The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Halichoeres]

I definitely need to print myself a Rhizodus. My friend has a printer and offered to print me some fish after I babysat his kid, so maybe I'll take him up on it. Anyway, that's a nice display. Even on a shelf it's a way to save some horizontal space by using more of the vertical space. Finally, nice fish art!

In other news, I've updated the reference list on page 1, including the new Tama-Kyu Ardipithecus (which isn't in my purview, but I think is the first Ardipithecus toy).

[Primeval12]

I definitely need to print myself a Rhizodus. My friend has a printer and offered to print me some fish after I babysat his kid, so maybe I'll take him up on it. Anyway, that's a nice display. Even on a shelf it's a way to save some horizontal space by using more of the vertical space. Finally, nice fish art!

In other news, I've updated the reference list on page 1, including the new Tama-Kyu Ardipithecus (which isn't in my purview, but I think is the first Ardipithecus toy).

I know we talked in DMs but I can try and print an extra at work and maybe paint it (though I am not as refined as you in that regard). What size do you want it?

[Halichoeres]

I definitely need to print myself a Rhizodus. My friend has a printer and offered to print me some fish after I babysat his kid, so maybe I'll take him up on it. Anyway, that's a nice display. Even on a shelf it's a way to save some horizontal space by using more of the vertical space. Finally, nice fish art!

In other news, I've updated the reference list on page 1, including the new Tama-Kyu Ardipithecus (which isn't in my purview, but I think is the first Ardipithecus toy).

I know we talked in DMs but I can try and print an extra at work and maybe paint it (though I am not as refined as you in that regard). What size do you want it?

That's very kind! As bad as I am at painting, I nevertheless enjoy it, so I think I'll take a crack at it myself. I'm seeing my friend next week, so I'll probably just print it at his house. I do appreciate the offer, though!

[Halichoeres]

A few more Mesozoic dinosaurs! This is the first post since February where every single figure is a replacement for one previously in my collection.


Haolonggood Dacentrurus
Scale: 1:35
Released: 2023
Upper Jurassic of Laurasia
Etymology: Gr. "spiky tail" or something similar
It isn't necessarily the stegosaurid people had been clamoring for, but it's a very nice stegosaur. Between this and the Wuerhosaurus, Haolonggood has done right by this group. This replaces my Battat version. Maybe it's just me, but I think Haolonggood is making more species from the Battat line than you'd expect by chance. They've only made 24 taxa, and seven of those were in the Battat line (eight if you count the upcoming Euoplocephalus), plus two more that were planned by LoRusso before he died.


PNSO Megalosaurus
Scale: 1:35
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang or someone in his workshop
Released: 2023
Middle Jurassic of Laurasia
Etymology: Gr. "big lizard"
One of the last of the lipless, which is a little unfortunate. In that respect I prefer CollectA's version, but this one has better limb proportions, a more organic stance, and it lacks the hip filaments of the CollectA, which I found a bit out of place. So CollectA's is out and this one is in.


Ganging up on Dacentrurus.


PNSO Zuul
Scale: 1:30
Sculptor: Zhao Chuang or someone in his workshop
Released: 2023
Campanian of North America
Etymology: you don't need me to tell you
The figure that finally broke the seemingly interminable theropod streak from PNSO. Coupled with the 11/11 sale on AliExpress, that was enough for me to finally order some of their figures (including the Megalosaurus above and the Gorgosaurus from the previous post). I don't usually like ordering from AliExpress (this order reminded me why), but the sale was pretty good! Anyway, this replaces my Safari Zuul. It's so damn pretty.


With CollectA's Mercuriceratops.


Haolonggood Megaraptor
Scale: 1:30 - 1:35
Released: 2023
Turonian or Coniacian of South America
I ordered the brown version, but they sent this instead. I don't care enough to dispute it or return it; both versions look nice. I could do without the white squiggles, which sort of break the illusion, but the rest of the paint work is excellent. The jaw articulation is also one of the best I've seen. The mouth closes neatly and the teeth are all hidden away. I'm pleased to replace my Mattel Megaraptor with this.


Picking a very unwise fight.

As always, other comparisons on request if I can manage it.

