HAOLONGGOOD - New for 2024

[thomasw100]

so are we all just waiting to get the big guy in?

I am actually curious if Haolonggood will still release something smaller before the Argentinosaurus becomes available. This was the same with the Alamosaurus last year. This was put up for pre-order in early December. But then they released Kosmoceratops and Sinoceratops before the Alamosaurus started to be shipped in January.

There are 3 more ceratopsians actually left from their original release plan, Styracosaurus, Uthaceratops and Einiosaurus. And who knows what surprise will still come. Maybe Brachiosaurus?

[Flaffy]

There are 3 more ceratopsians actually left from their original release plan, Styracosaurus, Uthaceratops and Einiosaurus. And who knows what surprise will still come. Maybe Brachiosaurus?

I'd be concerned about the Brachiosaurus cannibalising potential sales of the Argentinosaurus if another big ticket item was released in such close succession. But then again Haolonggood released their massive Alamosaurus, Mamenchisaurus and Camarasaurus all in the same year... So we'll see.

Still genuinely shocked that they managed to pull this off. Must've been a huge financial risk.

[Sim]

If Haolonggood is releasing Brachiosaurus it might be best if they base it on the new skull reconstruction @Concavenator shared here: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=10926.msg381614#msg381614

[thomasw100]

If Haolonggood is releasing Brachiosaurus it might be best if they base it on the new skull reconstruction @Concavenator shared here: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=10926.msg381614#msg381614

This link takes me to a link to the Facebook page of Paleo Nerd, but to the post about the PNSO Lokiceratops release. Going to the main Facebook page of Paleo Nerd does not lead me to the information either, as one cannot scroll down to older posts any more without logging in (which means having an account) thanks due to recent changes of Facebook. These social media where you cannot access any information any more without having an account and logging in are a dead end road and are becoming increasingly useless. This is getting worse than paywalled scientific journals where you can at least read the Abstract.

[Sim]

T @thomasw100 when I click on the link Concavenator provided I too am taken to a post about the PNSO Lokiceratops.  However I clicked to the main Paleo Nerd page and was able to find the post about the new Brachiosaurus info, I guess because I have a Facebook account.

The information is in Italian, here are the main points, translated by me:
The Black Hills Institute appears to have shared a new reconstruction of the skull of Brachiosaurus.  It is based on a new very complete specimen found in 2017, which is probably a new species.  Unfortunately there isn't a scientific paper on the new remains yet, so we need to wait for it.

I had forgotten that it said the new skull might belong to a new species.  I wonder what that could mean for reconstructing the skull of Brachiosaurus altithorax?

[Concavenator]

This link takes me to a link to the Facebook page of Paleo Nerd, but to the post about the PNSO Lokiceratops release.

when I click on the link Concavenator provided I too am taken to a post about the PNSO Lokiceratops.

Sorry about that, yeah, obviously I was intending to link to the post @Sim alluded too.

[thomasw100]

This link takes me to a link to the Facebook page of Paleo Nerd, but to the post about the PNSO Lokiceratops release.

when I click on the link Concavenator provided I too am taken to a post about the PNSO Lokiceratops.

Sorry about that, yeah, obviously I was intending to link to the post @Sim alluded too.

There would not have been any problem locating the correct post by Paleo Nerd if it were not for this ridiculous policy of Facebook. This is becoming a problem now with many small artists using Facebook and Instagram as their webpage. Without having an account and being logged in one cannot see much there any more or is constantly annoyed by pop-up windows that ask to log in. The Open Internet is becoming a Closed Internet due to money and power greedy people.

[Flaffy]

"If you missed the unveiling today, here it is... a new Brachiosaurus! 🦕 You can see this skull in the museum over the next few days! Thank you Ella Larson for the sketch! @petelarsontrex

Check our YouTube channel for the final video from the Live broadcast of Pete's talk... https://m.youtube.com/@BlackHillsInstitute/videos"
- Black Hills Institute


"The Black Hills Institute Everything Prehistoric and Museum at Black Hills Institute has unveiled via livestream what could be a new reconstruction of the Brachiosaurus skull. This would be based on a new specimen discovered in 2017 that is particularly complete, although deformed, probably belonging to a new species.

