Sim's prehistoric zoo

[Sim]

Maybe I should get this Iguanodon figure instead of the HLG one. How would you assess the size and accuracy of the scalation, @Sim ? Are the scales over-sized?

The green scales are individually painted which I find impressive.  The scales aren't as fine as those on modern PNSO and Haolonggood figures.  If I'm remembering right there are skin impressions from the related Mantellisaurus, but I don't know what they look like.  In the past Mark Witton advised being more experimental with scaly skin in dinosaur reconstructions, reconstructing Iguanodon with large scales to show this.  I don't know if he still supports this idea.  So I don't know if the scales are oversized for Iguanodon, but I like how they look on this CollectA Iguandodon!

[Sim]

Scientific name: Nasutoceratops titusi
Company: Safari
Scale: 1:17
From: Utah

Another one that surprised me when I calculated its scale! It's based on skull size. Nasutoceratops wasn't very big! It's seen here traversing through some snow 

[Sim]

Scientific name: Dimetrodon limbatus
Company: Eikoh
Scale: 1:42
From: Oklahoma, Texas

There are lots of Dimetrodon figures and this one by Eikoh is the one I chose out of all of them. As far as I'm aware all the good small Dimetrodon figures are the same species, limbatus. So for me it was a matter of choosing the one I like most and that happened to be the Eikoh version. It's a well-done figure in my opinion, even having lips.

[Sim]

Scientific name: Orthacanthus sp.
Company: Safari
Scale: 1:32
From: England, Wales, Scotland, New Brunswick, Ohio, Texas, Poland, France

I haven't been able to determine the species of this Orthacanthus and when I asked him about it, @Halichoeres said prehistoric fish like this one tend to have different species based on subtle features which wouldn't be visible on a small figure. So, I have to leave this as having an undetermined species, as much as I don't want to.

This figure and the Stethacanthus from the same toob suffered from yellowing in earlier batches of their toob.  My toob is from a later batch as can be told from differing mouth paint on the figures.  The figures in this later batch of the toob don't suffer from yellowing!

This figure and the Xenacanthus from the same toob come with two pairs of small tail fins which is incorrect for these animals. So I had Martin Garratt remove a pair, with the ones remaining looking like they are swaying as the animal moves through water. See this in the image below.

[SidB]

Maybe I should get this Iguanodon figure instead of the HLG one. How would you assess the size and accuracy of the scalation, @Sim ? Are the scales over-sized?

The green scales are individually painted which I find impressive.  The scales aren't as fine as those on modern PNSO and Haolonggood figures.  If I'm remembering right there are skin impressions from the related Mantellisaurus, but I don't know what they look like.  In the past Mark Witton advised being more experimental with scaly skin in dinosaur reconstructions, reconstructing Iguanodon with large scales to show this.  I don't know if he still supports this idea.  So I don't know if the scales are oversized for Iguanodon, but I like how they look on this CollectA Iguandodon!

Fair enough. Thank you.

[SBell]

It's weird about the yellowing. I have several of the toobs from before release (samples since I helped with them) and they're in perfect shape

[Sim]

That is weird, Sean!  I still don't fully understand why yellowing affects figures in the first place.  Specifically, why some figures and not others?  Whatever the cause it's fortunately rare.

I've added the locations the animals are from for the animal profiles I've done so far!

[Halichoeres]

You prefer the Eikoh Dimetrodon to any of the Kaiyodo ones? Is that because of the joints?

The AMNH web site has a photo of the Orthacanthus skull they have on exhibit, and even there it just says "Orthacanthus sp."!

Both of these make me think how good a Permian box from Colorata could be if they ever decided to make one.

[Sim]

You prefer the Eikoh Dimetrodon to any of the Kaiyodo ones? Is that because of the joints?

No, I don't mind the seams on Kaiyodo figures.  I just prefer the look of the Eikoh Dimetrodon, although I do like the great leaps in evolution Kaiyodo Dimetrodon too.  However, I had been thinking the Eikoh Dimetrodon is around 1:30 scale by eyeballing it.  Now that I know it's below 1:35 scale I have developed the desire to replace it with something more suitable to my scale preferences, which is as close to 1:35 or larger.  So stay tuned for more on Dimetrodon soon hopefully!