[Fembrogon]

I'm seriously torn between Megaraptor variants. They both look excellent; I might be slightly in favor of the blue, but I've been thinking of getting the blue Allosaurus at some point so the red Megaraptor would make for better variety. That, of course, is assuming I buy that Allosaurus first...

[ceratopsian]

You're right about the excellence of the jaw mechanism on the Megaraptor. Mine is a perfect fit. Once our cold snap that was around when it was delivered was over, I opened the jaw effortlessly. And much as I like Haolonggood paint schemes in general, I too wish they would lay off the white squiggles. The green Megaraptor would be so much more pleasing without!  The old adage that less is more is one to bear in mind.

Love the "unwise fight" caption!

[Concavenator]

Nice batch, congrats!

I noticed the Battat-Haolonggood affinity (?) too. I started to notice it as soon as they released the Ouranosaurus after the Nasutoceratops, but it's gotten more apparent ever since. I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea, though. This is also why some of their species' choices have been very well-received (the aforementioned Ouranosaurus, Edmontonia, Pentaceratops, Dilophosaurus...). But I agree with Dacentrurus being an odd choice. They even stated they chose it over Kentrosaurus for scale reasons. One would think it's a better idea to have a more requested species in not 1:35 scale than a fragmentary, not very requested one at 1:35. But a 1:35 Kentrosaurus is feasible (CollectA's) and HLG hasn't been totally consistent with their claimed 1:35 scale either. Well, at least there's the Creative Beast one coming out in the (maybe distant) future. About dacentrurines, I see the Carnegie Miragaia is definitely outdated, despite no paper being out by "The Miragaia Project" yet AFAIK. I think I will be replacing it after all. I'll probably wait for a year and if once it's over there's no other option, I think I will get the PNSO one.

The PNSO Zuul is very lovely. However, its skull's shape doesn't totally match Zuul's and the body could use to be a bit wider, so on that basis, I'm staying with the Kaiyodo (even though the PNSO is closer to 1:35, is more detailed and better painted and is also more accurate in the osteoderm department).

About the Megalosaurus, what do you mean by the PNSO having better limb proportions? For some reason, the PNSO one looks more distinctly like a megalosaurid to me, though I'm not sure I can quite put my finger on why. Maybe because its torso is a tad longer and the legs a tad shorter, is that what you meant? I considered replacing my CollectA Megalosaurus with this one back when it was revealed, perhaps I will reconsider it. My main issue with the CollectA are those hip quills/scales. Part of me thinks I shouldn't bother replacing it because it's not worth spending that much on a fragmentary taxon (despite its unquestionable historical relevance), but part of me also agrees the PNSO is the better depiction, even considering its liplessness. Hmm...

I'm also SO happy to finally see a quality Megaraptor on the market! I've been waiting for this for so long... It's fragmentary, sure, but it's one of the most interesting fragmentary dinosaurs to make into a figure if you ask me. At least, it sort of has an identity and it's fairly distinctive (even if just the juvenile), unlike the infamous Zhuchengtyrannus, Saurophaganax... It's essentially the inverse of the body plan of Tyrannosaurus, Tarbosaurus, Meraxes... with a narrow, elongated and slender head and robust forearms.

If it's not too much trouble, may I ask for a comparison of HLG's Megaraptor with Safari's Qianzhousaurus and Daspletosaurus and PNSO's Gorgosaurus? Would love to see it compared to those other tyrannosauroids, even if the classification of megaraptorans as such isn't totally solid yet.

[Halichoeres]

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate folks taking the time to leave a comment.

I'm seriously torn between Megaraptor variants. They both look excellent; I might be slightly in favor of the blue, but I've been thinking of getting the blue Allosaurus at some point so the red Megaraptor would make for better variety. That, of course, is assuming I buy that Allosaurus first...

Not a bad problem to have, choosing between two good-looking color schemes. Of course, you might not get the one you pick anyway!

You're right about the excellence of the jaw mechanism on the Megaraptor. Mine is a perfect fit. Once our cold snap that was around when it was delivered was over, I opened the jaw effortlessly. And much as I like Haolonggood paint schemes in general, I too wish they would lay off the white squiggles. The green Megaraptor would be so much more pleasing without!  The old adage that less is more is one to bear in mind.

Yep, as with so many things, sometimes the key is knowing when to stop! Glad you were able to get your Megaraptor's jaw open once it warmed up.

