The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Leyster]

The Eoraptor is kind of charming in a cute way.

[Faelrin]

I'm very glad to have both the Eoraptor and the Poposaurus as well. Both were easily some of the highlights from their offerings this year for me.

[Halichoeres]

Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

What's the crocodylomorph (?) to the left of the Poposaurus in that last pic?

Yep, as Flaffy said, it's the Favorite Redondasaurus, my favorite phytosaur figure. Here it is bringing the French revolution to Tanystropheus:

I picked up both the Eoraptor and Poposaurus. Sometimes I need a cute stylized figure and the Eoraptor definitely fits the bill. I also like how they gave it lips. The Poposaurus is such a weird critter. I got to see a skeleton of one recently and I just found out that it lacks the sail. I don't know why Mattel constructed it like that but I'm just glad to have some more Triassic fauna in the collection.

As for the dilo, I have not pulled the trigger but it IS my state dinosaur (despite there being no concrete fossil evidence of it living here) so I feel like I need to at some point...

The sail might be a bit of license, but it is a lot less obtrusive than the rock formations all over their Mapusaurus! I wonder if they're taking the name "earth lizard" really literally with that one.

Your neighbors to the north chose wisely with Podokesaurus. You guys should have gone with Anchisaurus!

The Hesperosaurus didn't make the cut for me, I can't get past the turtle head. But as goofy looking as it is I still ended up getting the Eoraptor set, which I initially didn't think I would bother with. The Poposaurus was a must have. I have no logical explanation as to why some Mattel figures appeal to me and others don't.

Ha ha, the head is rather turtle-y.

And hey, logic doesn't belong in toy collecting. 

I'm very glad to have both the Eoraptor and the Poposaurus as well. Both were easily some of the highlights from their offerings this year for me.

Agreed, among the best for this year. I'm interested in how their "Becklespinax" will look, but even though the Geoworld one I have is pretty awful, there's no guarantee Mattel's will be any better. Also curious about the Rauisuchus, but let's be real, I'll buy that even if it looks absolutely awful.

[Primeval12]

Your neighbors to the north chose wisely with Podokesaurus. You guys should have gone with Anchisaurus!

And neither of those species have good toys of them... So maybe I should be grateful. And I like the idea the idea of a speculative dilophosaur relative roaming around here as well.

[Hermisaurus]

I really want to get some of those PNSO ones for sure. The Yanchuangasaurus is lovely.

[Hermisaurus]

Love the ruyangosaurus - could've been a mite more colourful though, maybe some blue highlights.

[Flaffy]

The Hesperosaurus didn't make the cut for me, I can't get past the turtle head. But as goofy looking as it is I still ended up getting the Eoraptor set, which I initially didn't think I would bother with. The Poposaurus was a must have. I have no logical explanation as to why some Mattel figures appeal to me and others don't.

I'm of the same opinion. I initially wanted to complete my Mattel Stegosaur collection. I tend to complete "families" of dinosaurs whenever the opportunity arises in a particular toyline, but I couldn't get past how cartoonish the Hesperosarus's head was, the obvious seam slicing down the middle of the poor thing's head is rather unsightly too.

I didn't get the Mattel Diabloceratops and Regaliceratops for similar reasons. The complete and utter lack of paint on these mid sized figures doesn't help either. (Though that being said. I most likely would've gotten the Diablo had it been appropriately-sized in the small "Danger Pack" range.

[Gwangi]

The Hesperosaurus didn't make the cut for me, I can't get past the turtle head. But as goofy looking as it is I still ended up getting the Eoraptor set, which I initially didn't think I would bother with. The Poposaurus was a must have. I have no logical explanation as to why some Mattel figures appeal to me and others don't.

I'm of the same opinion. I initially wanted to complete my Mattel Stegosaur collection. I tend to complete "families" of dinosaurs whenever the opportunity arises in a particular toyline, but I couldn't get past how cartoonish the Hesperosarus's head was, the obvious seam slicing down the middle of the poor thing's head is rather unsightly too.

I didn't get the Mattel Diabloceratops and Regaliceratops for similar reasons. The complete and utter lack of paint on these mid sized figures doesn't help either. (Though that being said. I most likely would've gotten the Diablo had it been appropriately-sized in the small "Danger Pack" range.

I'm the same way and had wanted to collect all the Mattel ceratopsians. Then the Kosmoceratops came out and I knew it wasn't gonna happen. I didn't bother with the Regaliceratops either but I did like the Diabloceratops enough to buy it.

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy I didn't realize Diabloceratops was small enough to qualify as a house pet. Well maybe a barn would be more suitable if dino poo is anything like bird poo, lol.

