Elasmosaurus was a magnificent and charismatic marine reptile that had an incredible neck. This sea dragon reached an estimated length of 43 feet (13 meter). The head and neck comprised half of its length. It might not have been the most powerful animal in prehistoric seas but it is one of the more elegant and recognizable plesiosaurs.
Due to its distinctive look, it is a popular sea creature that has been made many times by different toy companies. In classic paleo art depictions of Elasmosaurus, it either had a swan like neck raising out of the water or it was able to coil its neck like a snake to catch its prey. As cool as that looked, that idea is very inaccurate and would have been impossible for the animal to do. In reality the neck would have been held quite straight with some degree of flexibility for occasional sideward movements. When coming up to breath I think it would be similar to how a sea snake or turtle breathes with just the tip of the nose coming out of the water.
About the toy: The 2003 Bullyland Elasmosaurus embodies retro styling with a long twisting neck that would make Charles Knight and Zdenek Burrian proud. Its neck is twisting to its right, then gracefully turns upward and curves to its left, then turns slightly to face forward, proudly holding its head high. In all honesty this beauty has an incredible neck. When measuring all the twists and turns its neck is about 9 in (22.86 cm)long. The main body is about 3 in (7.62 cm) long, and its tail is about 3 in(7.62 cm) long. When measured from head to tail in a straight line the overall length is 10 in (25.4 cm) long. The head is held off the ground at 3 in (7.62 cm) in height.
The sculpting on the head is more accurate than the Carnegie version but it is not perfect. The eyes look like they are placed close to the top of the head but they still look a little low. It might be a nit-pick but the eyes also look too far back on the skull. The nares are visible in the front.
What about the dentation? When we look at these chompers we should see long thin teeth that protruded from the mouth when closed. The teeth should be intermeshed together like a zipper to impale and capture wiggling fish. Unfortunately this toy doesn’t have those features. The teeth are marked by small lines that are etched into a solid block of teeth that look rather uniform. It is hard to tell but if you look closely at the teeth they might be ever so slightly protrude in the front.
The torso is flat on the bottom and looks inflexible and rigid. The tail is short and curves to its left. The flippers are thin but broad and on the front they curl upwards a little to give it a feeling of pushing water aside. The front flippers are a copy of each other as they are posed and sculpted the same. The same is true of the rear flippers. The skin texture is circular bumps across the entire body, neck, flippers and tail. The colorization is simple and believable. It is painted in typical Bullyland pastel shade of colors. Light blue on top and white on the underside. From the head to the tail there are black spots and splotches. This includes the flippers as well. The eyes are yellow with a black pupil.
Play ability: This sensational marine reptile has an incredible neck that is long and twisted. It is an attractable pose for kids. It offers many different imaginary ideas during playtime. I have seen this model be at the mercy of many different predatory prehistoric toys. This toy needs to be careful during play time and here’ s why. The toy goes for a make believe swim to find fish to eat or perhaps to talk to mermaid Barbie, when suddenly you can hear the Jaws theme playing. That darn Jurassic World Mosasaurus shows up, attacks, and before the Elasmosaurus can escape it has been grabbed by the neck and pulled to the inky depths of the carpeted floor. The toy is not heavy, nor are there any sharp edges, which makes it safe to play with. The paint job can scuff rather easily during play time so parents be prepared to paint touch ups.
Overall: Is this a scientifically accurate toy? No it is not. If you want accuracy, check out the Wild Safari Elasmosaurus. That doesn’t mean that the toy isn’t worth picking up. I personally find the pose beautiful. Yes it looks more like a monster from a movie or from some old paleo art with its head above water and twisting like a snake. For me, that classic look is part of the appeal. It is also a great toy for kids. If you are interested in this toy it is still relatively easy to find.
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You got a well preserved specimen there, I only ever see it with the heavy paint rubbings you mentioned. Nice review of a characterful model, I especially like the last photo 🙂
Thank you. I was lucky when it came in the mail there were no scuffs.
Nice outdoor photos!
Thank you.