What are you still waiting on the definitive version of?

[Thialfi]

Since I didn't want to open a whole new thread for this (is that an idea by the way - a thread in which we discuss how well older models have stood the test of time?), and I was thinking about this species and if there was an ultimate version of it:

Ampelosaurus

There is the recent Mattel one which I honestly very much dislike. Then there is a small PNSO one - not my preferred scale, and lastly, the 2011 CollectA one. 2011 CollectA is a totally different beast than 2023 CollectA but truth be told: their Ampelosaurus doesn't look too shabby. I was wondering if people who have better understanding of the anatomy of this animal have any opinion on this: how well does it hold up to modern standards?

For reference, the review Dan did in 2011: https://dinotoyblog.com/ampelosaurus-collecta/

And the beast itself:




Thanks!

[DinoToyForum]

Rhomaleosaurus. I think there's just the one, by CollectA in their early days, and that version is so-so. It's such a well known animal I'm surprised there aren't more figures of it.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Nothosaurus

[Sim]

1- An ALLOSAURUS that looks like an Allosaurus and not a "smaller version of the Tyrannosaurus with more fingers".
2- A DIMORPHODON that does not look like a flying skeletton with bagged eyes and apparent holes in its snout.
3- A DIPLODOCUS with the actual shape of a Diplodocus, not a simply elongated version of the Apatosaurus.

1. The Safari 2019 and PNSO large Allosaurus are great.
2. The CollectA Dimorphodon is highly accurate.
3. The Safari 2017 and Eofauna Diplodocus are very good.

[Stegotyranno420]

Rhomaleosaurus. I think there's just the one, by CollectA in their early days, and that version is so-so. It's such a well known animal I'm surprised there aren't more figures of it.

lets hope it is R.thortoni

[Flaffy]

There is the recent Mattel one which I honestly very much dislike. Then there is a small PNSO one - not my preferred scale, and lastly, the 2011 CollectA one. 2011 CollectA is a totally different beast than 2023 CollectA but truth be told: their Ampelosaurus doesn't look too shabby. I was wondering if people who have better understanding of the anatomy of this animal have any opinion on this: how well does it hold up to modern standards?

Well our understanding of Titanosaur anatomy has certainly grown since then, especially with their general proportions and cranial anatomy. Both of which are not reflected on the old CollectA model.

Here's an exerpt from Wikipedia that summarises the updated osteoderm arrangement. The old reconstruction of extensive Thyreophorian-like osteoderms is not supported by fossil evidence. Two updated reconstructions are shown below, by Steveoc 86 and Joschua Knuppe respectively.

"Ampelosaurus is known to have supported osteoderms, only four are currently known. The number of these osteoderms that an individual Ampelosaurus would have supported in life and their and position on the body is not currently known. It's thought that due to the rarity of titanosaur osteoderms that they would be quite sparse on the body. The position and layout of the osteoderms has been loosely based on this interpretation, which is based on the work of Vidal et al 2015."

[Thialfi]

That's some fantastic and very enlightening information, thanks a heap @Flaffy! And immediately forms my answer to this thread: I am waiting on a definitive version of Ampelosaurus!

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

Nothosaurus

I think Safari's Toob version is great-- it just needs to be made as a more standard-sized figure.

Similarly, Mesosaurus. It's such a common fossil in museums and collections I'm surprised no one's made one yet.

[Bread]

Dakotaraptor
I currently have the BOTM 1:18 Dromaeosaurus as a stand-in for my ~1:35 Hell-Creek Formation assortment. I am fine with this, but I'd also like to see a larger model to truly represent this ghost of the forest.

Archelon
This huge prehistoric turtle needs a solid representation. Stuns how companies have ignored this animal, especially after its surprising debut in Prehistoric Planet.

[Lynx]

Dakotaraptor
I currently have the BOTM 1:18 Dromaeosaurus as a stand-in for my ~1:35 Hell-Creek Formation assortment. I am fine with this, but I'd also like to see a larger model to truly represent this ghost of the forest.

Archelon
This huge prehistoric turtle needs a solid representation. Stuns how companies have ignored this animal, especially after its surprising debut in Prehistoric Planet.

Unfortunately, until Dakotaraptor gets proven that it's not just a chimera, it's unlikes that a company will make a figure of it. But hey, we got multiple Nanotyrannus as of recent, so maybe it'll happen .

[Bread]

Dakotaraptor
I currently have the BOTM 1:18 Dromaeosaurus as a stand-in for my ~1:35 Hell-Creek Formation assortment. I am fine with this, but I'd also like to see a larger model to truly represent this ghost of the forest.

Archelon
This huge prehistoric turtle needs a solid representation. Stuns how companies have ignored this animal, especially after its surprising debut in Prehistoric Planet.

Unfortunately, until Dakotaraptor gets proven that it's not just a chimera, it's unlikes that a company will make a figure of it. But hey, we got multiple Nanotyrannus as of recent, so maybe it'll happen .

Is it not a valid taxon anymore? The 2nd claw was very similar to a Tyrannosaurus hand claw(s) so the famous "sickle claw" of this genus was not it; however we have large dromaeosaur teeth that could be from an exceptionally large archeroraptor, but again could be a separate genus that is Dakotaraptor. There are also theories that Dakotaraptor was a late rival, or simply that being Hell Creek was such a mystery with preservations that we surely don't have many preservations of this raptor.

Like you said, with how many "Nanotyrannus" figures we have, there is no reason for there not to be a Dakotaraptor. Although this may be an opinion, I find Dakotaraptor to be more significant and plausible than "Nanotyrannus"

[Lynx]

Dakotaraptor
I currently have the BOTM 1:18 Dromaeosaurus as a stand-in for my ~1:35 Hell-Creek Formation assortment. I am fine with this, but I'd also like to see a larger model to truly represent this ghost of the forest.