Looking at the checklist on my thread for the Mattel ornithischians, here's what I have at least one of, per genus (strikethrough for the ones I do have, blue for the ones I don't yet):

Spoiler

Stegosaurs:

-Chialingosaurus
-Craterosaurus
-Hesperosaurus
-Gigantspinosaurus
-Kentrosaurus
-Miragaia
-Stegosaurus
-Tuojiangosaurus

Ankylosaurs:

-Ankylosaurus
-Borealopelta
-Gastonia (not out yet)
-Minmi
-Sauropelta
-Stegouros

Pachycephalosaurs:

-Dracorex
-Pachycephalosaurus
-Stygimoloch

Ceratopsians:

-Avaceratops
-Chasmosaurus (not out yet)
-Diabloceratops
-Einiosaurus
-Kosmoceratops
-Microceratus
-Nasutoceratops
-Pachyrhinosaurus (2 species or versions, one not out yet)
-Pentaceratops
-Protoceratops
-Regaliceratops
-Sinoceratops
-Styracosaurus
-Triceratops
-Zuniceratops

Ornithopods:

-Callovosaurus
-Corythosaurus
-Edmontosaurus
-Iguanodon
-Ouranosaurus
-Parasaurolophus

[close]

I may eventually pick up the Hesperosaurus. Sure the lack of paint on it disappoints me (mostly the tail spikes really), but honestly I do find the turtle head kind of charming in a way? Gives it an adorable dopey look to me. I might also try to pick up the Diabloceratops, and maybe the Regaliceratops as well, as both genera were on my wishlist of things I wanted to see them do (even if the latter's coloration could have been more interesting, but on the other hand, they've made ceratopsians in nearly all colors of the rainbow now, much like their raptors). Some of these I'm straight up behind on from having less funding for purchases in the past year few years, some I missed out on because of poor distribution. Some are just not out yet, or poorly distributed atm.

Honestly, I'm really just a few figures shy of owning one of all their ornithischian genera basically. This also goes for most of their non dinosaurs too (pterosaurs, marine reptiles, pseudosuchians, other reptiles, and synapsids). Theropods are quite another story. I mean I got one of everything from the first four years, but Dominion on, certainly not. I might do an expanded version of the above in my collection thread sometime tomorrow (or the day after) to see what all I have (and don't have).

[Flaffy]

@Flaffy I didn't realize Diabloceratops was small enough to qualify as a house pet. Well maybe a barn would be more suitable if dino poo is anything like bird poo, lol.

Which is why I'm perplexed as to why Mattel put it in the Roarivores size range... I absolutely would've picked it up had it been a small figure, non-existant paint apps and all. Space is really the major concern when it comes to collecting Mattel JW figures with the sheer volume of species they spam out every wave.

Honestly, I'm really just a few figures shy of owning one of all their ornithischian genera basically. This also goes for most of their non dinosaurs too (pterosaurs, marine reptiles, pseudosuchians, other reptiles, and synapsids). Theropods are quite another story. I mean I got one of everything from the first four years, but Dominion on, certainly not. I might do an expanded version of the above in my collection thread sometime tomorrow (or the day after) to see what all I have (and don't have).

Quite the impressive list, I have been meaning to track down the elusive Destruct-a-saurs Microceratus, but the cost is quite prohibitive. I wonder why Mattel never released a Microceratus as a blind bag/box mini fig, or a full sized figure even since its on-screen appearance in JWD. Maybe the new two-figure Danger Pack thing they're trying out will give more opportunities for smaller species to be represented in the mainline? (and not oversized like the Protoceratops)

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy Yeah I hope they keep doing packs like those. Lystrosaurus, Eoraptor, and Stegouros got the chance to be at the right scale more or less. Wondering about the upcoming Guanlong set as well. Oviraptor (aside from Microceratus) is still missing a figure and these sets would be a good way to get it out. Edit: A more film accurate Moros as well.

[Halichoeres]

Some Devonian arthropods!


Nirvana Studio trilobite, unidentified but clearly Walliserops
Scale: about 1:1 on average, but the proportions are pretty weird
Released: 2023
Early to Middle Devonian
Etymology: Gr. "[Otto H.] Walliser face"
Nirvana Studio is one of several companies making these chibi-style figurines of animals. Once in a while there's a prehistoric one. This is from a whole set of aquatic animals. Although this one is foreshortened for the sake of cuteness, it's not nearly as distorted as the rest of the series.


Case in point, this eurypterid, which I think is meant to represent Pterygotus. These are resin, so they're not really in my collection purview, but Walliserops is so weird I'm going to keep that one. I'll sell the rest at some point (I bought the set).


The Walliserops has a magnet built into it, so you can attach it all sorts of places. I tried it on my filing cabinet and it seemed secure. The eurypterid has no magnet, but nicely detailed legs. I'd rather have had the legs (and gills) of the trilobite, too!