@Concavenator on the Battat connection, I wonder if that makes an Amargasaurus from them more likely. As to the Megalosaurus, I do think that the overall length is probably better, but I actually mean the girth of the individual elements. CollectA tends to give its theropods legs that look a bit too skinny to me. As much as I wish EVERY company would cool it with the theropods, I wish that double for CollectA because that slot could have gone to an animal from a group they handle better.

And here is the comparison you requested:

[Primeval12]

I may pull the trigger on Edward. I am so mad that it slipped out before PNSO theropods got the lip treatment but it is the best Megalosaurus out there. It's also sad to see the Safari Zuul dethroned so soon. I love that figure so much but Cayden is just so good, easy pick. As for the Megaraptor, I have the blue one but will 100% be getting the brown one at some point. I can pretend they're a male and female or something. It's probably my favorite figure of the year. And that Dicenturus.... I may need it now. Haolonggood just keep knocking it out of the park.

My one complaint with them is that some of their paint schemes seem kind of samesy. Like the Ouranosaurus look like their Tlatolophus, Allos like their Megaraptors.. etc. Stil grateful that they exist.

[Concavenator]

@Halichoeres Well, hopefully they will be making an Amargasaurus too! Would be nice to have an up-to-date figure of such an iconic sauropod. Don't really envision it being made soon though, they seem to be focused on big sauropods at the moment. But I hope to be proven wrong.

Yeah, I'm also not the biggest fan of CollectA's theropods. When theropods are concerned, ornithomimids could be a good choice for them, as they naturally have slender legs. Their Struthiomimus looked natural I'd say, and the Beishanlong too (even if this may not be an Ornithomimidae). But their ornithopods, sauropods and most of their non-dinosaurs turn out fairly better than their theropods in general I think.

I'll reconsider the PNSO Megalosaurus. And thank you for that comparison! They're all around the same size.

[Flaffy]

Yeah, I'm also not the biggest fan of CollectA's theropods. When theropods are concerned, ornithomimids could be a good choice for them, as they naturally have slender legs. Their Struthiomimus looked natural I'd say, and the Beishanlong too (even if this may not be an Ornithomimidae). But their ornithopods, sauropods and most of their non-dinosaurs turn out fairly better than their theropods in general I think.

CollectA's (dinosaur) highlights are definitely their non-theropods. Their recent ornithopods and sauropods have turned out very nicely.

[Sim]

Thanks for the replies regarding the Kaiyodo Tanystropheus.  There are two versions of it, one like the one @Halichoeres described, where the hands are attached to the rest of the limb, and the other where the hands are attached to the base.  I've got both versions now.

[SBell]

Thanks for the replies regarding the Kaiyodo Tanystropheus.  There are two versions of it, one like the one @Halichoeres described, where the hands are attached to the rest of the limb, and the other where the hands are attached to the base.  I've got both versions now.

Interesting. I was not aware of multiple mould styles for series 2

[SBell]

Thanks, everyone!

I just realized that the Passion Charger kit with the Onchopristis also contains a few Mawsonia. It would be great if more of these designers would release their accessories separately... I don't want the dinos or the bases, just the fish!

It is worth asking! I just make sure to compliment the Spinosaurus but emphasize that I am specifically a collector of fish. I also got a Mawsonia, which will appear in a future post.

I suppose so. It would be nice to have a Mawsonia that isn't in a Spinosaurus mouth...!

And to follow up...my fish are on the way from China! Biggest purchase in a long time!

[Halichoeres]

Eukaryotes of the Upper Paleozoic!


Oumcraft Adelophthalmus
Scale: 1:5 - 1:15
Designer: Oammararak Suchimonsri
Released: 2022 (painted version)
Early Devonian - Early Permian
Etymology: Gr. "without apparent eye"
One of the longest-lived eurypterid genera, and the last of the swimming types. The name comes from early specimens being too eroded to make out the eyes, although the animal did in fact have eyes. This is a pretty reasonable, if simplified, representation. In life the legs increased in length from front to back, rather than being similar in size on every segment. The cephalon also differed in a few details.


Jawed vertebrates might have had something to do with the decline of eurypterids.