Finding a sauropod skull is very rare, until today there was only one available of Brachiosaurus, a Felch Quarry skull. So this is really exciting news! Unfortunately, there is no scientific article describing the new remains yet, so we have to wait."
- Paleo-nerd

[Ajax88]

A few more Argentinosaurus pics dropped. It's like people are allergic to taking a lateral picture of each color scheme in the same lighting...

[Concavenator]

Unless HLG gets privileged access to the new Brachiosaurus material like PNSO could with Lokiceratops, I'd say it'd be more sensible for them to wait until the paper/s describing said material is/are released. Because, OK, we're all seeing that new skull, but it is mentioned that the new specimen is "particularly complete". In case that new Brachiosaurus specimen turns out to be a new species and has different proportions to B. altithorax, those proportions couldn't be accurately portrayed in their figure if HLG is seeing the same as us now - the skull. As, without proper knowledge, its proportions would surely be based on B. altithorax's.

So yes, a priori, I think it's a good idea for them to base their Brachiosaurus off that new specimen, as it has the potential to have better remains than B. altithorax. But with patience (or alternatively, they could try attaining a collaboration with the researchers like PNSO did).

[Sim]

My understanding is the holotype of Brachiosaurus consists of only part of the spine and the upper limbs, and almost everything else assigned to it is only a guess as those specimens don't overlap with the holotype so it's not known for certain they belong to the same species as the holotype.  The new Brachiosaurus specimen is being described as very complete so it's definitely more complete than the very fragmentary Brachiosaurus holotype and referred specimens.  The easiest thing for Haolonggood to do is to make Giraffatitan instead of Brachiosaurus (for now) as Giraffatitan's skeleton is well-understood (which is why reconstructions of Brachiosaurus were based on it prior G. being put in its own genus.

[Faelrin]

Speaking of Giraffatitan, I think it would be cool if they could do a two pack with it and Kentrosaurus (but not have it as a limited pre-order exclusive like the Huayangosaurus was), like the Dilophosaurus or Maiasaurus releases, since they are from the same formation.

[Concavenator]

The easiest thing for Haolonggood to do is to make Giraffatitan instead of Brachiosaurus (for now) as Giraffatitan's skeleton is well-understood (which is why reconstructions of Brachiosaurus were based on it prior G. being put in its own genus.

That's certainly a good idea, but I don't really see them doing that. The name Brachiosaurus is more famous than Giraffatitan (and so, presumably sells more), so even if at the moment, the latter is technically the better choice for a figure, companies tend to opt for the former.

This also explains why there are more Oviraptor figures than Citipati figures, regardless of the former being based on the latter (which means the latter is the better choice, which it is indeed).

[Abobo]

[thomasw100]

Could perhaps someone repost all the in hand pictures of Argentinosaurus and Huayangosaurus from Paleofiguras? I cannot see them without having a Facebook account and being logged in.

[Flaffy]

10+ images straight from Baidu user 冰岛寒流. More pics under spoiler tag.

Spoiler

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[SenSx]

What do you think of that figure accuracy wise ?
The remains are poor for Argentinosaurus of course, but if we base it on Patagotitan or other titanosaurs ?
It is missing the bump on the base of the tail, but I don't know for the rest.
Is the more vertical stand ok ?

[Flaffy]

Same again for the gem of a Huayangosaurus. More pics under spoiler tag.

Spoiler

[close]

[Flaffy]

T @thomasw100 as requested ^^. Hope to see the other versions in hand soon so I can make a final decision on the colour scheme to go for. But echoing my previous sentiment, 129 is looking really nice. A damn shame that beautiful Huayangosaurus is locked behind an Argentinosaurus-paywall.

@SenSx The only major inaccuracy I can identify so far would be the teeth. Far far too few in number, and much too big. Does not accurately reflect the infamous "teeth rakes" sauropods. The more vertical neck posture is accurate to what we currently know about macronarians, iirc only certain groups within Diplodocoidea, along with more basal sauropods showed a more horizontal configuration.

[SenSx]

Oh ok thanks, teeth a definitely an issue here, especially given the size of the figure
Sad because I otherwise love the shape of its head, there is some sort of lieard vibe that I like.