Anyway, not the worst companion to my other trilobites.


Oumcraft Mimetaster
Scale: 1:3
Released: 2022
Early Devonian
Etymology: Eng. "that which nibbles silent street performers"
Just kidding, it's Gr. "star imitator"
One of the later marrellomorphs, living burrs with diaphanous wings. These are very common in the Hunsrück Slate of Early Devonian Germany. Some have been found with other organisms growing on them, maybe after death, or maybe before in the fashion of a decorator crab.


Drepanaspis is from the same rocks but might have had a hard time processing something this spiny.


Oumcraft Wingertshellicus (=Devonohexapoda)
Scale: 1:4
Released: 2022
Early Devonian
Etymology: After the Wingertshell Member near Bundenbach, Germany.
Also from the Hunsrück Slate, this got two names because two different specimens preserved in two different orientations were not immediately recognized as being the same kind of animal. Good thing Wingertshellicus was the first name, because it has 12 leg-like appendages, not 6, although to be fair 6 of them are longer than the others. It's a somewhat mysterious animal, in that we don't know its relationships to other arthropods. But cool thing to have a miniature of.


Oumcraft Weinbergina
Scale: 1:5
Released: 2022
Early Devonian
Etymology: L. suffix "ina" and Ger. "vineyard," presumably for where it was found.
Another Hunsrück denizen, Weinbergina is an early chelicerate, perhaps related to horseshoe crabs. It has that classic round-at-the-front shape that lets you plow through detritus without getting accidentally lifted up by the current. I wonder if they swam upside down.


Oumcraft Schinderhannes
Scale: 1:5
Released: 2022
Early Devonian
Etymology: Schinderhannes is the nickname of a notorious criminal from the Hunsrück region of Germany.
One of the last radiodonts, a real surprise for a group that is mainly associated with the Cambrian and Ordovician. It used those flaps on its side to swim, maybe looking a little like some of the more active nudibranchs.


Oumcraft Nahecaris
Scale: 1:6
Released: 2022
Early - Middle Devonian
Etymology: Gr. "shrimp" for the "caris" part, but nahe = .
This cute little crustacean was described in 1921 in a German journal I don't have access to, and subsequent studies haven't bothered to recapitulate the etymology. Like many of the other animals in this post, it's from the Hunsrück Slate, an early Devonian lagerstätte. Maybe the name is German; translation software tells me nahe in German can mean "near." Anyway, this is a very nicely preserved animal from a phenomenal fossil locality, so a great choice for a figure. The coloration is pure speculation, but it's kind of a fun spot of vibrancy on the shelf.


Cephalaspis proper isn't known from Hunsrück, as far as I know, but deposits of similar age do preserve it elsewhere in Europe. Perhaps it just occupied a different kind of environment.

Since you got HLG's Dilophosaurus, will you cancel the preorder for the Cyberzoic version (can that be done?) or sell it when you receive it?

Eoraptor is a very important animal that's more overlooked than it should. But these days it seems any animal that wouldn't have a good size in 1:35 scale just doesn't exist for these companies.

Sorry, I thought I replied to this before but I think I didn't! Since it was a Kickstarter, I don't think I can cancel my preorder. I suppose I could have switched it to another figure, but there isn't another one I want. I'll compare them when I have them both in hand and make a decision then. Of course, by then there will be other Dilophosaurus figures! As for 1:35 scale, it really does feel like companies are stuck there!

Love the ruyangosaurus - could've been a mite more colourful though, maybe some blue highlights.

Thanks for stopping by! I like a little color on sauropods, but an all-gray one now and again is okay too. Maybe the new green Dreadnoughtus is more to your liking?

@Faelrin that is a nice selection of ornithischians. I only have three of the JW ones myself. The two-packs of little guys could make some species more feasible, such as Microceratus as @Flaffy suggests.

[triceratops83]

Nahecaris looks like a modern prawn.

[Concavenator]

Sorry, I thought I replied to this before but I think I didn't! Since it was a Kickstarter, I don't think I can cancel my preorder. I suppose I could have switched it to another figure, but there isn't another one I want. I'll compare them when I have them both in hand and make a decision then. Of course, by then there will be other Dilophosaurus figures! As for 1:35 scale, it really does feel like companies are stuck there!

The Cyberzoic will be more accurate (based on proportions, lips, and probably because of the feathering as well, although this last aspect can be up in the air), but the downside is that it'll take up more room.