Brumm Calamitina (=Calamites?)
Scale: 1:5
Released: probably 1960s or 1970s
Carboniferous - Permian
Etymology: L. "reed"
One of the legendary Brumm flat metal figures. The various German manufacturers of pewter flats (Brumm, Berliner, Schmalkalder) contribute an outsize number of plants to my collection, I guess because their products to be arranged as dioramas and include more 'scenery.' Berliner and Schmalkalder still sell theirs, but Brumm does not, so Brumms are the hardest to hunt down. This is the first one I've managed to get, through a trade with a forum member (thanks @BlueKrono!). Calamitina might represent a growth stage of the giant horsetail Calamites, although it might just as easily be a separate lineage. Either way, it's always great to be able to add a plant to my shelf. Hopefully one day I can hunt down the others I'm missing.


With Starlux's 'labyrinthodont,' which I've always interpreted as a Cacops. If you look closely at the Calamitina, you can see its name stamped into the base.


Wild Past Kotlassia
Scale: 1:20
Released: 2023
Late Permian
Etymology: after Kotlas, Arkhangelks Oblast, Russia
One of only three stem-group amniotes (reptiliomorphs) in my collection. I guess their scarcity as toys is understandable since most of them look superficially like a salamander or lizard. I'm very glad that Wild Past tackles some non-dinosaurs from time to time; so many companies never bother.


It really rounds out the shelf it lives on!


Wild Past Scutosaurus
Scale: 1:25
Released: 2023
Late Permian
Etymology: L./Gr. "shield lizard"
I bought this set mostly for the Kotlassia, but the Scutosaurus is pretty nice also. It's pretty similar in scale to the Safari Ltd Scutosaurus, so I will probably only keep one. I haven't decided which yet. I think Wild Past's is a better sculpt, but the paint work is not up to quite the same standard.


Deciding between two good figures isn't the worst problem to have.

[edited because I forgot to reply to people's comments--sorry!]

I may pull the trigger on Edward. I am so mad that it slipped out before PNSO theropods got the lip treatment but it is the best Megalosaurus out there. It's also sad to see the Safari Zuul dethroned so soon. I love that figure so much but Cayden is just so good, easy pick. As for the Megaraptor, I have the blue one but will 100% be getting the brown one at some point. I can pretend they're a male and female or something. It's probably my favorite figure of the year. And that Dicenturus.... I may need it now. Haolonggood just keep knocking it out of the park.

My one complaint with them is that some of their paint schemes seem kind of samesy. Like the Ouranosaurus look like their Tlatolophus, Allos like their Megaraptors.. etc. Stil grateful that they exist.

It's a little annoying about the timing of the lips, yeah. I've seen various people hypothesize that PNSO's theropod glut was at least in part trying to push through in-progress sculpts because of the lip thing, which I hope is true. I'd hate to return to that monotony.

As for Haolonggood, they are starting to repeat a bit with paint schemes, although usually they're in different enough animals/from different enough time periods that they don't appear near each other anyway. But for people who arrange things by maker it would be a bigger deal.

Yeah, I'm also not the biggest fan of CollectA's theropods. When theropods are concerned, ornithomimids could be a good choice for them, as they naturally have slender legs. Their Struthiomimus looked natural I'd say, and the Beishanlong too (even if this may not be an Ornithomimidae). But their ornithopods, sauropods and most of their non-dinosaurs turn out fairly better than their theropods in general I think.

CollectA's (dinosaur) highlights are definitely their non-theropods. Their recent ornithopods and sauropods have turned out very nicely.

Yep, and they're in a league of their own when it comes to non-dinosaurs.

Thanks for the replies regarding the Kaiyodo Tanystropheus.  There are two versions of it, one like the one @Halichoeres described, where the hands are attached to the rest of the limb, and the other where the hands are attached to the base.  I've got both versions now.

Interesting. I was not aware of multiple mould styles for series 2

Yeah, that's news to me, too! I only knew about mold changes for Series 1. Thanks for the info.

And Sean, glad to hear you were able to get the fishes too!

[Concavenator]

As happens with Eofauna, Wild Past releases a new figure so rarely that when they do, it's sort of an event (it's been 2+ years since their last release, the Tethyshadros in 2021). Hopefully the Kickstarter will give them a good boost.

