which is now sadly discontinued. One week ago, I saw many Bullyland figures put on sale at my local toy shop; there were modern animal figures and some prehistoric ones that are still...
Review and photos by PhilSauria, edited by Suspsy Smilodon is another one of those extinct animals that you’d call a staple, appearing in most prehistoric toylines that go beyond dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and marine reptiles to include mammals. This guy and the woolly mammoth are generally the usual suspects when companies producing such a range want to tick the prehistoric mammal...
During the night, an old hulking Smilodon had spotted a baby mammoth that had wondered away from its mother. It attacked the calf before mama saw what was happening. The mother charged at the cat making it scatter, but the damage was done, the calf collapsed to the icy ground succumbing...
Prehistoric skulls, be they those of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, sea monsters, mammals, amphibians, or any other beasts, are always things of beauty and intrigue. Let us take a look at this interesting variety of mammal skulls from Safari Ltd. There are eight in total, all coloured medium brown with a pale brown wash, and all with their names printed on the...
One of the more bizarre proposals I’ve heard recently is that Smilodon and other machairodonts may have had large, drooping jowls to protect their famous (and fragile) fangs from the elements. I’m not convinced of this reconstruction myself, but I do find it rather amusing. Speculation will always be a large part of paleontology. The Papo Smilodon was released back...
Around 2003, Schleich released six prehistoric mammals, two Woolly Mammoths (adult and calf), Megatherium, Machruchania, Cave Bear, Glyptodon, and Smilodon. Some of these figures appear to be modeled after the BBC show, Walking with Prehistoric Beasts. Most of the figures in the line are rather nicely done, but a couple of them are really interesting. The Megatherium...
Review and photographs by Quentin Brendel (aka Pachyrhinosaurus), edited by Suspsy Smilodon, the notorious sabre-toothed cat, has been included in dinosaur toy sets for decades. It’s often depicted in the likeness of a modern tiger, probably in part due to its common name being “sabre-toothed tiger.” On the contrary, this cat wasn’t closely related to tigers, belonging to a now-extinct...
Review and photographs by Indohyus, edited by Suspsy Smilodon. Whether it’s populator, fatalis, or gracilis, one thing is certain: this was a powerful felid, the epitome of ancient mammal predators. Originally from North America, then successfully emigrating to South America during the Great Faunal Interchange, there are few who haven’t heard of this mighty mammal, especially for its 28 cm...
For ages, the sabre-toothed cats have been the top predators in their ecosystem. But now humans have appeared on the scene, and what they lack in brute strength, they make up for in cunning and intelligence! Rounding out Playmobil’s prehistoric megafauna is this the menacing pair of sabre-tooths, clearly belonging to the Smilodon genus. Each measures just under 10 cm...