The AMNH web site has a photo of the Orthacanthus skull they have on exhibit, and even there it just says "Orthacanthus sp."!

Both of these make me think how good a Permian box from Colorata could be if they ever decided to make one.

Colorata hasn't made anything new for some time now, even with regards to modern animals.  I wish they would, they have a tendency for interesting figures.

[Concavenator]

CollectA's Iguanodon is truly great. Not a big fan of its coloration (especially those dark green stripes), but I think that figure is still top of the game as far as Iguanodon figures are concerned.

[Paleo Flo]

CollectA's Iguanodon is truly great. Not a big fan of its coloration (especially those dark  green stripes), but I think that figure is still top of the game as far as Iguanodon figures are concerned.

I still admire it to this day. The HLG one just will just extend the herd.

[Sim]

Scientific name: Corythosaurus casuarius
Company: PNSO
Scale: 1:30
From: Alberta

I was expecting this figure's scale to be larger, but it is larger than 1:35 as I had been thinking. It's a good figure and I wanted a Corythosaurus which is why I got it. Looking at it again now though, I don't really like it unlike the PNSO Lambeosaurus which I also have. I'd like it if someone such as Haolonggood made Corythosaurus so I could replace the PNSO version with a smaller, less space-consuming version that is closer to 1:35 scale and that looks nicer than the PNSO version to me.

[Sim]

Scientific name: Quetzalcoatlus northropi
Company: Haolonggood
Scale: 1:34
From: Texas

The figure's proportions don't match those of Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni, but I wonder if the larger Quetzalcoatlus northropi could have had different proportions? With that in mind, I calculated the scale based on the wingspan as that includes known bones of Q. northropi. I'm satisfied with this Haolonggood Quetzalcoatlus and don't need another figure of the genus.

[Sim]

Scientific name: Kaprosuchus saharicus
Company: Papo
Scale: 1:12
From: Niger

I love this figure! It looks like a living crocodilian! The figure's colouration pleases me very much, the gleaming golden eyes looking like a real animal's!

[SidB]

Scientific name: Corythosaurus casuarius
Company: PNSO
Scale: 1:30
From: Alberta

I was expecting this figure's scale to be larger, but it is larger than 1:35 as I had been thinking. It's a good figure and I wanted a Corythosaurus which is why I got it. Looking at it again now though, I don't really like it unlike the PNSO Lambeosaurus which I also have. I'd like it if someone such as Haolonggood made Corythosaurus so I could replace the PNSO version with a smaller, less space-consuming version that is closer to 1:35 scale and that looks nicer than the PNSO version to me.

Agreeing with you on all these points, @Sim - but I really do think that, deficiencies aside for a moment, it's a striking figure color-wise, otherwise.

[Sim]

Scientific name: Sinoceratops zhuchengensis
Company: PNSO
Scale: 1:28
From: China

I originally had a unit of this figure that had shiny gloss on its face. I decided I didn't want it so I gave it to a child. Afterwards I changed my mind and decided I wanted to have this figure so I ordered another one. To my surprise the one I received didn't have the very glossy face that the one I originally had had. I prefer this newer figure's condition, so things really went well with this whole situation!

[Sim]

Scientific name: Utahraptor ostrommaysi
Company: Safari
Scale: 1:27
From: Utah

This is probably my favourite figure currently. It's so good! The real life length of the animal used to calculate the scale is 6m, the length Scott Hartman has said is the updated length for Utahraptor now that it is known it had a relatively short tail.

[Halichoeres]

I have the Safari Kaprosuchus, but this one is one of Papo's top prehistoric releases of recent years!

[Sim]

I'd say the Kaprosuchus is one of Papo's top releases ever!  I'm not a fan of Papo's earlier prehistoric figures.

[PrimevalRaptor]

Yeah the Kaprosuchus is amazing, would love for Papo to tackle more crocodyliformes given how well this guy and their extant crocs hold up.