PNSO: New for 2022

[Faelrin]

@Faras Thanks for your detailed overview and images of this figure so soon. I really appreciate the comparisons between their 2020 Spinosaurus as well.

[Primeval12]

@Faras WOW! Nice figure, probably one of their best in my opinion. Though I disagree with the whole "no lips on our dinos" thing, I think the figure is great. The lipless look fits it well. I also don't mind the inaccurate name... It's such a great figure.

[KrazyKaprosuchus]

The whole "it was a Sucho but because its inaccurate we re-branded it into something that isn´t even an actual Spinosaur so it is actually a Siamosaurus is kind of a turn-off.

It looks pretty good regardless, but I feel I'll keep waiting for a Suchomimus figure.

So it's really inacurate for a Suchomimus ?

It's certainly not the best representation of the genus. Dan Folkes's skeletal reflects our current understanding of the genus based on new data (tail elements) from Ripravenator.

Which is precisely why I'm using the PNSO "Sinopliosaurus" to represent Siamosaurus in my collection. And it could very well work for any generic mid-grade Spinosaurid in dioramas, just nothing specific at the moment.

Could it possibly work as an Icthyovenator or a similar spinosaurid? I'd probably grab it if it would pass as a specific one.

[Flaffy]

Could it possibly work as an Icthyovenator or a similar spinosaurid? I'd probably grab it if it would pass as a specific one.

Icthyovenator, maybe, though I personally wouldn't. The dip in the "Sinopliosaurus" is not a perfect fit to fossil material of Icthyovenator.




Plenty of other spinosaurids to pick and choose from, but most are highly fragmentary. Though I guess the more fragmentary, the better fit it is, since PNSO essentially created a generic spinosaurid model.

[acro-man]

I'll just pretend it's a species not even discovered, like I did to every model that I like but didn't have a proper name.
After all, what we have unearthed was a tiny part, the majority is still unknown.

[Stegotyranno420]

I'll just pretend it's a species not even discovered, like I did to every model that I like but didn't have a proper name.
After all, what we have unearthed was a tiny part, the majority is still unknown.

Exactly!

[CARN0TAURUS]

I'll just pretend it's a species not even discovered, like I did to every model that I like but didn't have a proper name.
After all, what we have unearthed was a tiny part, the majority is still unknown.

I like this approach and it's actually a very 'sensible' one at that.  I've seen these types of reactions on these forums multiple times and then later the same folks posting their photos of their dinosaur toys

[CARN0TAURUS]

SidB wrote:
We faced a somewhat similar challenge with the so-called Nanotyrannus. I'd suppose that most collectors simply regard and display it as a juvenile rex: that's what I do. Looks like this new one will end up as my Suchomimus, it seems.

S @SidB
Same here, at some point the merits of the figure have to count for something, logan is fantastic!  I got over the legs and everything else and now I just enjoy the heck out of it.  It's also one of the best painted figures from PNSO too.  Expensive for the size perhaps, but the paint alone makes it one of my favorites and I got mine for like $24 free shipping on amazon during a sale. 

[SidB]

SidB wrote:
We faced a somewhat similar challenge with the so-called Nanotyrannus. I'd suppose that most collectors simply regard and display it as a juvenile rex: that's what I do. Looks like this new one will end up as my Suchomimus, it seems.

S @SidB
Same here, at some point the merits of the figure have to count for something, logan is fantastic!  I got over the legs and everything else and now I just enjoy the heck out of it.  It's also one of the best painted figures from PNSO too.  Expensive for the size perhaps, but the paint alone makes it one of my favorites and I got mine for like $24 free shipping on amazon during a sale.

Yes, Logan is a winner as far as I'm concerned too. I display him as the juvenile in a family setting (quite a group, the family that slays together stays together, or something to that effect!), with Andrea, Wilson 1, Wilson 2, and Wilson #3. He supplied the missing piece in the puzzle.

[SidB]

Again, I'm getting the distinct impression that PNSO is finally beginning to show cracks in their shiny surface. Bad enough how bloody expensive their products are, but now they appear to be willing to arbitrarily bend science in order to cater to national pride. I hope I'm reading too much into it.

If so, it is similar to a phenomenon that was called "victory disease" , during World War Two in the Pacific, essential a mix of pride and over-confidence that lead to the Japanese disaster at Midway, itself an over-reaction to the pinprick Doolittle raid on Tokyo.

Again, this is speculative, but this type of departure from sound practices and cool, balanced judgement is not all that uncommon, looking at the wide world of sport, politics, etc.

[Samrukia]

[ceratopsian]

That is a very well-balanced and clear review, with a lot of good sense in how we might approach this figure. (Nice and very apposite to bring in Plato's cave.) In the end, I think that @acro-man probably has the best idea!  Thanks @erlectric for posting the review.

[DinoToyForum]

That's a great review, thanks for sharing. I hope you don't mind if I question something you said (around 12:08): "So, now Sinopliosaurus is thought to be Siamosaurus".

While it's certainly correct to say that the species 'Sinopliosaurus' fusuiensis is thought to be Siamosaurus, I question whether this is true for the genus Sinopliosaurus as a whole. The matter comes down to what is the holotype material used to erect the name Sinopliosaurus (Sinopliosaurus weiyuanensis) in the first place. As you point out, this is complicated because it was based on a chimera, but from reading Young's 1944 description it is clear that he diagnosed Sinopliosaurus as a plesiosaur on the basis of the femur and ischium, while his attribution of the teeth and vertebrae was more tentative. Indeed, as you also point out, he later changed his mind on the teeth and vertebrae of Sinopliosaurus weiyuanensis. My reading of this situation is that he was 'removing' these from the holotype material of Sinopliosaurus, leaving just the ischium and femur, which certainly belong to a plesiosaur. Is this clarified anywhere in the literature? Dong (1973) is cited on the Wikipedia page next to the statement "The holotype, IVPP V140, consists of three vertebrae and a tooth", but I don't have access to that paper. If the ischium and femur are the holotype, as seem more likely to me, then it is still correct to regard Sinopliosaurus as a plesiosaur. A nomen dubium, but a plesiosaur nonetheless.

One other minor note. In your video you highlighted Plate 2, Figure 3A (from Young 1944) as if it is part of the holotype of Sinopliosaurus weiyuanensis, but it is not. Only figures 3B-F represented Sinopliosaurus (3A was a stegosaur bone.)

[Samrukia]

i feel sorry, i should've mentioned that's clearly not my review but famous DinosDragons'youtuber

[ceratopsian]

Thanks for clarifying @erlectric - I didn't think you were DinosDragons but wasn't absolutely 100% sure!

i feel sorry, i should've mentioned that's clearly not my review but famous DinosDragons'youtuber

[DinoToyForum]

i feel sorry, i should've mentioned that's clearly not my review but famous DinosDragons'youtuber

No problem, I shouldn't have assumed. If the Youtuber is the same person as DTF member D @DinosDragons then maybe they'll see our responses here.

[Thialfi]

I don't want to start assuming too hastily, but one can hope, right? 👀

[Bread]

I wonder how Prehistoric Planet team will influence PNSO, vice versa. Good or bad thing?

[Halichoeres]

I doubt it will come to anything, but as far as I'm concerned there is only upside for PNSO. They can be sloppy sometimes and if they were to collaborate with the Prehistoric Planet team it might make their figures a bit more rigorous.

[Thialfi]

I don't really see this coming to anything either, and agree that it's PNSO that will benefit in terms of scientific accuracy. But we can't rule out the merchandise sales that might benefit Prehistoric Planet, will spread its name and could lead to more series being made.