Archelon
This huge prehistoric turtle needs a solid representation. Stuns how companies have ignored this animal, especially after its surprising debut in Prehistoric Planet.

Unfortunately, until Dakotaraptor gets proven that it's not just a chimera, it's unlikes that a company will make a figure of it. But hey, we got multiple Nanotyrannus as of recent, so maybe it'll happen .

Is it not a valid taxon anymore? The 2nd claw was very similar to a Tyrannosaurus hand claw(s) so the famous "sickle claw" of this genus was not it; however we have large dromaeosaur teeth that could be from an exceptionally large archeroraptor, but again could be a separate genus that is Dakotaraptor. There are also theories that Dakotaraptor was a late rival, or simply that being Hell Creek was such a mystery with preservations that we surely don't have many preservations of this raptor.

Like you said, with how many "Nanotyrannus" figures we have, there is no reason for there not to be a Dakotaraptor. Although this may be an opinion, I find Dakotaraptor to be more significant and plausible than "Nanotyrannus"

It's a chimera atm, and all its material belongs to other species, besides the teeth (afaik), similar to Troodon.
I do hope for a Dakotaraptor, but unsure if any companies would take the leap.

[DinoFan2010]

Alioramus. Only examples I can think of are the Procon/CollectA one from 2009, that ugly one from the Dinosaur set that is exclusive to Disney Animal Kingdom, and the Mattel one, but none of them really do the job for me.

[Sim]

It's a chimera atm, and all its material belongs to other species, besides the teeth (afaik), similar to Troodon.
I do hope for a Dakotaraptor, but unsure if any companies would take the leap.

As far as I'm aware, Dakotaraptor remains have not been proved to represent a chaimera, except for the turtle part that was rectified early on.  Dakotaraptor tail material is definitely dromaeosaurid.  Also, some of the limb remains of Dakotaraptor do not belong to Anzu as has been claimed: https://thesauropodomorphlair.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/nuking-anzuraptor/

I think a difference between Dakotaraptor and Nanotyrannus is that Nanotyrannus is based on better remains.  Even if all of Dakotaraptor except the turtle part does belong to Dakotaraptor, it's only known from very fragmentary remains and has an unknown appearance.  I very much hope the skull of Dakotaraptor is found, as I very much want to know what Dakotaraptor was like.

[Gwangi]

Dilophosaurus comes to mind. Even before its recent makeover I wasn't too thrilled with the options out there. I have several that were decent for their time, like Safari's 2009 and Battat's but they don't hold up to today's standards. Since Safari and CollectA both recently produced one it seems unlikely we'll get another from them anytime soon. I would love to see one from PNSO or Haolonggood.

[Faelrin]

Not sure what scale the Kaiyodo Dakotaraptor is in, but it just released last year. It's a nice little figure considering how fragmentary and/or potentially chimaeric it is. Either way kind of a problematic genus to go for compared to others atm. I get it's appeal though. Big raptor of Hell Creek.

I did come across a thread on the naturewasmetal subreddit with the twitter link where there was discussion on the famous sickle claw of Dakotaraptor likely being a Tyrannosaurus claw. Think some paleontologists stepped in and weighed it on it too? Will need to dig it up later because it was interesting (if not a little disappointing for me if true since it was the main reason I shelled $200 for the Saurian game. I mean it would still be a real fossil cast, but I wanted it specifically because I thought the cast of the claw they were offering was a dromaeosaurid's infamous sickle claw, and dromaeosaurids have always been my favorite group of theropods).

Unfortunately it's a mess and unless folks can get a good look at the fossils to do another paper on it, who knows what it all really is and belongs to and if Dakotaraptor is a valid genus or not. And that might be problematic with DePalma's reputation lately and the fact he is the curator at the museum of where the fossils are held at currently.

https://www.pbmnh.org/mission-statement-2/staff-directory-2/

[Sim]

One more I'd like: Kelenken.  I find it surprising how only CollectA has made it in toy form.

[Halichoeres]

Similarly, Mesosaurus. It's such a common fossil in museums and collections I'm surprised no one's made one yet.

I'd like the plate tectonics trinity: Mesosaurus, Lystrosaurus, Glossopteris.

[marisaura]

there's some species that i know a couple figures exist for but that i'd love to see a major company take on - placerias, lystrosaurus, odobenocetops, and steller's sea cow are some big ones. collecta... if you're there, gimme a call 😭

i'd also love to see updated versions of postosuchus and dunkleosteus! i have the safaris of both, and while they're nice, they're also. not right lmao

plateosaurus and maiasaura are two where really solid figures exist (kaiyodo and battat respectively) but i feel like are prominent enough to deserve a high quality modern rendition.

[Remko]

there's some species that i know a couple figures exist for but that i'd love to see a major company take on - placerias, lystrosaurus, odobenocetops, and steller's sea cow are some big ones. collecta... if you're there, gimme a call 😭

i'd also love to see updated versions of postosuchus and dunkleosteus! i have the safaris of both, and while they're nice, they're also. not right lmao

plateosaurus and maiasaura are two where really solid figures exist (kaiyodo and battat respectively) but i feel like are prominent enough to deserve a high quality modern rendition.

Yes, so much yes on Maiasaura!

Even though it was prominently featured in "Walking with Beasts", I think very few people know what Odobenocetops is. At least those not interested in / familiar with palaeontology. But I too wpuld love one! And absolutely agree with Steller's sea cow!

Other animals that I would like to see would be Pontolis and a Desmostylian.