As for the Scutosaurus, is there any of the two that's more accurate than the other? The skull in both Safari's and Wild Past's reconstructions are different, with the Safari having those projections (?) on the lower jaw that the Wild Past lacks.

Also, will you be replacing the BotM Kosmoceratops with HLG's?

[Sim]

I like the Schleich Saichania you have Tim, but I think Kaiyodo's is more accurate.  Areas it's better than Schleich's are the neck armour, number of toes and tail length.  Did you pick Schleich's due to its size?

[Primeval12]

I'm team Safari for the Scutosaurus. I am SO excited for Wild Past's Majungasaurus, hopefully it is coming soon.

[Halichoeres]

As happens with Eofauna, Wild Past releases a new figure so rarely that when they do, it's sort of an event (it's been 2+ years since their last release, the Tethyshadros in 2021). Hopefully the Kickstarter will give them a good boost.

As for the Scutosaurus, is there any of the two that's more accurate than the other? The skull in both Safari's and Wild Past's reconstructions are different, with the Safari having those projections (?) on the lower jaw that the Wild Past lacks.

Also, will you be replacing the BotM Kosmoceratops with HLG's?

Yeah, a Wild Past release is a big deal. If this whole Kickstarter wave comes to fruition, I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it! 

I think there are likely differences in accuracy, but if so they are more subtle than the processes on the angular. Wild Past's version definitely has them, although they don't contrast as much with the base color:


So I think this is a situation that will require a detailed look at the osteoderms, limb proportions, that sort of thing. I think the Wild Past version will be at an advantage. There are now plenty of scans of elements of the animal available online that were not available in 2008 or whenever the Safari version was hand-sculpted. But I could be wrong; only my caliper will tell me for sure!

I'm leaning toward getting HLG's Kosmoceratops, mostly for size reasons, although the beak has me a tiny bit hesitant. I also want to take a closer look at the episquamosals before I decide. But I think it is a definite improvement on their previous ceratopsians, none of which I've added to my collection so far.

I like the Schleich Saichania you have Tim, but I think Kaiyodo's is more accurate.  Areas it's better than Schleich's are the neck armour, number of toes and tail length.  Did you pick Schleich's due to its size?

Yes, that's correct. I only collect miniatures like Kaiyodo or Safari Toob figures if they're larger than 1:50 (or if they're fish I don't otherwise own). But otherwise, yeah, Kaiyodo's is more accurate. I think Kabaya's is too, which I also found a bit too small. I owned it briefly but I'm pretty sure I sold it:

I'm team Safari for the Scutosaurus. I am SO excited for Wild Past's Majungasaurus, hopefully it is coming soon.

It is definitely prettier, and I've been known to use that as a tie-breaker. I've been resisting the temptation to buy Safari's Majungasaurus in anticipation of Wild Past's. Unfortunate coincidence both of those coming out the same year! As averse as I am to theropods, I wouldn't mind someone doing a couple more abelisaurs to round out the clade a bit--it's pretty much just Carnotaurus most of the time.

[Concavenator]

Oh okay I didn't realize the Wild Past also has those processes.

Sure! I was thinking about the different genera featured in the campaign and I thought that you'd potentially be interested in basically all of them (especially the Teratosaurus), except perhaps the Deinonychus (though that one could still come handy if you're trying to downsize from the larger Safari one). Even the therizinosaur and the titanosaur are among the less scrappy taxa from their respective clades, which goes to say that, all in all, the choice of genera is pretty good. Unlike titanosaurs, which are getting some attention lately, therizinosaurs are pretty overlooked and, as you mention with Carnotaurus and Abelisauridae, Therizinosauridae is essentially Therizinosaurus, as far as the model market is concerned.

About the HLG Kosmoceratops, I'd say the most glaring (but as you mention, not the only) issue are the brow horns being too short, but especially, not as downward-curved as they should be. If you replace the BotM with the HLG, you'll be missing out on accuracy, but you'll definitely be saving some space.

I wonder if these inaccuracies in HLG's figures arise from them rushing their figures. The Kosmoceratops and the Tlatolophus, while recognizable as the species they're meant to represent, have noticeable issues. Perhaps it'd be better if they didn't put out so many new figures and rather focused on the scientific accuracy of each one.