You seem very confident in more Dilophosaurus figures being released!  Honestly, I currently have no clue who could put out a new Dilophosaurus. If the leaked PNSO list turns out to be true, no Dilophosaurus from PNSO, at least this year. CollectA already did their take on the "2020 Dilophosaurus", Safari released their latest one in 2020, the same year in which it became outdated. Eofauna doesn't release many figures, and a Dilophosaurus isn't necessarily the most likely species for them to tackle I'd say... So I really don't know. The Cyberzoic Dilophosaurus is due to come out in May 2025, so I'm not sure that's enough time for multiple new figures of this particular taxon to appear, let alone 1... But let's wait and see!

Nahecaris looks like a modern prawn.

Indeed it does!

[Halichoeres]

Page 1 reference list updated!

Nahecaris looks like a modern prawn.

It does! It's a phyllocarid, which still persist, although they are not especially diverse compared to other crustacean groups. They differ in details, but do have a generally prawn-y appearance.

You seem very confident in more Dilophosaurus figures being released!  Honestly, I currently have no clue who could put out a new Dilophosaurus. If the leaked PNSO list turns out to be true, no Dilophosaurus from PNSO, at least this year. CollectA already did their take on the "2020 Dilophosaurus", Safari released their latest one in 2020, the same year in which it became outdated. Eofauna doesn't release many figures, and a Dilophosaurus isn't necessarily the most likely species for them to tackle I'd say... So I really don't know. The Cyberzoic Dilophosaurus is due to come out in May 2025, so I'm not sure that's enough time for multiple new figures of this particular taxon to appear, let alone 1... But let's wait and see!

Hey, there's already been another Mattel one announced since Haolonggood's came out. Almost as good!

[Primeval12]

It was interesting reading up on Schinderhannes (the criminal) because of Schinderhannes (the genus). Also excited for this Dilo showdown.

[Halichoeres]

Ornithischians of the Cretaceous!


Haolonggood Tlatolophus
Scale: 1:35
Released: 2023
Campanian of North America
Etymology: Nahuatl/Gr. "word crest" after the Aztec glyph meaning 'word' or 'discourse,' which looks a bit like the crest
A lambeosaurine with a complete skull is a shoo-in for a figure. Haolonggood's version is very nice, and unlike some of there early figures it's quite true to scale. The eyes are a tiny bit beady, but overall the paint work is up to Haolonggood's typical high standard.


With a few hadrosaurs from other companies.


Haolonggood Kosmoceratops
Scale: 1:30 - 1:35
Released: 2023
Campanian of North America
Etymology: Gr. "ornamented horned face"
One of the more distinctive ceratopsians, now with several figures to its name. My first version was CollectA's, which is rather homely. I almost went for Happy Kin's action figure, but the Creative Beast version saved me the trouble. The Creative Beast one is probably a bit more accurate on the skull in particular, but since I prefer static figures and the BotM ceratopsians are quite space-hungry, this is my Kosmoceratops now.


One reason I hesitated on this was that early photos suggested it didn't have a fully-formed beak. But I think it was Sim who got one and confirmed that it has a beak, so I pulled the trigger.



With Battat's Euoplocephalus, which might be on its way out soon...


Mattel Craterosaurus
Scale: 1:18?
Released: 2024
Albian or Aptian of Eurasia
Etymology: Gr. "krater lizard"
Kind of a weird choice, a genus based on a single partial vertebra that is so damaged that it was initially mistaken for a skull fragment. Considering that the vertebrae are all buried inside the animal, my scale estimate is extremely rough. All the same, this is a reasonably nice-looking generic stegosaur by Mattel standards.


Bizarrely, Mattel is now tied with PNSO for company that contributes the most stegosaurs to my collection.


Safari Ltd Stegouros
Scale: 1:11
Sculptor: Doug Watson
Released: 2024
Campanian of South America
Etymology: Gr. "roof tail"
Fantastic little figure of a weird little ankylosaur. Makes me wonder how a Watson Scelidosaurus would turn out...


The tail.


Here's a comparison photo I wager you won't see elsewhere.


Stack o' Stegouros (a comparison photo you might see elsewhere, and in fact I swear I have, but I can't for the life of me figure out where). The Mattel one is just bycatch from having bought the Eoraptor. For now I think I'll keep the CollectA, because it helps break up the complete saturation of dromaeosaurs on my 1:6 Cretaceous shelf. Maybe down the line when there's more balance in that part of my collection I'll part with it.

It was interesting reading up on Schinderhannes (the criminal) because of Schinderhannes (the genus).

My favorite part of this hobby is learning random stuff!

[Primeval12]

I want a pet Stegouros. That is all.

[triceratops83]

A very nice selection, even the Craterosaurus, which I highly doubt you will be able to replace any time soon due it its obscurity. If you're going to keep the CollectA Stegouros, does that mean you will get rid of the Safari one? Or just put it aside for now?

[Faelrin]

Thank you for the stack of Stegouros. I was wondering how the other two sized up with the Mattel one.